Wednesday, April 15, 2015
April 15, 1865...Abraham Lincoln Died..."Now he Belongs to the Ages"
It was 150 years ago today that President Abraham Lincoln died. He was shot on April 14, 1865. Shortly after 10 p.m., actor John Wilkes Booth entered the presidential box at Ford's Theatre in Washington, DC, and fatally shot President Lincoln. As Lincoln slumped forward in his seat, Booth leapt onto the stage and escaped through the back door. A doctor in the audience rushed over to examine the paralyzed President. Lincoln was then carried across the street to Petersen's Boarding House, where he died at 7:22 a.m. the next morning. At that moment, Secretary of War Stanton, who had kept vigil with Mrs. Lincoln all night, uttered the famous line : "Now he belongs to the ages." ~~~~~ Co-conspirator Lewis Powell (or Paine/Payne) attempted to assassinate Secretary of State William Seward, but only managed to injure him. David Herold accompanied Powell. However, Herold fled before the deed was finished. At the same time, George Atzerodt was supposed to have killed Vice-President Andrew Johnson. Atzerodt did not go through with the assassination. Booth and Herold escaped the Capital and traveled to Mary Surratt's Tavern in Maryland where they picked up supplies. They then traveled to Dr. Samuel Mudd's house where Booth's leg was set. On April 26, Herold and Booth were found hiding in a barn near Port Royal, Virginia. Herold surrendered but Booth refused to come out of the barn so it was set on fire. In the ensuing chaos, a soldier shot and killed Booth. Eight Lincoln conspirators were caught over the next few days and tried by a military court. They were found guilty on June 30 and given various sentences depending upon their involvement. Lewis Powel(Paine), David Herold, George Atzerodt and Mary Surratt were charged with conspiring with Booth, along with various other crimes, and were hanged on July 7, 1865. Dr. Samuel Mudd, Samuel Arnold, and Michae O'Laughlen were sentenced to life in prison. Mudd escaped execution by a single vote, the tribunal having voted 5–4 against hanging him. ~~~~~ We are often told about President Lincoln's foreboding dream that many say predicted his assassination. But, Mr. Lincoln also uttered prophetic words as he left Illinois to go to Washington for his first inauguration in 1861 : "My friends, no one, not in my situation, can appreciate my feeling of sadness at this parting. To this place, and the kindness of these people, I owe everything. Here I have lived a quarter of a century and have passed from a young to an old man. Here my children have been born, and one is buried. I now leave, not knowing when, or whether ever, I may return, with a task before me greater than that which rested upon Washington. Without the assistance of the Divine Being who ever attended him, I cannot succeed. With that assistance I cannot fail. Trusting in Him who can go with me and remain with you, and be everywhere for good, let us confidently hope that all will yet be well. To His care commending you, as I hope in your prayers you will commend me, I bid you an affectionate farewell." Lincoln's Farewell Address at the Great Western Depot in Springfield, Illinois, February 11, 1861.
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The assassination of president Lincoln 150 years ago tonight at 10:15 PM was not only a plot by a well know actor and Confederate sympathizer John Wilks Booth, but a plot to assassinate also the Vice president Andrew Johnson and Secretary of State William H. Seward. Thereby disrupting the U.S. government and throwing it into disorder.
ReplyDeleteThe killing of these three men would have made a successor to the president complicated at very best.
In my estimation the 5 top presidents of the United States are Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Coolidge, and Reagan.
ReplyDeleteOf the 4 sitting presidents that have been assassinated historical Lincoln’s murder had to have the greatest effect of the country. Had Lincoln lived and been in office during the start of reconstruction in the South, integration of the Confederate States back into the United States would have progressed much faster and smoother; possibly leading to less civil strife over the next 100 years until the outbreak of the Civil Liberties marches and confrontation in the streets in the 1960’s.
Lincoln’s goal was always and only the preservation of the Union as shown in his quote to Horace Greeley in August 1862 …
“I would save the Union. I would save it the shortest way under the Constitution. The sooner the national authority can be restored; the nearer the Union will be "the Union as it was." If there be those who would not save the Union, unless they could at the same time save slavery, I do not agree with them. If there be those who would not save the Union unless they could at the same time destroy slavery, I do not agree with them. My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause. I shall try to correct errors when shown to be errors; and I shall adopt new views so fast as they shall appear to be true views.”
150 years ago Abraham Lincoln became the first American president to be assassinated. Three have followed since with a couple foiled attempts.
ReplyDeleteBut Lincoln’s was entirely different. It was an attempt to so muddle the Constitutional line of succession that the federal government would be thrown into a state of panic and hopefully a crash of recognized authority would exists and the Confederate States could exists once again.
How this night 150 years ago altered American History.
In my readings of Lincoln I have found that he grew immeasurably as he came to think of himself as an instrument of God’s will. He was humbled beyond belief in his religion.
ReplyDeleteA line from his Gettysburg Address (perhaps the finest speech ever given) he said - " The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here."
Well Mr. President we will never forget what they or you did.