Conspirators and lies
This is a 50-word short story based on a tragic event in U.S. history as well as an historic figure whose name was believed to have become an expression. See if you can piece it together from this short story, then read the real back story at the end.
@miniature-tiger specified the prompt for this story as follows: "Produce a fiftywords story in the genre of 19th CENTURY HISTORICAL FICTION. Your story can be set anywhere in the world but time-wise we're talking 1800 to 1899."
Read on.
Conspirators and lies
Image credit: Pixabay
Union soldiers surrounded the physician’s house.
Rodney, the lieutenant, knocked loudly. “Open up! We know you may be harboring the run-away, John Wilkes Booth!”
The door opened a crack. “I am innocent! I only set his broken leg.”
“What is your name, doctor?”
“My name is Mudd. Doctor Samuel Mudd.”
Okay, I'm sure you figured it out, but here's the backstory. The story is based on the events following the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. John Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln at Fords Theater in Washington D.C. on the night of April 14, 1865. President Lincoln then died early the next morning.
The assassin, John Wilkes Booth, went on the run on horseback with a conspirator, even though he had broken his leg jumping to the stage from a balcony. The two were harbored briefly by a physician, Dr. Samuel Mudd, who set Booth's leg and let him go. The soldiers caught up with Mudd. He claimed his innocence, but there was proof that he had met previously with Booth, and he was jailed as a conspirator.
It has long been believed that the expression, "My name is Mudd," originated from this event, when Mudd fell from grace. However, that is a myth. The expression was developed long before Lincoln was shot.
Thanks for reading!
About me
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Fun. The Mudd thing is new to me. Read the great book by Doris Kearns Goodwin on Lincoln, A Team if Rivals but it isn’t mentioned there. Thanks for the post!
The Mudd thing was new to me too. I love historic fiction, and I have now written several historic fiction pieces for Steemit, and I learn so much in the process. I could really see going that direction as a writer. It's absolutely fascinating what you learn. But wow is research ever time-consuming! Maybe when I retire....
I like the addition of the Mudd thing was neat! I didn't know that :D
Sometimes I wish I had been studying history all these years. I find it fascinating now, but I didn't when I was young. The way history was taught, we were supposed to memorize a bunch of names and places and dates throughout history. I could hot have been less interested!
Yeah, History is cool and very important, but it's never presented in a way that underlines how interesting it really is.
I dunno.
Hi!
Hi! True about how it’s presented. I think that’s why I like historical fiction.
Thanks for giving the background to your story.
Makes it easier to enjoy.
You are welcome, and I agree. The context of the story makes all the difference!
An interesting story. Hopefully others are also interested. I wait for the next post
Thank you!