Final answer:
John Wilkes Booth assassinated President Lincoln and escaped on horseback, but the specifics of how he prepared his mare for the escape are not detailed in historical records. Booth was eventually tracked to a barn in Virginia and died there. The nation mourned deeply, viewing Lincoln as a martyr.
Step-by-step explanation:
On the fateful evening of April 14, 1865, John Wilkes Booth assassinated President Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theater. Preparation for his escape involved meticulous planning, though specific details of how he prepared his mare for the getaway are not provided in historical records. It is known that Booth was very familiar with the layout of the theater and the area around it, and had planned his escape route. After firing the fatal shot, Booth leaped onto the stage and fled. History does note that Booth and his accomplice, David Herold, eventually fled on horseback, but the immediate preparation of the mare, such as saddling and bridling, is not explicitly documented.
Following the assassination, Booth managed to elude capture for several days. Federal authorities tracked him down to a barn near Bowling Green, Virginia. Despite being given the option to surrender, the confrontation ended with the barn set ablaze and Booth meeting his death.
The assassination thrust the nation into deep mourning and had a profound impact on the psyche of the American public. Lincoln's death made him a martyr, and the search for Booth and his co-conspirators unfolded in the backdrop of a nation in grief and outrage.