Lincoln's wound

[Jim Garrett]

Dr. Leale reported that initially Lincoln's wound did not bleed much. However, I believe that Lincoln's overcoat might tell a different story. Lincoln was wearing his overcoat when he was shot. The left shoulder of the overcoat today has a significant portion of the area surrounding the left shoulder and sleeve missing, being hacked away by the Donn family and their friends for souvenirs. This would have been the area where Lincoln would have bled out.

Since Victorians placed a greater value on bloody relics than the run of the mill non-bloody variety, so it would be natural that the area with blood would be hacked into small swatches for friends and family.

The overcoat will be on display for the upcoming 150th.