Lincoln's last words

[loetar44]

It's confusing for me. I've not found convincing evidence that Burnside was present at Ford's Theatre the night of Lincoln's assassination. President Lincoln visited Ford’s several times during his presidency, but I don't know how many times. I found conflicting numbers, 9 times, 12 times, 13 times, 19 times ??? Does anybody know the exact number? Anyway it seems that his "most recent visit" (before April 14) was on February 10, 1865, to see John Sleeper Clarke perform in the comedy Love in Livery. On that occasion he was accompanied by Generals Grant and Burnside and the three men sat in the presidential box (without benefit of guard or attendant).

http://weeklyview.net/2013/11/14/the-marble-heart
states the following: "On February 10, 1865, at another Ford’s Theatre performance just weeks before the assassination, President Lincoln attended the play Love or Livery. Although Booth was not in this play, it did star John Sleeper Clarke — John Wilkes Booth’s brother-in-law. Lincoln had two guests with him that night who would play a part in the tragedy two months later; Generals U.S. Grant and Hoosier-born Ambrose Burnside. General Grant was supposed to have attended the play Our American Cousin with Lincoln that night but backed out at the last minute. General Burnside did attend the play. Some historians contend that it was the sight of Burnside that caught Lincoln’s attention, causing the President to look down and to the left from the elevated box onto the main floor seating area at the exact moment Booth fired his weapon. This movement would cause the bullet to come to rest behind Mr. Lincoln’s left eye."

And http://abesblogcabin.org/lincoln-and-for...e-tid-bits
says: "At another Ford’s Theatre performance (February 10, 1865), President Lincoln attended the play ‘Love or Livery.’ The play did not have Booth in it. It actually starred John Sleeper Clarke-John Wilkes Booth brother-in-law. Lincoln had two guests- Generals Grant and Burnside. Both Grant and Burnside have “parts” in the story of April 14, 1865. General Grant was supposed to have attended the play ‘Our American Cousin’ with Lincoln on that night but backed out earlier in the day. General Burnside did attend the play. In fact, some contend that Burnside caught Lincoln’s attention as he was looking down from the box onto the main floor seating area causing his head to turn to the left and downward just at the moment Booth fired his weapon and almost missed Lincoln’s head!".

Lincoln "turned his head away"...... Booth "almost missed Lincoln's head!" .... etc. Facts? Myths? Confabulations? I think that Booth aimed at the back of Lincoln's head and fired at point-blank range.... no more than that, it's horrible enough.

Something else. There is a modern doctor's view of the Lincoln assassination and the bullet trajectory. Dr. Blaine Houmes , a M.D., from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, who has studied the assassination from a medical viewpoint, concludes that the bullet ended behind or above the right eye, NOT behind Mr. Lincoln’s left eye, as is stated above. Dr. Houmes is also saying that Booth fired at point-blank range, about a foot away and more likely a few inches away. see:
http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/linc...edical.htm

I doubt that Gen. Burnside was at Ford's the evening of April 14, 1865. Remember that after the Battle of the Crater Burnside was relieved of command and sent on "extended leave" by Grant and he was never recalled to duty during the remainder of the CW. A court of inquiry placed the blame for the Crater fiasco on Burnside and in reaction he finally resigned on April 15, 1865. Why should he attend a British comedy the evening before and caught Lincoln’s attention? One of the many assassination myths????