Part 3, Chapters 1-6 Summary

Part 3 opens with Herold pretending to have smallpox so he can work backstage in the theaters. John Wilkes Booth, whom he envies, is introduced to him, proves to be a fellow low-level spy, and invites Herold to work with him at Ford's Theater. Since Willie's death, the Lincolns have become avid theatergoers. Herold is startled when Booth says he must poison Lincoln soon because the Yankees are winning in the West and if Lincoln is re-elected, the South will run out of men. If Lincoln does not run, McClellan will win and make peace on Southern terms.

Tad is delirious in bed, forcing Mrs. Lincoln to skip the Chase/Sprague wedding. After the small ceremony, 500 guests attend the reception, including the entire Cabinet minus Montgomery. At it, Henry D. Cooke asks Seward to pull strings for his partners, charged...