Although he was reluctant to execute some of the less-culpable conspirators, especially Mary Surratt, Hancock carried out his orders, later writing that "every soldier was bound to act as I did under similar circumstances."
Selv om han var tøvende overfor at henrette nogle af de mindre-skyldige konspiratorer, især Mary Surratt, udførte Hancock sine ordrer, og skrev senere at "enhver soldat er bundet til at handle som jeg under tilsvarende omstændigheder."