The Lincoln Conspiracy

The Lincoln Conspiracy Plot Summary

Introduction

On a cold February night in 1861, Abraham Lincoln, the newly elected 16th President of the United States, slipped through Baltimore under cover of darkness, disguised in a soft wool hat and traveling coat. This secret journey, orchestrated by America's first private detective Allan Pinkerton, wasn't merely a cautious precaution—it was a desperate measure to evade a sophisticated assassination plot. As the nation teetered on the brink of civil war, with seven Southern states having already seceded, a cabal of Confederate sympathizers in Baltimore had devised a plan to murder Lincoln during his scheduled public transfer between train stations, effectively decapitating the incoming administration before it could take office. The Baltimore Plot represents one of the most serious threats to American democracy in the nation's history—a moment when the peaceful transfer of power, the cornerstone of democratic governance, nearly collapsed. This extraordinary tale weaves together the brilliant detective work of Pinkerton and America's first female detective Kate Warne, the deep divisions over slavery that threatened to tear the nation apart, and Lincoln's difficult decision to prioritize the preservation of the Union over his personal dignity. Through this pivotal historical moment, we gain insight into the fragility of democratic institutions during times of national crisis, the courage of individuals who defend them, and how close America came to losing its greatest president before he could even take the oath of office.

Chapter 1: A Nation Divided: The Secession Crisis (1860-1861)

By the autumn of 1860, the United States stood at a precipice. Decades of compromise over slavery had finally reached their breaking point as Americans prepared to elect their sixteenth president. The Democratic Party had split into Northern and Southern factions, while the new Republican Party nominated Abraham Lincoln, a self-educated lawyer from Illinois who opposed the expansion of slavery into new territories. Though Lincoln repeatedly stated he had no intention of interfering with slavery where it already existed, Southern politicians and newspapers portrayed him as a radical abolitionist whose election would threaten their entire way of life. When Lincoln won the November election without receiving a single electoral vote from the South, the reaction was swift and severe. On December 20, 1860, South Carolina became the first state to formally secede from the Union, declaring that the "non-slaveholding states" had elected a president "whose opinions and purposes are hostile to slavery." Within six weeks, six more states—Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas—followed suit. By February 1861, these seven states had formed the Confederate States of America and elected Jefferson Davis as their provisional president. The outgoing Buchanan administration, paralyzed by indecision and divided loyalties, did little to stem the tide of disunion. The secession crisis revealed the deep racial fears driving Southern politics. White supremacy was the cornerstone of Southern society, with slavery embedded in every institution from churches to courts. Southern politicians warned that Lincoln's election would lead to racial equality—a prospect they portrayed in apocalyptic terms. As one South Carolina clergyman told his congregation: "If you are tame enough to submit, Abolition preachers will be at hand to consummate the marriage of your daughters to black husbands." This rhetoric of racial fear proved powerful enough to drive seven states to abandon the Union before Lincoln even took office. Throughout this crisis, Lincoln remained in Springfield, Illinois, unable to take any official action as president-elect. The constitutional limbo between election and inauguration—then a lengthy four months—created a dangerous power vacuum. Lincoln refused to compromise on the core principle that had won him the election: preventing slavery's expansion into new territories. "On that point hold firm, as with a chain of steel," he wrote to a colleague. While moderates in Congress desperately tried to craft compromise measures, Lincoln stood firm on this fundamental issue, writing: "If there be compromise, all our labor is lost, and, ere long, must be done again." As Lincoln prepared to leave Springfield for his inauguration in February 1861, the nation was effectively splitting apart. Death threats poured into his office daily, with warnings of assassination plots. On February 11, as he bid farewell to his hometown, Lincoln acknowledged the enormity of his task: "I now leave, not knowing when, or whether ever, I may return, with a task before me greater than that which rested upon Washington." The fate of American democracy hung in the balance as Lincoln embarked on a journey that would take him through potentially hostile territory—including the city of Baltimore, where a deadly conspiracy awaited.

Chapter 2: Shadows in Baltimore: The Assassination Conspiracy Forms

Baltimore in early 1861 was a powder keg of secessionist sentiment. Though Maryland remained officially in the Union, the state's largest city harbored intense Southern sympathies. Of the more than 30,000 votes cast in Baltimore during the 1860 presidential election, fewer than 1,100 went to Lincoln. The city was a key hub in the domestic slave trade, with "slave pens" lining the waterfront where human beings were held before being shipped to auction blocks in the Deep South. This economic and cultural alignment with the South made Baltimore fertile ground for anti-Lincoln sentiment as the president-elect prepared for his journey to Washington. At the center of Baltimore's secessionist circles was an unlikely figure: Cypriano Ferrandini, a Corsican immigrant who worked as a barber in the basement of Barnum's City Hotel. Despite his foreign birth, Ferrandini had embraced Southern values with fervent passion and risen to become captain of a local militia called the National Volunteers. By early 1861, he had also joined the Knights of the Golden Circle (KGC), a secretive organization dedicated to preserving slavery and potentially expanding it into Mexico and Central America. The KGC operated with elaborate secrecy, using complex systems of codes, passwords, and hand signals. Members met in locations called "castles" and were instructed to carry loaded revolvers and sharpened bowie knives at all times. The conspiracy developing in Baltimore was particularly dangerous because of the city's strategic position on Lincoln's route to Washington. Any traveler from the North heading to the capital by rail had to pass through Baltimore, where passengers were required to transfer between stations by crossing the city streets. This created a perfect opportunity for would-be assassins. As detective Allan Pinkerton would later discover, "Lincoln will be exposed to the public" for at least half an hour while traversing Baltimore streets between train stations. By February 1861, as Lincoln prepared to depart Springfield, the conspiracy had evolved into something specific and deadly. According to later accounts, a secret ceremony took place in a darkened room in Baltimore, where approximately twenty men gathered. A leader dressed in funereal black addressed the group about "the glory that awaited the man who proved himself the hero upon this great occasion." The men then drew ballots from a box, with one receiving a red ballot designating him as the assassin who would kill Lincoln as he passed through their city. Their plan would commence in a crowded place, in full public view, with the goal of changing the direction of the nation through political violence. What made the Baltimore Plot especially concerning was the apparent complicity of local authorities. Baltimore's Marshal of Police, George P. Kane, was suspected of Southern sympathies, if not outright KGC membership. Pinkerton would later overhear Kane stating there would be "no police escort" for Lincoln's passage through Baltimore—leaving the President-elect vulnerable to attack. The conspiracy thus represented not just a fringe plot but a systematic attempt to use violence to overturn the results of a democratic election, with potential support from those sworn to uphold the law.

Chapter 3: Pinkerton's Investigation: Uncovering the Plot

In late January 1861, as threats against Lincoln multiplied, an unexpected figure entered the drama: Allan Pinkerton, America's first private detective. Born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1819, Pinkerton had immigrated to the United States in 1842 and established the Pinkerton National Detective Agency in Chicago. A staunch abolitionist who had made his home a stop on the Underground Railroad, Pinkerton was contacted by Samuel Felton, president of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad, who had received alarming information about plots to sabotage railroad lines in Maryland and potentially assassinate Lincoln. Pinkerton assembled an elite team for his Baltimore investigation. He personally went undercover as "John H. Hutcheson," a stockbroker from the South, renting offices strategically located near the city's major train depots. His operatives included Timothy Webster, a former New York City policeman with "great physical strength and endurance"; Harry Davies, a well-dressed young man who had lived in the South and knew its "localities, prejudices, customs and leading men"; and most remarkably, Kate Warne, America's first female detective whom Pinkerton had hired in 1856. Warne's role proved crucial, as she could access social circles and information unavailable to male detectives. Through careful infiltration of Baltimore's secessionist networks, Pinkerton's team gradually uncovered the assassination plot. Harry Davies befriended Otis K. Hillard, a young Baltimore socialite with strong Southern sympathies who eventually revealed details of the conspiracy. Pinkerton himself made contact with a stockbroker named Thomas Luckett, who introduced him to Cypriano Ferrandini. During a meeting at Barr's Saloon, Ferrandini openly declared his intention to kill Lincoln, dramatically stating, "Never, never shall Lincoln be President! My life is of no consequence. I am willing to give it for his... If I alone must do it, I shall. Lincoln shall die in this city." By mid-February, Pinkerton was convinced the threat was real and deadly serious. Studying the logistics of train travel through Baltimore, he realized that Lincoln would be vulnerable during the transfer between stations, exposed to the public for at least half an hour. The detective's investigation revealed that the conspirators planned to create a diversion with a mob, while a small group of assassins would attack Lincoln's carriage during the transfer. With Lincoln's published itinerary having him arriving in Baltimore on February 23, Pinkerton knew he had to act quickly to convince the President-elect to change his plans. What made Pinkerton's warning particularly credible was that, unknown to him, a separate investigation commissioned by General Winfield Scott and William Seward had independently uncovered similar evidence of a plot. This dual confirmation from separate sources would prove crucial in convincing Lincoln to take the threat seriously. As Lincoln's inaugural train made its way eastward through Ohio and Pennsylvania, Pinkerton dispatched Kate Warne to Philadelphia with urgent messages for Norman Judd, one of Lincoln's closest advisors traveling with the presidential party. The race was on to reach Lincoln before he entered Baltimore and fell into the trap set by Ferrandini and his fellow conspirators.

Chapter 4: The Secret Journey: Lincoln's Midnight Passage

On February 21, 1861, as Abraham Lincoln's inaugural train reached Philadelphia, the crisis came to a head. That evening, in a hotel room at the Continental, Lincoln met with Allan Pinkerton and Norman Judd to hear the detective's evidence of the Baltimore plot. Pinkerton laid out the details: conspirators led by Ferrandini planned to attack Lincoln during his carriage transfer between Baltimore's train stations, and the city's police would provide no protection. Lincoln, exhausted from weeks of travel and public appearances, initially resisted changing his plans, famously remarking: "I cannot consent to being shown into Washington like a thief in the night." The situation became even more compelling when Frederick Seward, son of Lincoln's incoming Secretary of State William Seward, arrived at the hotel room later that night. Young Seward carried a similar warning based on an entirely separate investigation commissioned by his father and General Winfield Scott. This independent confirmation convinced Lincoln of the danger, though he insisted on keeping his commitment to raise a flag at Independence Hall the following morning and meet with Pennsylvania's legislature in Harrisburg that afternoon. A compromise plan was devised: Lincoln would fulfill his scheduled appearances, then secretly double back to Philadelphia that evening to catch an overnight train to Washington, bypassing Baltimore during daylight hours when the conspirators expected him. On February 22—Washington's Birthday—Lincoln raised the American flag over Independence Hall in a moving ceremony where he declared he "would rather be assassinated on this spot than surrender" the principles of the Declaration of Independence. After completing his obligations in Harrisburg that afternoon, the secret journey began. Disguised in a soft wool hat and long coat instead of his distinctive stovepipe hat, Lincoln boarded a special train back to Philadelphia. Telegraph lines between Harrisburg and Baltimore were cut to prevent any messages about his movements. In Philadelphia, Lincoln met Pinkerton and Kate Warne, who had secured berths on the overnight train to Baltimore. To avoid recognition, Lincoln was smuggled onto the train and quickly hidden behind the curtain of a sleeping car berth, with Warne posing as his "invalid brother's" traveling companion. The train crossed into Maryland shortly after midnight on February 23. As it pulled into Baltimore's President Street Station around 3:30 a.m., Lincoln remained hidden while Pinkerton anxiously watched for any sign of trouble. The passenger car was detached and horse-drawn through Baltimore's streets to Camden Station, where it would connect with a train to Washington. This was the most vulnerable moment—the exact spot where the assassination was planned to occur, though now in darkness rather than daylight, and with no crowds present. The transfer proceeded without incident, and by 6:00 a.m., Lincoln's train arrived safely in Washington. The President-elect was met by Congressman Elihu Washburne, who escorted him to Willard's Hotel. When William Seward arrived shortly thereafter to greet Lincoln, the dangerous journey was complete. Abraham Lincoln had successfully evaded what may have been the first assassination plot against an American President-elect, ensuring he would live to take the oath of office ten days later.

Chapter 5: Aftermath and Legacy: Democracy Preserved

News of Lincoln's secret journey broke later that day, unleashing a storm of controversy. Southern newspapers mocked Lincoln's "cowardice," while even some Northern papers criticized the undignified arrival. The New York Herald used Lincoln's own words against him, saying he had indeed come "like a thief in the night." Political cartoonists had a field day, depicting Lincoln sneaking into Washington in various ridiculous disguises—typically a Scottish cap and military cloak far more elaborate than his actual modest disguise. These caricatures wounded Lincoln's pride and temporarily damaged his public image at a moment when he needed to project strength. Despite the ridicule, evidence soon emerged vindicating the decision. When Lincoln's scheduled train arrived in Baltimore later on February 23, a large crowd of National Volunteers had indeed gathered along the planned transfer route, ready to surround his carriage. More dramatically, on April 19, 1861, just six weeks after Lincoln's passage, a pro-Confederate mob in Baltimore attacked the 6th Massachusetts Regiment as it marched through the city, resulting in the first bloodshed of the Civil War. This "Baltimore Riot" confirmed the city's volatile nature and the genuine danger Lincoln would have faced. The Baltimore Plot conspirators never faced justice for their scheme. With war erupting after the attack on Fort Sumter on April 12, attention shifted to the larger conflict. However, federal authorities eventually arrested several Baltimore officials, including Police Marshal George Kane, for interfering with troop movements—confirming Pinkerton's earlier suspicions about local authorities. President Lincoln later ordered the suspension of habeas corpus along the Philadelphia-Washington railroad corridor, allowing military authorities to detain suspected Confederate sympathizers without trial. This controversial measure reflected the continuing threat posed by Maryland's secessionist elements. For Allan Pinkerton, the Baltimore Plot investigation launched a new chapter in his career. When the Civil War began, Lincoln called Pinkerton to Washington to establish what became the Union Intelligence Service—a forerunner to modern American intelligence agencies. Pinkerton and his agents, including Kate Warne, served throughout the war, gathering intelligence behind Confederate lines. Their methods, though sometimes controversial, helped establish the foundations of modern counterintelligence work. Perhaps most profoundly, the Baltimore Plot represents a moment when American democracy itself hung in the balance. Had the conspirators succeeded, they would have effectively nullified an election through violence—setting a precedent that might have permanently undermined the peaceful transfer of power that distinguishes democracies from authoritarian regimes. Lincoln's safe arrival in Washington and subsequent inauguration preserved not just his life, but the fundamental principle that ballots, not bullets, determine American leadership. Ten days after his secret passage through Baltimore, on March 4, 1861, Abraham Lincoln was safely inaugurated as the sixteenth President of the United States, allowing him to lead the nation through its greatest crisis and ultimately preserve the Union.

Chapter 6: Echoes Through Time: Lessons for Modern Democracy

The Baltimore Plot of 1861 offers striking parallels to challenges facing modern democracies. Then as now, extreme polarization created an environment where some citizens viewed political opponents not merely as wrong but as existential threats. The conspirators in Baltimore didn't see themselves as attacking democratic principles but as defending their way of life against what they perceived as tyranny. This rationalization of political violence—the belief that extraordinary circumstances justify abandoning democratic norms—remains a dangerous current in modern political discourse across the globe. The role of misinformation in fueling the crisis also resonates today. Southern newspapers had spent months portraying Lincoln as a radical abolitionist determined to trigger slave insurrections, despite his moderate public statements. This distorted image, amplified through partisan media, created a climate of fear that made violence seem justified. As one Baltimore newspaper wrote, Lincoln's election meant that "the South shall be excluded from the common territories, her institutions surrounded by a cordon of free States, and she left to await the destruction that must inevitably overtake her." The parallels to modern information ecosystems, where partisan outlets and social media can create entirely separate realities for different segments of the population, are unmistakable. The plot also highlights the crucial role of institutions and individuals in preserving democracy during moments of crisis. Allan Pinkerton had no official government position, yet his private investigation potentially saved both Lincoln's life and the constitutional order. Similarly, Lincoln himself placed the preservation of democratic processes above personal pride, accepting ridicule rather than risking violence that might derail the peaceful transfer of power. This demonstrates how democracy depends not just on laws and institutions but on the character and judgment of individuals willing to defend democratic principles even at personal cost. Perhaps most importantly, the Baltimore Plot reminds us that democracy's survival is never guaranteed. The United States in 1861 had conducted peaceful transfers of power for over 70 years, yet came perilously close to seeing that tradition shattered by violence. The lesson for modern democracies is clear: democratic norms and institutions require constant vigilance and active defense, particularly during times of polarization and social change. As Lincoln himself would later say in his Gettysburg Address, democracy is always being tested, always requiring renewed dedication to ensure that "government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

Summary

The Baltimore Plot represents a critical juncture where American democracy faced an existential threat from within. The conspiracy to assassinate Abraham Lincoln before his inauguration emerged from the same forces that would soon plunge the nation into civil war: the desperate defense of slavery by those who saw their way of life threatened by the democratic process. What makes this moment so pivotal is that it occurred during the constitutional limbo between election and inauguration, when the peaceful transfer of power—the bedrock of democratic governance—was most vulnerable. Had Cypriano Ferrandini and his fellow conspirators succeeded, they would have not only killed a man but potentially destroyed the principle that elections, not violence, determine American leadership. The thwarting of the Baltimore Plot offers timeless lessons about both the fragility and resilience of democratic institutions. First, it demonstrates how easily democracy can be undermined when extremist ideologies convince adherents that violence is justified to preserve their vision of society. Second, it highlights the crucial role of individuals like Allan Pinkerton and Kate Warne, who recognized the threat and acted decisively despite skepticism from others. Finally, it reminds us that the preservation of democracy often depends on leaders willing to set aside personal pride—as Lincoln did in accepting a secretive, undignified arrival in Washington—to ensure the constitutional process continues unbroken. In our own era of political polarization and threats to democratic norms, the Baltimore Plot stands as both a warning about democracy's vulnerability and a testament to the courage of those who defend it, even when that defense requires personal sacrifice and subjects them to ridicule.

About Author

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Brad Meltzer

Brad Meltzer is the Emmy-nominated, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lightning Rod, The Escape Artist, and eleven other bestselling thrillers. He also writes non-fiction books like The JFK Conspiracy, about a secret plot to kill JFK before he was sworn in – and the Ordinary People Change the World kids book series, which he does with Chris Eliopoulos and inspired the PBS KIDS TV show, Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum. His newest kids books are We are the Beatles, We are the Beatles, and I am Simone Biles. His newest inspirational book is Make Magic, based on his viral commencement address.In addition to his fiction, Brad is one of the only authors to ever have books on the bestseller list for Non-Fiction (The Nazi Conspiracy), Advice (Heroes for My Son and Heroes for My Daughter), Children’s Books (I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln) and even comic books (Justice League of America), for which he won the prestigious Eisner Award.He is also the host of Brad Meltzer’s Lost History and Brad Meltzer’s Decoded on the History Channel, and is responsible for helping find the missing 9/11 flag that the firefighters raised at Ground Zero, making national news on the 15th anniversary of 9/11. Meltzer unveiled the flag at the 9/11 Museum in New York, where it is now on display. See the video here. The Hollywood Reporter recently put him on their list of Hollywood’s 25 Most Powerful Authors.He also recently delivered the commencement address at the University of Michigan, in front of 70,000 people, including his graduating son. Entitled Make Magic and called “one of the best commencement addresses of all time,” it’s been shared millions of times across social media. Do yourself a favor, watch it here and buy the book here.For sure, it’s tough to find anyone being so successful in so many different mediums of the popular culture. But why does Brad thrive in all these different professions? His belief that ordinary people change the world. It is that core belief that runs through every one of his projects.His newest thriller, The Lightning Rod, brings back characters Nola and Zig in a setting that will blow your mind (you won't believe where the government let Brad go). For now, we'll say this: What's the one secret no one knows about you? It's about to come out. Nearly 2,000 five-star reviews. Raves by everyone from the Wall Street Journal, to James Patterson, to Brad's mother-in-law. Plus that twist at the end! And yes, the new Zig & Nola thriller is coming soon!His newest non-fiction book, The JFK Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Kennedy -- and Why It Failed, which he wrote with Josh Mensch, is a true story about a secret assassination plot to kill JFK at the start of his Presidency and, if successful, would’ve changed history. His illustrated children’s books I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln, which he does with artist Chris Eliopoulos, were written for his own children, to give them better heroes to look up to. Try them. You won’t believe how inspired you and your family will be. Some of our favorites in the series are I am Mister Rogers and I am Dolly Parton.His other non-fiction books, Heroes for My Son and Heroes for My Daughter, are collections of heroes – from Jim Henson to Sally Ride — that he’s been working on since the day his kids were born and is on sale now, as well as History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time.He’s also one of the co-creators of the TV show, Jack & Bobby.Raised in Brooklyn and Miami, Brad is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Columbia Law School. The Tenth Justice was his first published work and became an instant New York Times bestseller. Dead Even followed a year later and also hit the New York Times bestseller list, as have all thirteen of his novels. The First Counsel came next, which was about a White House lawyer dating the President’s daughter, then The Millionaires, which was about two brothers who

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