The Lincoln War Crimes Trial: A History Lesson …..Meanwhile, Lee
waited outside Washington without attacking and the Confederate
government renewed the offer made in 1861 and never answered, to
negotiate all issues with the US in good faith, on principles of
justice and equity. There then occurred one of the extraordinary
unexpected historical events, which brought about a dramatic
shift in the situation. Lincoln attempted to escape Washington,
as he entered, in disguise. He was taken prisoner by Colonel
Mosby, a Confederate partisan who operated freely in northern
Virginia. Very shortly after, Mosby’s men intercepted a band of
assassins intent on killing Lincoln. It was soon revealed that
Booth, a double agent, had been hired by the “Union” Secretary
of War Edwin M. Stanton, and certain Radical Republican leaders
in Congress, to remove “Honest Abe” and make way for a military
dictatorship under a reliable Republican. Subsequently indicted
by the US for his part in the attempted assassination, Stanton
hanged