ASHLAND — Could Mary Surratt, a woman, and a pious one at that, have been part of the conspiracy to assassinate Abraham Lincoln? She said no until the moment of her execution.
The public, especially women, were fixated on her trial, mostly assuming that — after all the drama — her life would be spared because surely a woman would not be executed.
On Feb. 17 at 7 p.m., Ashland Chautauqua will present a virtual book discussion of The Assassin’s Accomplice: Mary Surratt and the plot to Kill Abraham Lincoln by Kate Clifford Larson. Reading the book is encouraged but not required. The discussion will be led by Chautauqua scholar Dianne Moran, who will also portray Mary Surratt in the summer 2022 Ashland Chautauqua event, “The Famous and Infamous.”
The Confederacy was right across the Potomac River from Washington D.C. Virginia had left the Union while Maryland stayed in. But southern Maryland was full of Confederate sympathizers who were willing to help Confederate incursions into the area so close to the nation’s capital.
The vegetation-lined shores of the Potomac’s inlets were just about impossible to patrol for small boats crossing in the night. This was the geographic setting for the daring conspiracy that resulted in the assassination of President Lincoln on April 15, 1865.
The injured assassin, John Wilkes Booth, was sheltered in southern Maryland, but finally was taken across the Potomac into Virginia, where he was killed in an attempt by Union officers to arrest him.
Mary Surratt’s boardinghouse in Washington D.C. was quickly identified as the central meeting location of the conspirators. But what did Mary herself know?
Author Larson went into the research phase of her project thinking she would find evidence to create doubt of Mary’s guilt. However, the additional evidence discovered and added to the complete story showed Mary to be solidly engaged in the conspiracy.
Pre-registration for the book discussions is required through Eventbrite (https://bit.ly/3uCeHNz). Register for one event or all the book discussions at once. The remaining characters to be featured in the virtual book discussion series are Marie Curie on March 24 and Annie Oakley on April 28, each beginning at 7 p.m.
Ashland Chautauqua’s virtual book discussion series is supported through the generosity of the Ohio Arts Council, Ohio Humanities, Explore Ashland, Peace Lutheran Church, and WebDev Works, LLC. Donations to Ashland Chautauqua are always welcome and can be made online or by check.
Full information is available on its website (ashlandchautauqua.org/support.php).
