Serious Accident to Mrs. Lincoln.

This morning, at about ten o’clock, as Mrs. Lincoln was passing in her carriage across the open lot near the Mount Pleasant Hospital, the driver’s seat suddenly became detached from the rest of the carriage, and the coachman was precipitated to the ground. At this accident the spirited horses immediately took fright, and dashed along with fearful velocity.

Mrs. Lincoln was quite alone in the carriage at the time, but, seeing the imminent danger she was in, with courage and presence of mind remarkable at so critical a moment, sprang quickly from the carriage, while the horses were running at full speed. Though for the moment stunned, she most fortunately received no more than serious injury from her fall than several severe bruises. From the most severe of these—one on the back of the head—the blood flowed freely.

Several surgeons from the Mount Pleasant Hospital were instantly upon the spot, and administered promptly to her injuries. So soon as it was ascertained that the injuries, though painful, were not a serious character, and that no bones were broken, it was decided that she could be safely transported to the White House. The original design, therefore, of conveying her to the Mount Pleasant Hospital was abandoned. A carriage passing at the time was taken possession of, and Mrs. Lincoln, now quite recovered from her fright was placed in it.

SOURCE: “Serious Accident to Mrs. Lincoln,” Evening Star, Washington, D. C., Thursday, July 2, 1863, p. 2, col. 1