Did you know that Booth saved Lincoln’s life? (1 Viewer)

Ahsoka · 27 May 2025

Of course I’m not talking about John Wilkes Booth and Abraham Lincoln because that was very much the opposite. I mean Edwin Booth and Robert Todd Lincoln, brother of John Wilkes Booth and son of Abraham Lincoln respectively. In 1863 or 1864, Robert Todd London was traveling by train when he slipped due to the train starting to move. He fell towards the tracks before Edwin Booth grabbed him by his coat and pulled him to safety. I’ll put a longer description written by Robert Lincoln in 1909 in a letter.

The incident occurred while a group of passengers were late at night purchasing their sleeping car places from the conductor who stood on the station platform at the entrance of the car. The platform was about the height of the car floor, and there was of course a narrow space between the platform and the car body. There was some crowding, and I happened to be pressed by it against the car body while waiting my turn. In this situation the train began to move, and by the motion I was twisted off my feet, and had dropped somewhat, with feet downward, into the open space, and was personally helpless, when my coat collar was vigorously seized and I was quickly pulled up and out to a secure footing on the platform. Upon turning to thank my rescuer I saw it was Edwin Booth, whose face was of course well known to me, and I expressed my gratitude to him, and in doing so, called him by name.