 Starting in January 1863 , he returned to the Boston Museum for a series of plays , including the role of the villain Duke Pescara in The Apostate that won acclaim from audiences and critics . Back in Washington in April , he played the title roles in Hamlet and Richard III , one of his favorites . He was billed as " The Pride of the American People , A Star of the First Magnitude , " and the critics were equally enthusiastic . The National Republican drama critic said Booth " took the hearts of the audience by storm " and termed his performance " a complete triumph " . At the beginning of July 1863 , Booth finished the acting season at Cleveland 's Academy of Music , as the Battle of Gettysburg raged in Pennsylvania . Between September – November 1863 , Booth played a hectic schedule in the northeast , appearing in Boston , Providence , Rhode Island , and Hartford , Connecticut . Each day he received fan mail from infatuated women . 
