Lincoln's Last Days: March 29, 1865
On Wednesday, March 29, 1865 (150 years ago today) Abraham Lincoln continued his stay at City Point, Virginia. That morning, according to author Doris Kearns Goodwin in Team of Rivals, Lincoln walked to the railway station where General Ulysses Grant was leaving on a train that was heading to the front. Grant told Lincoln that he hoped this would be the final offensive against Lee. Horace Porter wrote, of his observations of Lincoln that morning:"Lincoln looked more serious than at any other time since he had visited headquarters. The lines on his face seemed deeper, and the rings under his eyes seemed of a deeper hue." At page 714, Doris Kearns Goodwin writes:
As the train pulled away from the platform, Grant and his party tipped their hats in honor of the president. Returning the salute, his "voice broken by an emotion he could ill conceal," Lincoln said: "Good-bye, gentlemen, God bless you all!"
As Grant was leaving City Point, [Secretary of State William H.] Seward was heading south to join Lincoln. "I think the president must have telegraphed for him," [Navy Secretary Gideon] Welles surmised, "and if so, I came to the conclusion that efforts are again being made for peace. I am by no means certain that this irregular proceeding and importunity on the part of the Executive is the wisest course." The [New York] Tribune concurred: "We presume no person of even average sagacity has imagined that the President of the United States has gone down to the front at such a time as this in quest merely of pleasure, or leisure, or health even." That he hoped to "bring peace with him on his return" the editorial suggested, was "too palpable to be doubted."
When Grant arrived where the two armies were, he sent a telegraph to Lincoln, which read "Just arrived here 11 15 A.M. Nothing heard of from the front yet. No firing. I start in a few minutes. Sheridan got off at 3 this morning." Later, at a location known as Gravelly Run, Grant sent the president a second telegram, which read: "The 2d Corps are in the position designated for them for today No opposition has yet been met but a few pickets & scouts have been picked up Nothing heard from Sheridan yet. [Gouverneur K.] Warren must now be in the place laid down for him in orders I will remain here until morning if nothing transpires." Grant's third telegram was also sent from Gravelley Creek and Lincoln received it at 5:10 P.M. It read: "The enemy attacked [Charles] Griffin Div 5 AC near where the Quaker road intersects the Boydtown road about 4 P.M. The enemy were repulsed leaving about 60 prisoners in our hands There was some loss of life on both sides."
Lincoln sent Grant a telegram in response to Grant's third message, which read "Your three despatches received. From what direction did the enemy come that attacked Griffin? How do things look now?" Grant's reply to Lincoln's telegram was received by the president at 9 P.M. Grant wrote: "Griffin was attacked near where the Quaker road intersects the Boydtown Plank---at 5.50 P.M. Warren reports the fighting pretty severe but the enemy repulsed leaving one hundred prisoners in our hands. Warren advanced to attack at the hour named but found the enemy gone. He thinks inside of his main works. Warren's Pickets on his left along Boydtown Plank road reported the enemys cavalry moving rapidly Northward & they thought, Sheridan after them. Sheridan was in Dinwiddie this P.M."
Lincoln also exchanged telegrams with General Godfrey Weitzel. Lincoln asked "What, if any thing, have you observed, on your front to-day?" Weitzel's reply was received at 8:20 P.M. It read: "I have only heard that Fitz Hugh Lees cavalry passed through Richmond yesterday & at 11.25 this morning it was seen passing Port Walthal Junction towards Petersburg at a fast gait No movements have been observed other than the above. I expect deserters every moment & as soon as I hear anything new I will telegraph you."
That night, at 10:15 p.m., Lincoln heard what he described as "a furious cannonade, soon joined in by a heavy musketry-fire, opened near Petersburg and lasted about two hours. The sound was very distinct here, as also were the flashes of guns upon the clouds.It seemed to me a great battle, but the older hands here scarcely noticed it, and, sure enough, [the next] morning it was found that very little had been done."
As the train pulled away from the platform, Grant and his party tipped their hats in honor of the president. Returning the salute, his "voice broken by an emotion he could ill conceal," Lincoln said: "Good-bye, gentlemen, God bless you all!"
As Grant was leaving City Point, [Secretary of State William H.] Seward was heading south to join Lincoln. "I think the president must have telegraphed for him," [Navy Secretary Gideon] Welles surmised, "and if so, I came to the conclusion that efforts are again being made for peace. I am by no means certain that this irregular proceeding and importunity on the part of the Executive is the wisest course." The [New York] Tribune concurred: "We presume no person of even average sagacity has imagined that the President of the United States has gone down to the front at such a time as this in quest merely of pleasure, or leisure, or health even." That he hoped to "bring peace with him on his return" the editorial suggested, was "too palpable to be doubted."
When Grant arrived where the two armies were, he sent a telegraph to Lincoln, which read "Just arrived here 11 15 A.M. Nothing heard of from the front yet. No firing. I start in a few minutes. Sheridan got off at 3 this morning." Later, at a location known as Gravelly Run, Grant sent the president a second telegram, which read: "The 2d Corps are in the position designated for them for today No opposition has yet been met but a few pickets & scouts have been picked up Nothing heard from Sheridan yet. [Gouverneur K.] Warren must now be in the place laid down for him in orders I will remain here until morning if nothing transpires." Grant's third telegram was also sent from Gravelley Creek and Lincoln received it at 5:10 P.M. It read: "The enemy attacked [Charles] Griffin Div 5 AC near where the Quaker road intersects the Boydtown road about 4 P.M. The enemy were repulsed leaving about 60 prisoners in our hands There was some loss of life on both sides."
Lincoln sent Grant a telegram in response to Grant's third message, which read "Your three despatches received. From what direction did the enemy come that attacked Griffin? How do things look now?" Grant's reply to Lincoln's telegram was received by the president at 9 P.M. Grant wrote: "Griffin was attacked near where the Quaker road intersects the Boydtown Plank---at 5.50 P.M. Warren reports the fighting pretty severe but the enemy repulsed leaving one hundred prisoners in our hands. Warren advanced to attack at the hour named but found the enemy gone. He thinks inside of his main works. Warren's Pickets on his left along Boydtown Plank road reported the enemys cavalry moving rapidly Northward & they thought, Sheridan after them. Sheridan was in Dinwiddie this P.M."
Lincoln also exchanged telegrams with General Godfrey Weitzel. Lincoln asked "What, if any thing, have you observed, on your front to-day?" Weitzel's reply was received at 8:20 P.M. It read: "I have only heard that Fitz Hugh Lees cavalry passed through Richmond yesterday & at 11.25 this morning it was seen passing Port Walthal Junction towards Petersburg at a fast gait No movements have been observed other than the above. I expect deserters every moment & as soon as I hear anything new I will telegraph you."
That night, at 10:15 p.m., Lincoln heard what he described as "a furious cannonade, soon joined in by a heavy musketry-fire, opened near Petersburg and lasted about two hours. The sound was very distinct here, as also were the flashes of guns upon the clouds.It seemed to me a great battle, but the older hands here scarcely noticed it, and, sure enough, [the next] morning it was found that very little had been done."