This article contains spoilers for Manhunt.
- David Herold, as in real life, surrenders himself to Union soldiers during Manhunt episode 6.
- Herold was sentenced to death due to his crimes, despite his lawyer's defense.
- Like Booth, Herold's real life death was unpleasant.
From the start, John Wilkes Booth has been aided by his friend and accomplice, David Herold, in Manhunt, but now in episode 6, both men are caught and Herold comes closer to his real life fate. Herold, played by Manhunt cast member, Will Harrison, was a real life man who helped Booth with his plan to assassinate Abraham Lincoln. As depicted in Manhunt, Herold kept a brief watch during the attempted assassination of Secretary of State William H. Seward, and furthermore, led Booth away from Washington D.C. and towards Richmond, Virginia, where he hoped to find asylum- and praise.
Over the course of Manhunt's episodes, David Herold has shown immense loyalty to his friend John Wilkes Booth, but also recurring doubt. As Booth continuously rants and raves about his own greatness and his destiny, Herold worries about Booth's state of mind and them getting caught. In many ways, Herold does a majority of the work for Booth's escape, as Booth himself broke his leg during the assassination. Although Herold obviously plays a role in Booth's crimes, there is a sense of goodness and morality about him that becomes especially clear in Manhunt episode 6.
"Sic Semper Tyrannis": What John Wilkes Booth Yelled After Shooting Lincoln In Manhunt Explained
After shooting President Lincoln in Manhunt, John Wilkes Booth shouts the Latin phrase "Sic Semper Tyrannis," a phrase with an important meaning.The Real David Herold Surrendered After He & John Wilkes Booth Were Found By Union Soldiers
Manhunt also depicts Herold's surrender and arrest
In Manhunt episode 6, David Herold's real life experience aligns with fiction. After hiding away in the barn of the Garrett family, Union soldiers arrive and surround John Wilkes Booth and David Herold. Whether Herold and Booth argued in real life is unclear, but ultimately, Herold decided to surrender himself to the law, whereas Booth remained in the barn, claiming he would rather be killed than surrender. In this instance during the series, Herold's confused morality becomes especially obvious. Though he hands himself over to the soldiers, he pleads for Booth's life, claiming he has lost his mind.
Although Manhunt portrays David Herold as being somewhat kind and averse to crime, the real Herold may not have been this way.
There are not many accounts of his personality, and for the most part, history only shows his actions rather than his feelings about said actions. In real life, David Herold assisted John Wilkes Booth in countless ways during the days of his escape, threatening and manipulating innocent people and slaughtering their horses. However, it does hold true that Herold surrendered himself to the Union soldiers on April 26, 1865 and confessed to his crimes.
David Herold Was Sentenced To Death For His Role In Lincoln's Assassination
Herold's defense was that he "feeble-minded"
Soon after John Wilkes Booth was killed, David Herold became one of many figures who were tried for crimes tied to Abraham Lincoln's assassination. However, unlike Doctor Samuel Mudd, David Herold was with Booth for the entirety of his escape, and this was proven, putting him at a severe disadvantage. Herold faced a military tribunal, and while there, he confessed to everything he had done. Perhaps, like in Manhunt, he thought that what he had done was lesser to Booth's crimes, which would keep him safe. Unfortunately for him though, his confession essentially doomed him to a death sentence.
Regardless, David Herold was given an honest trial where he was represented by famed lawyer and soon-to-be Congressman, Frederick Stone. Considering that Herold had confessed, the lawyer struggled to find an argument for Herold's innocence. Though it was unsuccessful, Stone eventually argued that Herold was "feeble-minded." His defense was that Herold did not have the sense of will or intelligence to fight against the manipulative, and arguably charming, John Wilkes Booth. Manhunt's portrayal of Herold almost confirms this argument. In Manhunt, it seemed that Herold committed these crimes due to immense loyalty and lack of will.
Other depictions of David Herold in the media have also portrayed him as being manipulated by Booth, while others give him a more dangerous, violent nature.
David Herold's Death By Hanging Was Not Quick
David Herold died on July 7, 1865
Ultimately, Frederick Stone's defense did not work, and David Herold was sentenced to death by hanging. Nearly three months after Abraham Lincoln's assassination, on July 7, 1865, David Herold was hanged for his crimes. Like Booth, Herold's death was not quick or painless. Herold's neck did not break, leaving him struggling for approximately five minutes. Afterward, Herold's remains were given to his family, who buried him in Washington D.C.'s Congressional Cemetery beside his father, Adam.
| Manhunt Episode Release Schedule | |
|---|---|
| Episode | Release Date |
| Episode 1: "Pilot" | 3/15/2024 |
| Episode 2: "Post Mortem" | 3/15/2024 |
| Episode 3: "Let the Sheep Flee" | 3/22/2024 |
| Episode 4: "The Secret Line" | 3/29/2024 |
| Episode 5: "A Man of Destiny" | 4/5/2024 |
| Episode 6: "Useless" | 4/12/2024 |
| Episode 7: "The Final Act" | 4/19/2024 |
It seems likely that the finale of Manhunt will follow through with David Herold's dark fate. Although he has been portrayed as quite sympathetic throughout Manhunt, Herold still committed a crime by aiding Booth, and therefore, he will have to pay. However, it seems likely that the series could make Herold's death by hanging seem more tragic than it likely was in real life, due to Herold's kind character on-screen. Regardless, Manhunt will see David Herold's final moments in the seventh and last episode.
Manhunt (2024)
CastDamian O'Hare, Will Harrison, Patton Oswalt, Brandon Flynn, Lovie Simone, Betty Gabriel, Anthony Boyle, Tobias Menzies, Matt Walsh, Lili Taylor, Hamish Linklater
Release DateMarch 15, 2024
Seasons1
GenresDrama, Thriller
Streaming Service(s)Apple TV+
WritersMonica Beletsky
DirectorsJohn Dahl, Carl Franklin
ShowrunnerMonica Beletsky
Main GenreThriller
Creator(s)Monica Beletsky
RatingTV-MA
