Lincoln's 1865 Autopsy Report and Death Certificate

[Cliff Roberts]

Thanks a lot Betty, for posting these historic documents, especially the fascinating report of Dr. Stone which I'd never seen before. Understanding the exact track of the bullet helps enormously in reconstructing the precise positions of both Lincoln and Booth when the shot was fired.

If I'm reading the typed version of Dr. Stone's report correctly, the bullet entered the back of Lincoln's head one inch to the left of the midline and traveled on a slight upward course, forward and slightly to the right, lodging behind the left orbit. Bits of skull were driven deep into the brain, causing massive tissue destruction and swelling, which fractured both orbits and resulted in the right eye protruding somewhat. This is probably what led to the mistaken belief that the bullet traveled diagonally through the brain lodging behind the right orbit. This should clear that up once and for all. It certainly fits with Booth shooting Lincoln while the President was looking to his left. If you could freeze the action at that exact point, you could run a line (perhaps a laser beam) from Lincoln's left orbit, slightly downward and to the right, to the back of his skull, then back 6 to 12 inches to the muzzle of Booth's derringer. This leads me to believe that if Booth entered through the door to Box 8, he was holding the pistol in his left hand, with the knife in his right. Had he slipped in through the door to Box 7, he would be in a position where he could have fired with either hand. We'll never know for certain on that!

At any rate, thanks again, Betty.