Breaking a leg

[Laurie Verge]

Jerry,

I don't believe that there was any attempt to dismount at Surratt's Tavern because they did not intend to stay more than a few minutes - the time it woud take to get the weapon, a swig of whiskey, and the field glasses from Lloyd. He testified that they were there only about five minutes. Booth's broken leg had nothing to do with it.

By the time they arrived at Mudd's house, Booth had ridden about thirty miles on a galloping horse, his leg was undoubtedly swelling and being constrained within his boot, and it had been that way for about five hours. It makes sense to me that he would need help dismounting. I bet that even the uninjured Herold was stiff and sore by that time.

P.S. To "break a leg" was an old-time theatrical term for taking a bow.