Who did Powell wound next and how?

• A. Dr. Charles Leale, by stabbing him in the shoulder
• B. Frederick Seward, by slapping him
• C. Sergeant Robinson, by stabbing him twice in the shoulder down to the bone while choking and punching him
• D. Laura Keene, by pushing him away

Answer: (C)

This question tests how Powell’s actions unfolded during the assault on Seward’s household. After forcing his way into the house, Powell came up against Sergeant Robinson, the guard trying to stop him. In the ensuing struggle, Powell stabbed Robinson twice in the shoulder, going down to the bone, while he also choked and punched him. This detail shows the brutal escalation of Powell’s violence in that moment, beyond the initial attempt to reach Seward himself. The other figures mentioned aren’t involved in this specific sequence: Dr. Leale was the physician who treated Lincoln, Laura Keene was a theater figure with no involvement in the Seward attack, and Frederick Seward was indeed present but wasn’t stabbed in the manner described here.