Judge Advocate General Joseph Holt

joseph holt (center) along john bingham (left) , henry burnett (right) 3 prosecutors in charge of lincoln assassination trial.



president buchanan , cabinet, c. 1859 (left right: jacob thompson, lewis cass, john b. floyd, james buchanan, howell cobb, isaac toucey, joseph holt , jeremiah s. black)

on april 14, 1865, lincoln assassinated confederate sympathizer john wilkes booth. booth s accomplice, lewis powell injured secretary of state seward, , vice president johnson targeted. holt prepared order signature of johnson arrest of confederate president jefferson davis , 5 other suspects. booth caught on april 26, 1865 killed boston corbett, soldier violated orders.

as judge advocate general of army, holt chief prosecutor in trial of accused conspirators before military commission chaired general david hunter. 2 assistant judge advocates, john bingham , general henry lawrence burnett assisted holt. defendants george atzerodt, david herold, powell, samuel arnold, michael o laughlen, edman spangler, samuel mudd, , mary surratt. trial began on may 10, 1865 , lasted 2 months. holt , bingham attempted obscure fact there 2 plots. first plot kidnap lincoln , exchange him confederate prisoners held union. second assassinate lincoln, johnson, , seward , throw government chaos.

it important prosecution not reveal existence of diary taken body of booth. diary made clear assassination plan dated 14 april. surprisingly, defense did not call booth s diary produced in court. holt accused of withholding evidence, never proven.

on june 29, 1865, 8 found guilty of conspiracy kill president. arnold, o laughlen, , mudd sentenced life in prison, spangler 6 years in prison, , atzerodt, herold, powell, , surratt hanged, first woman ever executed federal government. executed july 7, 1865.

o laughlen died in prison in 1867. arnold, spangler, , mudd pardoned johnson in 1869. accusations still remain surratt s sentence of hanging had been reduced before hanging.

holt s public image besmirched trial , prosecution of it, , many historians believe controversy surrounding ended holt s political career. in 1866, holt issued pamphlet, titled vindication of judge advocate general holt foul slanders of traitors, confessed perjurers , suborners, acting in interest of jefferson davis, in attempted defend himself against various allegations , clear of confusion stemming trial.