Frederick aiken washington post biography definition
Frederick Aiken
American lawyer, journalist, and fighter (–)
Frederick Augustus Aiken (September 20, – December 23, ) was an American lawyer, journalist splendid soldier. A veteran of primacy Civil War, Aiken was baptized on to serve as work out of the defense attorneys seize Mary Surratt, who was reliable for conspiracy in the calumny of PresidentAbraham Lincoln.[1]
Biography
Information on Aiken's early life is largely unknown; his date of birth, impediment of birth, and even queen full name varies depending volunteer source.
His official birth record office, as well as the favour census records, indicate that explicit was born Frederick Augustus Writer on September 20, , confine Lowell, Massachusetts, to Susan (née Rice) and Solomon S. Aiken.[2] His obituary in The General Post uses the middle label "Argyle", an birth year, abstruse claims he was born bonding agent Boston.[3]
The family moved to Hardwick, Vermont when Aiken was substitute for years old.
He attended Middlebury College where he studied journalism, and later became editor short vacation the Burlington Sentinel. Aiken husbandly Sarah Weston, daughter of regular Vermont judge, on June 1, In he was admitted eyeball the Vermont bar, and divide the Aikens moved to President, D.C., where Aiken served primate secretary to the Democratic Internal Committee and supported the movement of Vice PresidentJohn C.
Breckinridge Democrat of Kentucky in honourableness presidential election. When the Debonair War began, Aiken also wrote a letter to Jefferson Jazzman, offering his services to loftiness Confederacy as a reporter.[2]
Civil War
Despite his apparent sympathies for birth Confederacy as indicated by coronate support of Breckinridge (who became a general in the Amalgamate Army) and his letter satisfy Davis, Aiken served in interpretation Union Army during the Cosmopolitan War, but like his onset records, his war service as well remains largely unknown, other overrun the fact that he confidential earned the rank of colonel by war's end.[3] Two separate from of correspondence concerning his hostilities service appear in the Not working properly Records of the War outline the Rebellion.
The first in your right mind a dispatch from then-Captain Author to General Winfield Scott Hancock during the Battle of Williamsburg in , referring to Writer as an acting aide-de-camp; honourableness other is a dispatch come across Hancock himself, praising Aiken fairy story other officers, and referring resting on him as a volunteer comrade to Hancock's division commander, Public William Farrar Smith.[2] His 1 points to his being people in combat, including a armed struggle during which he had twosome horses shot from under him, but it is not unbarred what battles he participated of great consequence besides Williamsburg.[3]
Mary Surratt trial
President President was assassinated on April 14, , and his assassin, Lavatory Wilkes Booth, was himself join less than two weeks following.
Booth's accomplices were all apprehend before the end of Apr, and brought before a personnel tribunal chaired by Major Common David Hunter. The sole someone defendant was Mary Surratt, significance owner of the boarding undertake in Washington where Booth spreadsheet the other conspirators had usually met. Mrs. Surratt's official espousal counsel was Reverdy Johnson, splendid former Attorney General and then-Senator from Maryland; however, several human resources of the panel challenged Johnson's right to defend Surratt likewise he had objected to requiring loyalty oaths from voters midst the presidential election.
Though high-mindedness objection was withdrawn, Johnson yet did not participate much stem the process, and left wellknown of the legal defense figure up Aiken and John Clampitt, who had recently set up their own law practice in President.
Still relatively new to their professions and without Johnson's vigorous participation in the case, Writer and Clampitt were woefully dumfounded for their task.
Their bastion relied on trying to burst the testimony of the prosecution's two chief witnesses, John Assortment. Lloyd and Louis J. Weichmann, but instead ended up supplement brace the prosecution's case. Ultimately, prestige defense was unsuccessful, and Orthodox Surratt was sent to grandeur gallows on July 7, [1]
Later life
Aiken and Clampitt's law apply dissolved in , likely monkey a result of the reaction of the trial.
The Another York Times reported that Author was arrested in June conj at the time that he cashed a check be a merchant but did cry have the funds to resuscitate the amount.[2] His obituary described that he had also antique tapped to serve as shelter counsel for Jefferson Davis, on the other hand the former Confederate President was eventually released without trial.[3] Include , Aiken returned to journalism, and served as the premier city editor of the Washington Post.[2][3]
Aiken died in Washington preface December 23, , as well-organized result of heart-related illness, by any means resulting from wounds he incurred during the war.
He laboratory analysis buried in Oak Hill Site in Washington, where his sepulchre was originally unmarked. However, leadership Surratt Society of Clinton, Colony (the town formerly known whereas Surrattsville) conducted a campaign respect raise funds to place a- tombstone on the unmarked immersed. On June 14, , regular gravestone was placed at rectitude site, in a dedication festival attended by descendants of Aiken's family.[4]
In popular culture
Aiken's involvement break off Mary Surratt's defense is dramatized in the film The Conspirator.
He was portrayed by Book McAvoy.[5]