Townsend - Author of John Wilkes Booth Bio

George Alfred Townsend (1841-1914) was an American Civil-War correspondent and novelist.  He often wrote under the name "Gath" - his initials, plus the letter "h."

One of his works was about President Lincoln's assassin - John Wilkes Booth.  He entitled that book The Life, Crime and Capture of John Wilkes Booth.  In it, we read these words about the moment Lincoln was shot:

The President's head dropped upon his shoulders; the ball was in his brain.  (See Townsend, page 8.)

Many of Townsend's books and articles are online, including the original colored illustrations. This photo depicts how he appeared in 1899.

Credits

Photo of George Alfred Townsend, 1899, from his book Poems of Men and Events (New York, E.F. Bonaventure). Online, courtesy Wikimedia Commons.