Confederate Flag Led to Lincoln Murder

IT WAS EARLY 1865—THE FINAL DAYS OF THE CIVIL WAR. UNION FORCES WERE PUMMELING FORT ANDERSON, A CONFEDERATE PORT ON THE CAPE FEAR RIVER IN COASTAL NORTH CAROLINA. WHEN CONFEDERATE TROOPS WERE OVERWHELMED BY SUPERIOR FORCES AND BEGAN RETREATING, A CONFEDERATE FLAG FELL OFF THE BACK OF A SUPPLY WAGON AS THEY ABANDONED FORT ANDERSON. LITTLE DID ANYONE KNOW THAT THIS SEEMINGLY INSIGNIFICANT FLAG LEFT BEHIND IN THE HEAT OF RETREAT WOULD ALTER THE COURSE OF AMERICAN HISTORY.
" width= THE FLAG WAS FOUND BY A UNION SOLDIER OF THE 140TH INDIANA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY AND TURNED OVER TO HIS COMMANDER, COLONEL THOMAS J. BRADY, WHO TRANSPORTED IT TO WASHINGTON D.C. THE TROOPS HAD PLANNED TO PRESENT THE FALLEN FLAG TO OLIVER MORTON, THE GOVERNOR OF INDIANA, ON THE STEPS OF THE NATIONAL HOTEL—IN A COSMIC TWIST OF FATE, JOHN WILKES BOOTH WAS STAYING IN THE NATIONAL HOTEL AT THE VERY SAME TIME. FOR OVER A YEAR, BOOTH HAD BEEN WORKING ON PLANS TO KIDNAP LINCOLN, SPIRIT HIM TO RICHMOND, AND USE HIM AS RANSOM IN A TRADE FOR CAPTURED CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS.