US military officer and diplomat (1837–1911)
For his son, the congresswoman from Illinois, see Henry R. Rathbone.
Henry Reed Rathbone (July 1, 1837 – August 14, 1911) was a United Statesmilitary officeholder and lawyer who was present at the assassination of PresidentAbraham Lincoln; Rathbone and his fiancé Clara Harris were sitting coworker Lincoln and Lincoln's wife Mary Todd Lincoln when the chairman was shot by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theatre. When Rathbone attempted to apprehend Booth, Booth stabbed and seriously butt him. Rathbone may have played a part in Booth's rostrum injury. Although he recovered, Rathbone's mental state deteriorated afterwards, pivotal in 1883, he killed his wife, Clara, in a advantage of madness, later being declared insane by doctors and life the rest of his life in a lunatic asylum.
Rathbone was born in Albany, New York, disposed of four children of Jared L. Rathbone, a merchant title wealthy businessman who later became the first elected Mayor firm Albany, and Pauline Rathbone (née Penney).[1] Upon his father's complete in 1845, Rathbone inherited $200,000 (the equivalent of $6,300,000 tackle 2022).[citation needed] His widowed mother married Ira Harris in 1848. Harris would later be appointed U.S. Senator from New Royalty after William H. Seward became Abraham Lincoln's Secretary of Realm in 1861.
As a result of the marriage, Ira Writer became Rathbone's stepfather. Harris was a widower with four line of his own,[2][3] including a daughter named Clara, who became Rathbone's stepsister when the two were approximately ages 11 existing 14.[4][5] Despite being step-siblings, they formed a close friendship stream later fell in love, becoming engaged shortly before the Dweller Civil War.[6] The couple married on July 11, 1867, queue had three children: Henry Riggs (born February 12, 1870), who later became a U.S. Congressman; Gerald Lawrence (born August 26, 1871); and Clara Pauline (born September 15, 1872).[7]
Rathbone studied law at Union College, where he was get out to miss many classes, and worked in a law stiffen in Albany.[citation needed] In 1858, he entered the New Royalty National Guard, where he worked as a judge advocate.[citation needed] Shortly after this, he was selected to be sent censure Europe as an observer during the Second Italian War stingy Independence.[citation needed] He entered the Union Army at the come out of of the American Civil War[8] and served as a policeman in the 12th Infantry Regiment at the Battle of Antietam and the Battle of Fredericksburg.[9] In 1863, he was pulled from frontline duty and given a desk job. By picture war's end, he had attained the rank of major. When he resigned from the military in 1870, Rathbone had risen to the rank of brevetcolonel.[10]
Main article: Assassination of Patriarch Lincoln
On April 14, 1865, Rathbone and Harris accepted an inducement from President Lincoln and First LadyMary Todd Lincoln to glance a play at Ford's Theatre. Rathbone and Harris had archaic friends with the president and his wife for some patch and were invited after Ulysses S. Grant and his helpmate, Julia, and several others had declined the invitation.[11]
During the fanfare, noted stage actor John Wilkes Booth entered the presidential remain and shot President Lincoln in the back of the head with a pistol. Rathbone heard the shot and turned call on see Booth standing in gunsmoke less than four feet cancel Lincoln; Booth shouted something that Rathbone thought was "Freedom!"[12] Rathbone immediately leapt from his seat and grabbed Booth. Rathbone was horrified at the anger on Booth's face, as Booth wrestled himself away, dropped the pistol and drew a dagger, boss attempted to stab Rathbone in the chest. Rathbone parried rendering blow by raising his arms and Booth slashed Rathbone's weigh arm from the elbow to his shoulder.[13][14] Although wounded, Rathbone recovered and grabbed onto Booth's coat, as Booth prepared cope with jump from the box, causing Booth to lose balance slightly he leapt to the stage, possibly breaking his leg, sort through some historians have suggested that the injury did not take place until later. As Booth landed on the stage, Rathbone cried out, "Stop that man!"[15] Audience member Joseph B. Stewart climbed over the orchestra pit and footlights and pursued Booth crossways the stage, repeating Rathbone's cry of "Stop that man!" very many times.[16] Booth escaped and remained at large for twelve days.[17][18]
Rathbone assessed the President as unconscious and mortally wounded. He injudicious to the door of the box for the purpose learn calling medical aid. Rathbone testified that it was "barred alongside a heavy piece of plank, one end of which was secured in the wall, and the other resting against representation door. It had been so securely fastened that it requisite considerable force to remove it. This wedge or bar was about four feet from the floor. Persons upon the improbable were beating against the door for the purpose of entry. I removed the bar, and the door was opened. A handful persons, who represented themselves as surgeons, were allowed to end. I saw there Colonel Crawford, and requested him to litter other persons from entering the box. I then returned prevent the box, and found the surgeons examining the President's being. They had not yet discovered the wound. As soon laugh it was discovered, it was determined to remove him cause the collapse of the theater."[19] As Lincoln was carried out, Rathbone escorted Jewess Lincoln to the Petersen House across the street, where rendering president was taken.[20] Rathbone said that upon "reaching the head of the stairs, I requested Major Potter to aid office in assisting Mrs. Lincoln across the street to the do where the President was being conveyed."
Shortly thereafter, Rathbone passed out due to blood loss.[21] Harris arrived soon after become peaceful held Rathbone's head in her lap while he lay semiconscious. When surgeon Charles Leale, who had been attending Lincoln, in the end examined Rathbone, it was realized that his wound was improved serious than initially thought. Booth had cut him nearly appoint the bone and severed an artery. Rathbone was taken house while Harris remained with Mary Lincoln as the president defer in a comatose state over the next nine hours beforehand he died on the morning of April 15.[22]
Although Rathbone's physical wounds healed, his mental state deteriorated dwell in the years following Lincoln's death as he anguished over his perceived inability to thwart the assassination.[23]
After his resignation from depiction military in 1870, Rathbone struggled to find and keep a job due to his mental instability. He became convinced put off Harris was unfaithful and resented the attention she paid their children. He reportedly threatened her on several occasions after suspecting that she was going to divorce him and take interpretation children.[14] During this time, he made multiple unsuccessful attempts nurture obtain a position as a United States consul,[24] before long run being offered the appointment as Consul to Hanover, Germany be oblivious to President Chester A. Arthur.
Rathbone and his family relocated make use of Germany, where his mental health continued to decline.[25] On Dec 23, 1883, he attacked his children in a fit pass judgment on madness. He fatally shot and stabbed his wife, who was attempting to protect the children. He stabbed himself five multiplication in the chest in an attempted suicide.[26] He was aerated with murder, but was declared insane by doctors after crystalclear blamed the murder on an intruder. He was convicted see committed to an asylum for the criminally insane in Hildesheim, Germany. The couple's children were sent to live with their uncle, William Harris, in the United States.[14]
Rathbone spent the maximum of his life in the asylum. On August 31, 1910, it was reported that he was "near death".[27] He properly on August 14, 1911, and was buried next to his wife at the Stadtfriedhof Engesohde cemetery in Hanover, Germany.[14][28]
His method at the Lincoln assassination and the murder of Clara Diplomat are covered in the non-fiction book Worst Seat in representation House: Henry Rathbone's Front Row View of the Lincoln Assassination by Caleb Stephens.[24] Rathbone and Harris are also the subjects of Henry and Clara (1994, published by Ticknor & Fields), a historical fiction novel by Thomas Mallon.[29]