Much like its previous episode, Manhunt episode 3, "Let the Sheep Free," opens on a dream sequence. This time, though, it's John Wilkes Booth (Anthony Boyle) dreaming. Not of the past, but the potential future, where he is being sworn in as the second leader of the Confederate States of America.
He's woken up by David Herold (Will Harrison) reading Booth's diary aloud. Booth had told him to do so, insisting that Richmond publishers will soon put his writing in schools and libraries. Booth then tells Herold to kill Oswell Swann (Roger Payano), but they all have to take cover when Union soldiers ride past.
What else happens in Manhunt episode 3, "Let The Sheep Free"? Read on below to find out.
Booth's road to Richmond
Swann gets Booth and Herold to Rich Hill and demands his $5 payment, but Booth refuses. Herold is greeted by Samuel Cox (Thomas Francis Murphy), brandishing a shotgun in his face. Herold says they've been sent by Dr. Samuel Mudd (Matt Walsh) and, recognizing Booth, Cox invites them all inside, except for Swann who waits outside for his payment.
Cox is a member of the Confederate Secret Service and insists Booth's assassination of Lincoln has kept the Southern dream alive. Booth wants to get to Richmond, but Cox says there's no point. The city has been decimated and Confederate leader Jefferson Davis is on the run. He should go to Florida, Mexico or Montreal instead. But Booth insists on going to Richmond so he can find Davis, look him in the eye and become a Confederate symbol.
Herold asks Swann why he hasn't turned him and Booth in. Swann explains that, even if he did, he wouldn't get the reward money, due to the color of his skin. Swann then goes on the offensive, calling Herold Booth's lackey.
Swann leads Booth and Herold to a pickup spot for River Ghost (Keith Brooks), the man who will help them on their tricky journey to Richmond. Swann wants an extra $3, which they reluctantly give. When he gets them to the spot, Swann demands another $3 for returning their guns, then calls Herold Booth's lackey again before leaving.
Herold and Booth spend all night freezing in the forest. When the River Ghost finally appears, he says there are too many soldiers around to move now. When their horses start making too much noise, Booth kills one. He gives Herold a gun to kill the other, but he refuses.
Johnson is no Lincoln
President Andrew Johnson (Glenn Morshower) complains that Edwin Stanton's (Tobias Menzies) reconstruction plan is too long to read and admits when he was vice president he didn't listen to Abraham Lincoln's (Hamish Linklater) explanation of it. Stanton says they have to incorporate free people into society, punish the confederate leaders and get the confederate states back into the United States.
Johnson insists he too wants confederate traitors to pay, but every hour without capturing Booth makes them look weak. He insists Stanton find and arrest Booth now or forget about him entirely, as he only wants victories in his first month in charge.
Outside Stanton's house, racist police officer Frank Leech (Ted Welch) shoots and kills innocent black Federal soldier Alec Leconte (Ja'Quan Monroe-Henderson), accusing him of stealing a horse he clearly owns.
Stanton, who is struggling with asthma throughout the episode, demands Leech is arrested and charged for the racially motivated attack. But Johnson pardons Leech and plans to give amnesty to all classes of the confederacy. Stanton confronts Johnson, saying he lied to his face and is opening the gates to lawlessness across the country.
In a flashback, Lincoln tells Stanton and abolitionist Frederick Douglass (Elvis Nolasco) that he wants to secure a lasting freedom for slaves. To achieve this, he wants Douglass to organize the abolitionists of the Underground Railroad and for Stanton to use the military to protect them. By working together, they can get many southern black men, women and children up north to enforce their freedom.
The fight reaches Montreal
Posing as a confederate, the man we were previously introduced to as Sanford Conover is now going as Wallace (Josh Stewart). He meets confederate financier George Sanders (Anthony Marble) in Montreal. After being cut off by Lincoln, Sanders is waiting in Canada to see what side Johnson's presidency falls. Wallace finds out that John Surratt Jr. (Joshua Mikel) is hiding in a monastery, pretending to be a priest.
Having been informed that Surratt is in Montreal, Stanton goes up to Canada to extradite Surratt, as he's his only lead to where Booth might be hiding. This infuriates his wife Ellen (Anne Dudek), who realizes the increasingly ailing Stanton is willing to die in his pursuit of Booth.
Wallace finds Surratt and, after briefly convincing him he's a confederate, the pair soon start fighting. Stanton arrives to find Wallace tied up and that Surratt has disappeared.
Sinking ship
Wallace knows Surratt had a ticket for a ship out of Montreal. Surratt sank the ship and then boarded a nearby confederate vessel. Intriguingly, Stanton discovers John Wilkes Booth's name was on the manifest and a trunk with his name on it, full of his costumes, was recovered. Stanton deciphers they wanted to fake Booth's death. They also learn that Sanders chartered the ship, revealing his involvement in the assassination.
Sanders returns to the US as the new owner of a newspaper that immediately runs a front page cartoon of Stanton working alongside Booth. Lafayette Baker (Patton Oswalt) tells Stanton that Sanders wants to control the story and turn the public against Stanton. If he's going to beat Sanders, Stanton needs to come up with a better one.
At a meeting with his fellow confederates, Sanders says Johnson has granted pardons for most people, while he'll pay for those that don't get them to go to Europe. He declares that with Lincoln no longer in power they can restore the slave trade for the betterment of Wall Street and that Booth has given them a second chance.
New episodes of Manhunt release on Apple TV Plus on Fridays.
