Lincoln assassination flags were the five flags which decorated the presidential box of Ford 's Theatre , and which were present during John Wilkes Booth 's assassination of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln on April 14 , 1865 . Lincoln and his wife , Mary Todd Lincoln , were in this box watching a production of '' Our American Cousin '' . Booth 's spur was allegedly caught by one of the flags when he began his escape from the theatre and broke his leg ; this part of the story , however , is disputed . Three of the flags were American flags and the other two were Treasury Guard flags . According to Civil War historians , three of these five original flags are currently accounted for
assassination
Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
Lincoln assassination flags