Lincoln's Last Days: March 20, 1865
On March 20, 1865 (150 years ago today) Lieutenant General Ulysses Grant sent a famous invitation to President Abraham Lincoln to take a break from the oval office and come for a visit. Grant's telegram to Lincoln, which he sent at around 10:00 a.m. that morning, simply read:
"Can you not visit City Point for a day or two? I would like very much to see you and I think the rest would do you good."
The "City Point" that Grant mentioned was City Point, Virginia, a town in Prince George County. (Today City Point is part of the modern day city of Hopewell.) At the time City Point served as the headquarters for the Union Army during the Siege of Petersburg. It was located in a strategic site which overlooked both the James and Appomattox Rivers. To serve the Union army, two huge military installations were built there: a supply depot and the Depot Field Hospital. During that siege, City Point was a very busy port. While encamped there, Grant often received visitors from Washington, including his wife Julia and their young son Jesse. This was encouraged by the War Department because earlier in his career, during the Siege of Vicksburg, there were rumors of Grant's drinking becoming a problem, caused by boredom due to inactivity during the siege. But when Julia Grant visited her husband, she was seen as a stabilizing and positive influence on him. Though Grant's drinking had not presented a problem since Vicksburg, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton was likely happy to have the added insurance of Mrs. Grant's presence.
Lincoln jumped at the opportunity to get out of Washington. Later that day, he sent the following telegram to Grant with his response:
Your kind invitation received. Had already thought of going immediately after the next rain. Will go sooner if any reason for it. Mrs. L. and a few others will probably accompany me. Will notify you of exact time, once it shall be fixed upon.
Later that month, Lincoln would visit City Point and meet with Grant, General William Tecumseh Sherman and Admiral David Porter. On March 20th, Lincoln met with Assistant Secretary of the Navy Fox and Lt. Commander John S. Barnes, commander of the U.S.S. "Bat" to discuss the proposed trip to City Point.
Lincoln would also attend to other business on that day. He met with Congressman Thomas T. Davis of New York, who was seeking the release of Peter Lake, a prisoner of war. Lincoln agreed, and made an order which read "Hon. Thomas T. Davis, now present, asks that Peter Lake, now a prisoner of War at Elmira, N.Y, may be discharged on taking the oath of Dec. 8, 1863. Let it be done." He also wrote to Democratic Governor Thomas Swann of Maryland saying "I wish you would find Cresswell and bring him with you and see me to-morrow." He was referring to Maryland Senator John Creswell. Governor Swann sent a telegraph back to Lincoln later that day and agreed to the meeting. That day he met with Governor William Pickering of the Washington Territory about Pickering's reappointment. Pickering continued to serve in the position until 1867.
President also met with Russian Minister (the equivalent of a modern day Ambassador) Baron de Stoeckl and in their discussion, Lincoln told the Baron that he believed that the war would be over by the end of year. Lincoln also granted the request of his friend, Ohio clergyman Granville Moody to appoint a one-armed soldier named Joseph M. Patterson to a postmaster's position.
"Can you not visit City Point for a day or two? I would like very much to see you and I think the rest would do you good."
The "City Point" that Grant mentioned was City Point, Virginia, a town in Prince George County. (Today City Point is part of the modern day city of Hopewell.) At the time City Point served as the headquarters for the Union Army during the Siege of Petersburg. It was located in a strategic site which overlooked both the James and Appomattox Rivers. To serve the Union army, two huge military installations were built there: a supply depot and the Depot Field Hospital. During that siege, City Point was a very busy port. While encamped there, Grant often received visitors from Washington, including his wife Julia and their young son Jesse. This was encouraged by the War Department because earlier in his career, during the Siege of Vicksburg, there were rumors of Grant's drinking becoming a problem, caused by boredom due to inactivity during the siege. But when Julia Grant visited her husband, she was seen as a stabilizing and positive influence on him. Though Grant's drinking had not presented a problem since Vicksburg, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton was likely happy to have the added insurance of Mrs. Grant's presence.
Lincoln jumped at the opportunity to get out of Washington. Later that day, he sent the following telegram to Grant with his response:
Your kind invitation received. Had already thought of going immediately after the next rain. Will go sooner if any reason for it. Mrs. L. and a few others will probably accompany me. Will notify you of exact time, once it shall be fixed upon.
Later that month, Lincoln would visit City Point and meet with Grant, General William Tecumseh Sherman and Admiral David Porter. On March 20th, Lincoln met with Assistant Secretary of the Navy Fox and Lt. Commander John S. Barnes, commander of the U.S.S. "Bat" to discuss the proposed trip to City Point.
Lincoln would also attend to other business on that day. He met with Congressman Thomas T. Davis of New York, who was seeking the release of Peter Lake, a prisoner of war. Lincoln agreed, and made an order which read "Hon. Thomas T. Davis, now present, asks that Peter Lake, now a prisoner of War at Elmira, N.Y, may be discharged on taking the oath of Dec. 8, 1863. Let it be done." He also wrote to Democratic Governor Thomas Swann of Maryland saying "I wish you would find Cresswell and bring him with you and see me to-morrow." He was referring to Maryland Senator John Creswell. Governor Swann sent a telegraph back to Lincoln later that day and agreed to the meeting. That day he met with Governor William Pickering of the Washington Territory about Pickering's reappointment. Pickering continued to serve in the position until 1867.
President also met with Russian Minister (the equivalent of a modern day Ambassador) Baron de Stoeckl and in their discussion, Lincoln told the Baron that he believed that the war would be over by the end of year. Lincoln also granted the request of his friend, Ohio clergyman Granville Moody to appoint a one-armed soldier named Joseph M. Patterson to a postmaster's position.