Manhunt – A Man of Destiny

Booth (Anthony Boyle) and David Herold (Will Harrison) make it ashore to a camp with dead rebels. While at first they believe themselves to be on the right path, David realizes that he did not navigate properly and the duo have gotten turned around and landed right back in Maryland. Before they can get back into the boat, David decides that the men must change their clothes in order to help them hide form the law on their way to Virginia. As Booth takes a rest, David starts to remove the clothing from the dead soldiers.

At a Union camp, a man named Boston Corbett (William Mark McCullough) prays for a sign from God. In a flashback from 10 years prior, Corbett is living on the streets of Boston after the loss of his wife during childbirth. A Boston preacher (Shane Partlow) spots him on the street and baptizes the destitute Corbett, absolving him of his sins. When Stanton (Tobias Menzies) arrives to the camp and tells the soldiers they will need help in the search for Booth, Corbett sees his chance to be great.

In Washington, Johnson (Glenn Morshower) meets with Southern Congressmen to broker a deal. While Johnson believes in freeing the slaves, he is not a fan of Reconstruction. As the Congressmen convince Johnson to get rid of the land grants to freed men and women, Stanton gets wind of this information and heads away from Virginia to convince Johnson to leave the land grants alone. Unfortunately, Johnson refuses to budge, citing that freed slaves need to earn their own land over receiving a handout from their government. As Stanton balks at Johnson’s stance, Johnson advises him to get in line and threatens the Secretary of War’s position if he does not drop this issue. Later, Eckert (Damian O’Hare) advises Stanton to try and work with Johnson, for the sake of his job.

3 months prior, Stanton brings Charles (Andrew Tull) and William (Dexter Tillis) Lucas to meet with General William Tecumseh Sherman (Alex Collins). The men meet with Sherman and advise that as free men, they would like the same opportunity to own land as their fellow white man. Feeling that everyone should have a place to call home, Sherman offers to redistribute the land on the coast in the Carolinas for freed slaves.

Johnson honors the Southern Congressmen and just as quickly as land has been granted, it is now taken away. When the soldiers come to claim Mary’s (Lovie Simone) land, her brother Milo (Antonio J. Bell) is outraged. But Mary has no choice. She gives up her land and begrudgingly returns to the residence of Dr. Mudd (Matt Walsh), pleading for her job. Reminding her that he will ruin her, Mudd beats Mary and takes her back in to work for him. While Mudd relishes in the return of his help, Stanton, Eddie (Brandon Flynn), and Eckert study the Secret Line and realize that they will need to pay the doctor a second visit for questioning.

Booth and David manage to hide among other rebel soldiers that are on their way to sign their allegiance to the Union….or so they think. As one soldier notices Booth’s initials on his hand, Booth initially tries to hide his and David’s identity by pretending to be soldiers. However, the rebel soldier sees right through the ruse and Booth proudly proclaims how he killed Lincoln himself. Instead of receiving acclaim for his achievement, he is shunned by the soldiers for his cowardice. Booth’s confidence falters, but luckily one soldier Willie Jett (Justin Kucsulain) offers up information about the Garrett Farm as a haven for confederate sympathizers. While Booth and David both intend to head to Richmond, Booth’s broken leg complicates matters and they take Jett’s advice by heading to the Garrett Farm.

Stanton arrives at the Mudd residence, prepared to search the property. While Dr. Mudd gives the same answers to Stanton that he gave to prior officers, Mary catches Stanton’s eye and signals him to look in the upstairs bedroom. Stanton heads upstairs and in his search uncovers Booth’s boot under the bed. Though Dr. Mudd claims he did not know Booth, Mary sees her opportunity and tells Stanton how Mudd knew Booth and Surratt (Joshua Mikel), meeting with both men in his house. Mudd is arrested and Stanton thanks Mary for the information, offering her and her brother a place at a camp in Arlington.

As Booth and David are safely ensconced at the Garrett Farm, Stanton and his men are quickly closing in. When Stanton makes a stop where Booth had been hours prior, he is met by a young man named Jesse (William J. Simmons), he learns that Booth was there and was talking to a soldier names Willie Jett. Stanton and his men track down Jett and they learn of Garrett Farm. Eager to catch Booth, Stanton heads to his horse. Unfortunately, his asthma gets the better of him and he collapses to the ground. Though Stanton wants to go after him, Eckert tries to signal a doctor. Fortunately for Stanton, Corbett sees his chance for greatness and leads the charge to Garrett Farm.