Posted on Apr 4, 2018
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President Abraham Lincoln visits the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia, a day after Union forces capture it.
Lincoln had been in the area for nearly two weeks. He left Washington, D.C., at the invitation of general-in-chief Ulysses S. Grant to visit Grant’s headquarters at City Point, near the lines at Petersburg south of Richmond. The trip was exhilarating for the exhausted president. Worn out by four years of war and stifled by the pressures of Washington, Lincoln enjoyed himself immensely. He conferred with Grant and General William T. Sherman, who took a break from his campaign in North Carolina. He visited soldiers, and even picked up an ax to chop logs in front of the troops.
He stayed at City Point, sensing that the final push was near. Grant’s forces overran the Petersburg line on April 2, and the Confederate government fled the capital later that day. Union forces occupied Richmond on April 3, and Lincoln sailed up the James River to see the spoils of war. His ship could not pass some obstructions that had been placed in the river by the Confederates so 12 soldiers rowed him to shore. He landed without fanfare but was soon recognized by some black workmen who ran to him and bowed. The modest Lincoln told them to “…kneel to God only, and thank him for the liberty you will hereafter enjoy.”
Lincoln, accompanied by a small group of soldiers and a growing entourage of freed slaves, walked to the Confederate White House and sat in President Jefferson Davis’s chair. He walked to the Virginia statehouse and saw the chambers of the Confederate Congress. Lincoln even visited Libby Prison, where thousands of Union officers were held during the war. Lincoln remained in Richmond a few more days in hopes that Robert E. Lee’s army would surrender, but on April 8 he headed back to Washington. Six days later, Lincoln was shot as he watched a play at Ford’s Theater.
Lincoln had been in the area for nearly two weeks. He left Washington, D.C., at the invitation of general-in-chief Ulysses S. Grant to visit Grant’s headquarters at City Point, near the lines at Petersburg south of Richmond. The trip was exhilarating for the exhausted president. Worn out by four years of war and stifled by the pressures of Washington, Lincoln enjoyed himself immensely. He conferred with Grant and General William T. Sherman, who took a break from his campaign in North Carolina. He visited soldiers, and even picked up an ax to chop logs in front of the troops.
He stayed at City Point, sensing that the final push was near. Grant’s forces overran the Petersburg line on April 2, and the Confederate government fled the capital later that day. Union forces occupied Richmond on April 3, and Lincoln sailed up the James River to see the spoils of war. His ship could not pass some obstructions that had been placed in the river by the Confederates so 12 soldiers rowed him to shore. He landed without fanfare but was soon recognized by some black workmen who ran to him and bowed. The modest Lincoln told them to “…kneel to God only, and thank him for the liberty you will hereafter enjoy.”
Lincoln, accompanied by a small group of soldiers and a growing entourage of freed slaves, walked to the Confederate White House and sat in President Jefferson Davis’s chair. He walked to the Virginia statehouse and saw the chambers of the Confederate Congress. Lincoln even visited Libby Prison, where thousands of Union officers were held during the war. Lincoln remained in Richmond a few more days in hopes that Robert E. Lee’s army would surrender, but on April 8 he headed back to Washington. Six days later, Lincoln was shot as he watched a play at Ford’s Theater.
President Lincoln tours Richmond - Apr 04, 1865 - HISTORY.com
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Thanks TSgt Joe C. for letting us know that on April 4, 1865 President Abraham Lincoln visited the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia, a day after Union forces capture it.
Image: 1865-04-04 President Lincoln at the Confederate White House, Richmond.
Background from nps.gov/rich/learn/historyculture/lincvisit.htm
"On April 4, 1865, two days after Confederate forces evacuated Richmond, President Abraham Lincoln and his son Tad visited the still smoldering ruins of the South's former Capital. As they stepped ashore, they were instantly recognized by the former slaves, who greeted them ecstatically. "No electric wire could have carried the news of the President's arrival sooner than it was circulated through Richmond. As far as the eye could see the streets were alive with negroes and poor whites rushing in our direction, and the crowd increased so fast that I had to surround the President with the sailors with fixed bayonets to keep them off….They all wanted to shake hands with Mr. Lincoln or his coat tail or even to kneel down and kiss his boots!" said Admiral David D. Porter, who landed with Lincoln.
The crowd around Lincoln grew as he attempted to make his way to the former Confederate White House, now the U. S. military headquarters. Incredibly, only a few sailors were on hand to guard the President against attack. The distance to the White House was not great, but the crowd made movement nearly impossible. Military authorities eventually spotted the President and guided him to the house once occupied by Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy. It was here he hoped to meet with the commanding general of the occupying forces. Instead, he found a delegation of Southerners waiting to see him to discuss how the war might be brought to a speedy, peaceful conclusion.
After the meeting a carriage was brought out, and Lincoln and Tad rode through Richmond, touring the sites made famous during the previous four years of war, including the State Capitol and Libby Prison. Finally, the President reached Rocketts Landing, where the USS Malvern had arrived, and boarded the warship for the night. The next morning, he resumed his peace talks and then departed Richmond, never to return. General Robert E. Lee's surrender four days later at Appomattox Court House ended attempts at a negotiated end to the war.
Reflecting on the heady events of the past few days, Admiral Porter said, "I should have preferred to see the President of the United States entering the subjugated stronghold of the rebels with an escort more befitting his high station, yet that would have looked as if he came as a conqueror to exult over a brave but fallen enemy. He came instead as a peacemaker, his hand extended to all who desired to take it."
Lincoln's assassination, less than a week following Lee's surrender, ensured that the events of the previous week would forever remain mysterious. Hundreds of fanciful, romantic, and second-hand accounts gained traction in the public mind, causing even Lincoln's first historians to throw up their hands in frustration at the lack of similarity in the accounts of his Richmond visit. Over time, the event faded from public memory. Interest returned on April 5, 2003, when the National Park Service unveiled a statue at the Historic Tredegar Iron Works commemorating Lincoln's 1865 visit to Richmond. The life-sized sculpture by Louis Frech features the President and his son Tad, resting on a bench in front of the words "To Bind up the Nation's Wounds" - a phrase taken from Lincoln's second inaugural address."
President Lincoln Visits Richmond, VA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_1ZU5cqyWQ
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Orlando Illi LTC (Join to see) LTC Ivan Raiklin, Esq. Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Jeff S. CPT Jack Durish MSG Dan Walther MSgt Robert C Aldi SFC Stephen King MSgt Danny Hope SGT Gregory Lawritson Cpl Craig Marton SP5 Mark Kuzinski SGT (Join to see) Maj Marty Hogan
Image: 1865-04-04 President Lincoln at the Confederate White House, Richmond.
Background from nps.gov/rich/learn/historyculture/lincvisit.htm
"On April 4, 1865, two days after Confederate forces evacuated Richmond, President Abraham Lincoln and his son Tad visited the still smoldering ruins of the South's former Capital. As they stepped ashore, they were instantly recognized by the former slaves, who greeted them ecstatically. "No electric wire could have carried the news of the President's arrival sooner than it was circulated through Richmond. As far as the eye could see the streets were alive with negroes and poor whites rushing in our direction, and the crowd increased so fast that I had to surround the President with the sailors with fixed bayonets to keep them off….They all wanted to shake hands with Mr. Lincoln or his coat tail or even to kneel down and kiss his boots!" said Admiral David D. Porter, who landed with Lincoln.
The crowd around Lincoln grew as he attempted to make his way to the former Confederate White House, now the U. S. military headquarters. Incredibly, only a few sailors were on hand to guard the President against attack. The distance to the White House was not great, but the crowd made movement nearly impossible. Military authorities eventually spotted the President and guided him to the house once occupied by Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy. It was here he hoped to meet with the commanding general of the occupying forces. Instead, he found a delegation of Southerners waiting to see him to discuss how the war might be brought to a speedy, peaceful conclusion.
After the meeting a carriage was brought out, and Lincoln and Tad rode through Richmond, touring the sites made famous during the previous four years of war, including the State Capitol and Libby Prison. Finally, the President reached Rocketts Landing, where the USS Malvern had arrived, and boarded the warship for the night. The next morning, he resumed his peace talks and then departed Richmond, never to return. General Robert E. Lee's surrender four days later at Appomattox Court House ended attempts at a negotiated end to the war.
Reflecting on the heady events of the past few days, Admiral Porter said, "I should have preferred to see the President of the United States entering the subjugated stronghold of the rebels with an escort more befitting his high station, yet that would have looked as if he came as a conqueror to exult over a brave but fallen enemy. He came instead as a peacemaker, his hand extended to all who desired to take it."
Lincoln's assassination, less than a week following Lee's surrender, ensured that the events of the previous week would forever remain mysterious. Hundreds of fanciful, romantic, and second-hand accounts gained traction in the public mind, causing even Lincoln's first historians to throw up their hands in frustration at the lack of similarity in the accounts of his Richmond visit. Over time, the event faded from public memory. Interest returned on April 5, 2003, when the National Park Service unveiled a statue at the Historic Tredegar Iron Works commemorating Lincoln's 1865 visit to Richmond. The life-sized sculpture by Louis Frech features the President and his son Tad, resting on a bench in front of the words "To Bind up the Nation's Wounds" - a phrase taken from Lincoln's second inaugural address."
President Lincoln Visits Richmond, VA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_1ZU5cqyWQ
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Orlando Illi LTC (Join to see) LTC Ivan Raiklin, Esq. Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Jeff S. CPT Jack Durish MSG Dan Walther MSgt Robert C Aldi SFC Stephen King MSgt Danny Hope SGT Gregory Lawritson Cpl Craig Marton SP5 Mark Kuzinski SGT (Join to see) Maj Marty Hogan
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