Joseph Hazleton - First Hand Account of the Assassination

[RJNorton]

(05-04-2014 08:23 PM)J. Beckert Wrote:  

(05-04-2014 05:35 PM)Craig Hipkins Wrote:  I have always been fascinated with the eyewitness accounts of the assassination and the varying discrepancies that are floating out there. If I recall there was one witness (I forget who) that actually remembered Lincoln standing up after he was shot. I believe that this was in Goode's book but I could be mistaken.
Craig

I remember that too, Craig. I found it once on a a Gov't website, but haven't been able to locate it since. The report stated Lincoln attempted to stand and was assisted back into the rocker by Maj. Rathbone. I've brought it up before here and I think one of the forum Doctors shot it down as highly improbable.

I found it. It is in the account of a man named W. H. Taylor. He talks about Lincoln being shot and the shrieks from Mary Lincoln. Then he says, "Meantime, the President had remained sitting in his chair with his head bent forward, but I distinctly saw him rise once to his feet and in a dazed sort of way attempt to take a step or two. He was not upright but half erect. Just then Major Rathbone came to his assistance, and supported by the latter, he sank back into the chair."

Source: p. 120 of Tim Good's book.