What gun was used to kill abraham lincoln?

What Gun was Used to Kill Abraham Lincoln?

The assassination of President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865, is one of the most infamous events in American history. Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth, a well-known actor and Confederate sympathizer, while attending a play at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. The question of what gun was used to kill Lincoln has been a topic of debate among historians and scholars for centuries.

The Mysterious Case of the Pistol

Initially, it was believed that Booth used a Deringer pistol to shoot Lincoln. The Deringer was a popular choice among assassins due to its small size and ease of concealment. Booth was known to carry a Deringer with him on the night of the assassination. However, upon closer inspection of the crime scene, forensic experts found that the wound was inconsistent with a Deringer.

The Controversy Begins

In the years following the assassination, various theories emerged about the type of gun used. Some believed that Booth used a Spencer repeating rifle, while others claimed it was a Smith & Wesson revolver. The debate raged on for decades, with no clear consensus on the matter.

The Forensic Analysis

In the 1930s, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted a thorough forensic analysis of the crime scene and the guns that were known to have been in Booth’s possession. The FBI’s experts concluded that the wound was consistent with a pistol, but not a Deringer. They suggested that the gun used was a .44 caliber revolver, possibly a Remington Model 1860.

The Evidence

Several pieces of evidence support the conclusion that a.44 caliber revolver was used to kill Lincoln:

• The size and shape of the wound: The wound was large and irregular, consistent with a.44 caliber bullet.
• The fragments found at the scene: Forensic experts found fragments of a.44 caliber bullet at the crime scene, which matched the size and shape of the wound.
• Booth’s known possession of a.44 caliber revolver: Booth was known to have possessed a.44 caliber revolver, which was discovered at his hideout after his death.

The Final Verdict

In 2010, the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History conducted a thorough examination of the crime scene and the guns that were known to have been in Booth’s possession. The museum’s experts concluded that the gun used to kill Lincoln was a.44 caliber Remington Model 1860 revolver. This conclusion is widely accepted by historians and scholars today.

Table: Guns Known to Have Been in Booth’s Possession

Conclusion

The debate about what gun was used to kill Abraham Lincoln has been ongoing for centuries. However, the overwhelming evidence points to a.44 caliber Remington Model 1860 revolver as the instrument of Lincoln’s assassination. The size and shape of the wound, the fragments found at the scene, and Booth’s known possession of a.44 caliber revolver all support this conclusion. While the Deringer may have been a popular choice among assassins, the evidence suggests that it was not the gun used to kill Lincoln.

Key Takeaways

• The gun used to kill Abraham Lincoln was a.44 caliber Remington Model 1860 revolver.
• The size and shape of the wound were inconsistent with a Deringer pistol.
• The fragments found at the scene matched the size and shape of the wound, supporting the conclusion that a.44 caliber bullet was used.
• Booth was known to have possessed a.44 caliber revolver, which was discovered at his hideout after his death.

In conclusion, the use of a.44 caliber Remington Model 1860 revolver to kill Abraham Lincoln is a well-documented and widely accepted conclusion. The evidence supports this conclusion, and it is no longer a topic of debate among historians and scholars.