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Musical chairs in the State Box?
09-23-2014, 07:22 AM
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Musical chairs in the State Box?
I’m so free to use the term “musical chairs" here, only as a metaphorical way of describing the fact that Abraham & Mary Lincoln, Henry Rathbone and Clara Harris repeatedly are shuffled among various locations in the State Box at contemprary sketches and more modern depictions.

My question: does someone know the exact seating? Perhaps this is earlier discussed in this group, but is there any consensus now?

Eyewitness James P. Ferguson (from the Greenback Saloon) testified that. Maj. Rathbone was sitting back at Clara’s left, with Clara almost in the corner of the box, as shown in this sketch (Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, April 29, 1865.)

   

And in this one

   

In above sketch we see Rathbone in uniform, carrying his saber ! Ferguson spoke of “the gentleman in citizen's clothes, whom I learned afterwards was Major Rathbone”. Was Rathbone indeed in uniform????

Here we see Rathbone sitting at Miss Harris’ left:

   

But here he is at Miss Harris’ right

   

As is shown here (screenshot “Birth of a nation”)

   

And here (a modern photomontage)

   

And what to think of this one?

   
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Musical chairs in the State Box? - loetar44 - 09-23-2014 07:22 AM

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