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168 Lincoln’s Assassination Chapter 10 Lincoln’s Assassination Welles’s extended diary entry is the only account of Lincoln’s assassination written by a member of the cabinet at the time of the event. (The two other cabinet members who kept diaries – Bates and Chase – had left the administration in 1864.) It is notable for its narrative drama, its attention to small but revealing details, such as the black mourning ribbons displayed on the dwellings of many poor white and black Washingtonians, and, above all, its poignancy.1 April 14, 1865: Last night there was a general illumination in Washington, fireworks, etc. To-day is the anniversary of the surrender of Sumter, and the flag is to be raised by General [Robert] Anderson [commander at Fort Sumter when it was forced to surrender on April 13, 1861] 2 . . . . Inquiry had been made as to army news on the first meeting of the Cabinet, and especially if any information had been received from Sherman .3 None of the members had heard anything, and Stanton, who makes it a point to be late, and who has the telegraph in his Department, had not arrived. General Grant, who was present, said he was hourly expecting word. The President remarked it would, he had no doubt, come soon, and come favorable for he had last night the usual dream which he had preceding nearly every great and important event of the War. Generally 1 Although Welles’s entry on the assassination is dated April 14th, it refers to events occurring as late as April 21st . Howard K. Beale, editor of the 1960 edition of the diary, concluded that none of the entry was written later than April 25th and that except for several paragraphs written on the 16th, the portion covering the period from the assassination itself through April 18th was written on the 18th . 2 The formal surrender proceedings took place a day later; thus the anniversary ceremony to which Welles refers was held on April 14th . 3 By this time, Sherman and his army were in the vicinity of Goldsboro, North Carolina. It was expected that General Joseph Johnston, commander of the last major Confederate army in the field, would soon surrender to Sherman, which he did on the 18th . Lincoln’s Assassination 169 the news had been favorable which succeeded this dream, and the dream itself was always the same. I inquired what this remarkable dream could be. He said it related to the water – that he seemed to be in some singular, indescribable vessel and that he was moving with great rapidity4 – that he had this dream preceding Sumter, Bull Run, Antietam, Gettysburg, Stone[’s] River, Vicksburg, Wilmington, etc. General Grant said Stone[’s] River was certainly no victory, and he knew of no great results which followed from it. The President said however that might be, his dream preceded that fight. “I had,” the President remarked, “this strange dream again last night, and we shall, judging from the past, have great news very soon. I think it must be from Sherman. My thoughts are in that direction, as are most of yours.” I write this conversation two days after it occurred, in consequence of what took place Friday night, but for which the mention of this dream would probably have never been noted. Great events did, indeed, follow, for within a few hours the good and gentle, as well as truly great, man who narrated his dream closed forever his earthly career. I had retired to bed about half past-ten on the evening of the 14th of April, and was just getting asleep when my wife said some one was at our door. Sitting up in bed, I heard some one twice call to John, my son, whose sleeping-room was on the second floor directly over the front entrance. I arose at once and raised a window, when my messenger, James Smith, called to me that Mr. Lincoln, the President, had been shot, and Secretary Seward and his son, Assistant Secretary Frederick Seward, were assassinated . James was much alarmed and excited. I told him his story was very incoherent and improbable, that he was associating men who were not together and liable to attack at the same time. “Where,” I inquired, “was the President when shot?” James said he was at Ford’s Theatre on 10th Street. “Well,” said I, “Secretary Seward is an invalid in bed in his house on 15th Street.”5 James said...

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