This dramatic account explores the years leading up to Abraham Lincoln's assassination, highlighting the unexpected involvement of Canadians in the American Civil War. While Canadians take pride in providing refuge for 30,000 escaped slaves via the Underground Railroad, the narrative reveals a darker side: Canada's support for the slave South and its role in various plots against Lincoln. The story intertwines the lives of five extraordinary Canadians and a few Americans in Canada, all on their fateful journeys toward the night of the assassination on April 14, 1865. Many crossed paths with Lincoln or John Wilkes Booth, some witnessing history, while others played pivotal roles in shaping it. Key figures include Anderson Abbot, Canada's first Black doctor who joined the Union Army; Emma Edmonds, who disguised herself as a man to serve as a Union nurse; and Edward P. Doherty, who led the hunt for Booth. The narrative also features wealthy supporters of the Confederacy, such as George Taylor Denison III and Henry Starnes. It paints vivid portraits of Montreal as a hub for mercenaries and spies, and Toronto as a base for Confederate plotters. The book is meticulously researched and richly illustrated, bringing to life the complex interplay of events and characters that influenced this pivotal moment in history.
