The narrative in Manhunt: The Twelve-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer follows two parallel timelines. One documents the actions of John Wilkes Booth and his coconspirators as they make their assassination attempts and later seek to evade authorities. The other documents the challenges and setbacks for the official response to the crisis as government, military, and police authorities attempt to track down the assassins and coconspirators. Challenges and setbacks for the official response to the crisis is manifold and demonstrates the logistical and technological challenges to be surmounted in the 19th century when attempting to locate the men on the run.

The official response to the crisis was spearheaded by Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. After Lincoln was fatally wounded but before he passed, Stanton set up a field office in the Petersen boardinghouse to coordinate a search for Booth and his coconspirators as well as to prepare the succession. As portrayed by Swanson, this pressing responsibility meant that Stanton was largely obligated to set aside any emotional response, excepting a moment of weeping over Lincoln’s body after the president passed away. Swanson provides excerpts of the monumental number of telegraphs Stanton sent and received with which he contacted military and police authorities to share information about the assassination and requested assistance.