Lincoln Letters

Page 37

Thursday, April 13, 1865. Seems to be settled that General Lee and army surrendered to Grant. Some seem to rejoice—while others lament the capture of so noble an army.

Friday, April 14, 1865. Great rejoicing throughout the U.S. Great exultation and crowing in the papers, picturing Richmond as entirely destitute of provisions and receiving the Federals with great joy.

Saturday, April 15, 1865. Excitement has only begun. Abe and Seward were murdered last night. First rumored—by a Virginian, and lastly, a S.S. clerk rumored that all Rebel officers at Washington were killed. [5]

Footnotes

[5] Secretary of State William H. Seward almost died in the assassination plot. His assailant, Lewis Powell, forced his way into the secretary’s bedroom, where he stabbed and slashed the invalid Seward (he was in bed recovering from a carriage accident) repeatedly before fleeing into the night. A resident of Florida when the war began, Powell was living near Live Oak when he volunteered for military service in 1861. He served in the Second Florida Infantry Regiment.