L~N COLN LORE Bulletin of the Lincoln National Foundation - - ---- Dr. Louis A. Warren, Editor Published each week by The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, Fort Wayne, Inwana Number 1385 FORT WAYNE, INDIANA October 24, 1955 THE MARINE Wffi'I'E HOUSE Having just returned from a sight­ Apparently the River Queen "I congratulate you and the nation seeing trip in Virginia, the editor of stopped enroute at Fortress Monroe on the glorious news in your telegl'am Lincoln Lore is recalling some of his opposite Norfolk as Stanton received just '"ceived. Allow me respectfully visits to shrines of illustrious men a telegram to which he replied : "I to ask you to consider whether you and to sites of historical interest. was glad to learn of your safe arrival ought to expose the nation to the Memorials honoring Washington, at Fortress Monroe and hope that by consequence of any disaster to your­ Jefferson, Madison, Monroe and Lee this time you and Mrs. Lincoln have self in tho pursuit of a treacherous were impressive and places like Wil­ reached General Grant's Headquar­ and dangerous enemy like the rebel liamsburg, Yorktown, Jamestown, ters in health and comfort . The army. If it was a question concerning Fredericksburg and Richmond stirred weather here is cold, windy and very yourself only I should not presume the memories of Revolutionary and disagreeable so that I think you went to say a word. Commanding Generals Civil War episodes. Strange to say, to the sunny south in good time ... are in the line of their duty in run­ however, the environs at City Point Compliments to Mrs. Lincoln." ning such risks. But is the political where Abraham Lincoln lived on the head of a nation in the same The River Queen docked at City ~'River Queen," his marlne \Vhite condition?" House for eighteen days, offered the Point, Friday evening at nine p.m. most pronounced emotional appeal. and General Grant came on board to Regardless of this second admoni­ welcome the Lincolns. Stanton had tion Lincoln sent this telegram to his The absence of any formal recog­ appointed Capt. Penrose to accompany war secretary at five o'clock on that nition of the events associated with the President and at his request Pen­ same Monday, April 3: uyours re.. this port where the River Queen had rose immewately telegraphed Stanton ceived. Thanks for your caution; but its mooring and where Gtant located that "he had just arrived at this I have alrcndy been to Petersburg, his headquarters until the fall of point safely, and is now feeling wel1, staid with Gen. Grant an hour & a Petersburg, eight miles away, gives having had a pretty fair passage!' half and retunted here (City Point). full play to one's imagination. The From the decks of this watercraft It is certain now that Richmond is in James River flows majestically by as the business of the nation was to be our hands, and I think I will go there it wd in 1865 but the docks now used conducted and in the staterooms the to--morrow. I will take care of my~ commercially do not help to visualize plans for the consummation of the self." the tall figure of the President who war were discussed. Furthermore it stepped ashore here so many times was here that important conferences Lincoln almost literally "took care during the closing days of the war. were held about the reconstruction of himself" and little Tad at Rich­ days. Just exactly one week to the day mond as his only military escort con­ following the Saturday he was visit­ Lincoln was now at the scat of sisted of twelve sailors who had been ing the men in the military hospitals military activities and on the follow­ at the oars of the barge which at City Point, he was lying a corpse ing day rode to the front lines with brought him ashore, and four officers, in the executive :mansion at Wash­ Sherman and saw the anny in action. a newspaper correspondent and an ington. This tragedy was accentuated Lincoln was so moved by the dead and old negro who directed the group to for the editor of lAncoln Lore by wounded men which he saw that upon the headquarters of General Weitzel, standing, a few hours after the City his '"turn he could eat no supper o!r a wstance of nearly two miles Point visit, on the spot where Lin­ serving that he had ''seen enough of through the center of the city, made coln's assassin was apprehended and the horrors of war." up the party. Apparently Lincoln digpatched. One who has read care­ Upon returning from the front he completely ignored Stanton's warning. fully the telegrams which passed he­ sent a telegraph to the secretary of As a result we have the most unusual tween Lincoln at City Point and his war advising him : u1 am here within triumphal entry to the headquarters secretary of war, Edwin M. Stanton, five mil~s of the scene of this morn­ of an enemy which has ever occurred in Washington during these days they ings action." Apparently Lincoln did in all the annals of fallen cities. were separated will wonder what not advise Stanton that he had al­ prompted the finger of suspicion to ready been in the front lines. Even One of the last telegrams which be pointed at the secretary of war in Lincoln's presence within five miles Lineoln sent to his secretary of war the preliminaries and aftermath of from the front caused Stanton to from the marine White House con­ the assassination. reply : "I hope you will remember tained a dispatch from Sheridan to Gen. Harrison's advice at Tippecanoe Grant. Two hours and a half after The first telegram which Lincoln that they 'can see as well a little the telegram was forwal'ded to Stan­ received from Stanton was in the further off., n ton, Lincoln sent one to Grant as fol­ form of an apology. It was dated the lo,vs : "Gen. Sheridan says, 'If the day the President's family, including At eight o'clock Monday morning, thing is pressed I think that Lee will his wife and son Tad, left Washington April 8 Lincoln sent Stanton this surrender.' Let the thing he pressed.'' from the arsenal dock. Thursday, telegram: "This morning Gen. Grant March 28. It stated in part: "I reports Petersburg evacuated j and he At a season when President Eisen­ reached the arsenal with Mrs. Stanton is confident Richmond also is. He is hower is directing the affairs of the to see you depart a few minutes after pushing forward to cut off if possible, nation from a hospital White House yau had got under way. I hope you the retreating army. I start to him at Denver it is timely to observe how have reached Port Lookout safely not­ in a few minutes." This telegram Lincoln conducted the affairs of stato withstanding the furious gale that brought from Stanton a further word from his marine White House at came on soon after you started., of caution: City Point. .