![[Derringer gun John Wilkes Booth used to assassinate Abraham Lincoln.] Artifact in the museum collection, National Park Service, Ford's Theatre National Historic Site, Washington, D.C.](https://cache.getarchive.net/Prod/thumb/cdn18/L3Bob3RvLzIwMTkvMTIvMTAvZGVycmluZ2VyLWd1bi1qb2huLXdpbGtlcy1ib290aC11c2VkLXRvLWFzc2Fzc2luYXRlLWFicmFoYW0tbGluY29sbi1hcnRpZmFjdC0wMDZlM2ItMTAyNC5qcGc%3D/320/201/jpg "[Derringer gun John Wilkes Booth used to assassinate Abraham Lincoln.] Artifact in the museum collection, National Park Service, Ford's Theatre National Historic Site, Washington, D.C.")
![[Derringer gun John Wilkes Booth used to assassinate Abraham Lincoln.] Artifact in the museum collection, National Park Service, Ford's Theatre National Historic Site, Washington, D.C.](https://cache.getarchive.net/Prod/thumb/cdn4/L3Bob3RvLzIwMTkvMDkvMTYvZGVycmluZ2VyLWd1bi1qb2huLXdpbGtlcy1ib290aC11c2VkLXRvLWFzc2Fzc2luYXRlLWFicmFoYW0tbGluY29sbi1hcnRpZmFjdC0zNWZjZjAtNjQwLmpwZw%3D%3D/40/28/webp "[Derringer gun John Wilkes Booth used to assassinate Abraham Lincoln.] Artifact in the museum collection, National Park Service, Ford's Theatre National Historic Site, Washington, D.C.")
Related
![[Knife and Sheath: Horn-handled dagger used by John Wilkes Booth to stab Major Henry Rathbone after shooting Abraham Lincoln.] Artifact in the museum collection, National Park Service, Ford's Theatre National Historic Site, Washington, D.C.](https://cache.getarchive.net/Prod/thumb/cdn4/L3Bob3RvLzIwMDcvMDEvMDEva25pZmUtYW5kLXNoZWF0aC1ob3JuLWhhbmRsZWQtZGFnZ2VyLXVzZWQtYnktam9obi13aWxrZXMtYm9vdGgtdG8tc3RhYi1tYWpvci02NDAuanBn/40/65/webp "[Knife and Sheath: Horn-handled dagger used by John Wilkes Booth to stab Major Henry Rathbone after shooting Abraham Lincoln.] Artifact in the museum collection, National Park Service, Ford's Theatre National Historic Site, Washington, D.C.")
[Derringer gun John Wilkes Booth used to assassinate Abraham Lincoln.] Artifact in the museum collection, National Park Service, Ford's Theatre National Historic Site, Washington, D.C.
Summary
Derringer: The gun John Wilkes Booth used to change American history was a .44-caliber pistol made by Henry Deringer of Philadelphia. One shot was all that Booth had. The gun was favored for its small size, it could easily be concealed inside a pocket. It fired a single, round lead ball, weighing nearly an ounce, and was most accurate at close range.
; part of title from Ford's Theater Collection website.
Credit line: Carol M. Highsmith's America, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.
Gift and purchase; Carol M. Highsmith; 2009; (DLC/PP-2010:031).
Forms part of: Carol M. Highsmith's America Project in the Carol M. Highsmith Archive.
Tags
Date
2010 - 2020
Contributors
Highsmith, Carol M., 1946-, photographer
Location
Washington, District of Columbia, United States, 38.90719, -77.03687
Source
Library of Congress
Copyright info
No known restrictions on publication.
