 While Lincoln 's funeral train was in New York City on April 24 , Lieutenant Edward P. Doherty was dispatched from Washington at 2 p.m. with a detachment of 26 Union soldiers from the 16th New York Cavalry Regiment to capture Booth in Virginia . Accompanied by Lieutenant Colonel Everton Conger , an intelligence officer assigned by Lafayette Baker , the detachment steamed 70 miles ( 113 km ) down the Potomac River on a boat , the John S. Ide , landing at Belle Plain , Virginia , at 10 p.m. The pursuers crossed the Rappahannock River and tracked Booth and Herold to Richard H. Garrett 's farm , just south of Port Royal , Caroline County , Virginia . Booth and Herold had been led to the farm on April 24 by William S. Jett , a former private in the 9th Virginia Cavalry whom they had met before crossing the Rappahannock . The Garretts were unaware of Lincoln 's assassination ; Booth was introduced to them as " James W. Boyd " , a Confederate soldier who , they were told , had been wounded in the battle of Petersburg and was returning home . 
