Booth's visit to the Surratt Boarding House after the assassination

[J. Beckert]

Sure they had gun belts then, Laurie. Here's Corbett wearing one.



Wearing a gun, even with a holster, is uncomfortable. Any soldier issued a sidearm in the Civil War would wear one, but how Booth had his on is unclear from that brief statement. I would think he just secured them to his body as best he could. Wearing a gun belt (garrison belt) would be quite a burden if Booth's back hurt as badly as he said it did. I also wore a Sam Browne belt, which fastens to the back of the holster and over the shoulder, across the chest and back to the front of the holster. Any time I threw my back out, it was very uncomfortable to wear those belts.