Lincoln’s Death, New Nation: April 1865 to 1877

Lincoln’s Assassination

When did everyone realize that Lincoln had been hurt?

They weren’t certain until members of the audience went up the stairs and forced open the door to the president’s box. Booth had cleverly placed a chair under the doorknob, and it was some time before they entered, whereupon they found the president slumped over in his cozy chair and Major Rathbone bleeding profusely. The major had to wait for medical attention because all eyes were on the president. A twenty-three-year-old physician was in the audience; he was quickly drafted to do the painful work of administering to the president, who was unconscious.