The series follows Edwin Stanton's search for John Wilkes Booth in the aftermath of Abraham Lincoln's assassination. The series was created and written by showrunner Monica Beletsky, adapted from James L. Swanson's book Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer. Pre-production for the series began in Savannah, Georgia in February 2022, with filming beginning in May 2022.
Lincoln's secretary of war and friend, Edwin Stanton, begins the manhunt to track down Lincoln's assassin John Wilkes Booth. Stanton is Stanton's Secretary of War and friend.