Free Walking Tour

[wsanto]

I took a Free Walking Tour of D.C this past weekend called The Lincoln Assassination Free Walking Tour. It was okay--the tour guide was young and energetic and gave a basic story of the events. A few silly mistakes here and there (like saying Grant attended the cabinet meeting with Lincoln in the West Wing and minor things like that).

But there were also some claims made that I was unsure if they were mistakes. She identified the house where the Lincolns picked up Clara and the Major. It was on the west side of Laffeyette Park and currently has the address 713. These houses are all row houses now but I assume they were stand-alone houses in 1865.

She also identified the tree that Booth was standing near while listening to Lincoln's last speech from the White House. It was the largest oak just off the drive on the east side of the North Portico. She also identified the window from which Lincoln gave that speech as the window above the North Portico's front door. It was fairly dramatic looking at the White House and imagining the scene as she presented it.

Another mistake she presented was that Peanut John was holding Booth's horse at a stable about half-way down Babtist Alley. I think we all believe Peanut John was just outside the backdoor of Ford's with Booth's horse.

She did confirm that Booth broke his leg in the jump. And I was relieved to hear this (just kidding-but I had to throw that in there)

She also claimed Seward had a broken neck instead of broken jaw and that Atzerodt carried a gun to Johnson's door instead of the knife he threw in the gutter. She also said Atzerodt's room was in Booth's name--I never heard that before.