Ordered to give up, Herold flees the barn proclaiming his innocence. Booth defiantly remains inside, ignoring the threat to burn the barn if he does not surrender. As the officer in charge of the cavalry tries to negotiate with Booth, someone at the back of the barn lights some straw and fire spreads throughout the structure. Booth at first moves towards the fire, then turns and hops towards the door. A shot rings out fired by Sergeant Boston Corbett.
Booth falls, paralyzed.
Carried to the porch of the farmhouse, Lincoln's assassin lingers between life and death finally succumbing around seven in the morning. Sergeant Corbett is arrested and briefly held as a possible accomplice in Lincoln's death. David Herold stands trial with three other conspirators. All four are found guilty and all including Mrs. Surratt, owner of the tavern where Booth stopped, are hanged on July 7, 1865. The arrival of a messenger interrupts the conversation.