As a doctor, Leale rushed to the president’s box to see if he could be of help. Both his profession and his support for the Union cause led him to try to save the president. Perhaps his dedication to the Union cause also led him to optimistically assume that Lincoln was unconscious because of stab wounds, despite the sound of the gunshot that had been fired. Once he discovered the bullet hole in Lincoln’s skull, however, his professional understanding took over. He knew that there was nothing he could do for Lincoln except to keep him alive for a few more hours and ensure him a dignified death.