audiobook We Saw Lincoln Shot: One Hundred Eyewitness Accounts by Timothy S. Good in History

Review

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Eyewitness to TragedyBy Philip A. SamuelsThis little paperback book contains the eyewitness accounts of many people who just by chance and fate were at Ford's Theatre on the evening of April 14; 1865 when John Wilkes Booth murdered President Abraham Lincoln. The statements of a number of the patrons were taken down; some within hours of the president's assassination and with the event still fresh in their minds; provide the reader with many details and reactions to one of the greatest tragedies in American history. The author has assembled 100 of these accounts which he believes to be the most factual and also provides the reader with some notes on many of the narratives. Naturally; there is some repetition but I still found this book very interesting and well worth the small investment.5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. A RARE; EYEWITNESS GLIMPSE AT HISTORYBy J. T. O'GormanImagine if 100 of those who still had fresh; "I-was-in-Dallas-yesterday" memories of President Kennedy's murder had been compiled at the time; in 1963? What you'd get are 100 accounts of the murder; each with its own slight twists; based on that person's vantage point at the moment of tragedy. (I'll not delve into JFK conspiracies here. That's not the point of this review.)Yet that is exactly what you get with; "We Saw Lincoln Shot: One Hundred Eyewitness Accounts". From the doctors who administered aid to our greatest president only moments after his mortal wound;to the many common folk who'd come to Ford's Theater that night to view President Lincoln and his announced; but no-show guest; General U.S. Grant; more than they'd come to see the play; "Our American Cousin".On history's most tragic Good Friday night since that First Good Friday; 741 people bought a ticket to Ford's Theater. The management; police; and government sought written statements from as many of them as could be found; along with accounts from Ford's employees; actors; and so forth. What you'll find the most compelling of those in this book!3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. An absolute must read!By SwubirdWe Saw Lincoln Shot: One Hundred Eyewitness Accountsis nothing short of a study in witness retention and reporting. Using the assassination of President Lincoln; the author examines 100 eyewitness accounts given by 100 people who were in the theater that evening. The author researched various sources including personal letters to make sure that every account was as accurate as possible. He then arranged the accounts into distinct time periods including recent; farther out and farthest out; and analyzed the reliability of the statements as a function of time. Of course; those statements that were taken closest to the assassination are considered more accurate than those recorded years later.Of special interest to me is how so many people could have seen the same thing at the same time; yet they all reported seeing and hearing different things. For instance; some witnesses reported that Booth yelled; "sic semper tyrannisi" after he jumped from the Presidential Box to the stage. Other witnesses; however; said they heard it before he leaped from the box to the stage. In another instance; some eyewitnesses heard him yell; "The South shall be free!" before he ran off the stage and out the rear door. While others never heard him yell anything at all. Stress can play funny tricks with the mind.I've only mentioned a few things contained in this book. In fact; this little book contains tons of good stuff. I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in the Lincoln assassination.