What a sweet campaign button from 1864! We dug this up on the Library of Congress’ site.

Political campaign button for 1864 presidential election showing bust portrait of Abraham Lincoln, facing right (possibly Wenderoth & Taylor photo); metal shield with oval window and with pin fastener attached.

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What’s up with this invite? Is Abe trying to tip the balance in the favor of his male advisors? Bizarre … two to one ratio?

Inauguration ball, Monday evening, March 6, 1865. Admit one gentleman and two ladies.

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You may not know this, but Abraham Lincoln was a bit of a technophile. On June 18th, 1861, “Professor” Thaddeus Lowe ascended to a height of 500 feet above the National Mall, in front of where the National Air and Space Museum now stands. (Wikipedia says June 18th, but this plaque says June 18th).

He sent a telegram from his gas balloon, Enterprise, to Lincoln in the White House, describing what he could see. The President was impressed with the technology and the U.S. Army’s observation balloon corps was born and Thaddeus S. C. Lowe became the Chief Aeronaut for the Union Army. Pretty sweet title.

Thaddeus Lowe balloon being prepared

We did a little digging in the newspaper archives, and this is what we came across in the National Republican on June 19th, 1861.

THE GOVERNMENT BALOON.–The large balloon recently provided by the Government for the purpose of making observations, was tested yesterday afternoon on the grounds attached to the Columbian Armory. After it had been filled, Professor Lowe, accompanied by a telegraph operator and another gentleman, were let up to a considerable height, the balloon being held to terra firma by a large cable. A telegraphic battery was in the car, to which was attached a wire leading to the President’s House. When it had reached an altitude of some hundred feet, a dispatch was sent by the Professor to the President, at the Executive Mansion. the experiment was entirely successful, and there is little doubt but that it will answer well the purpose for which it is intended.

It would appear then, that the correct date is June 18th.

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What an amazing photograph by Mathew Brady.

Portrait of Abraham Lincoln by Mathew Brady

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The one thing I have against the National Archives is that is takes up so much of my time … I get completely engrossed in the images they post online.

Here’s a great one, the letter from Lincoln nominating Seward to be Secretary of State.

Abraham Lincoln nominates William Seward to be Secretary of State – March 5th, 1861

Here’s a great photo of William Seward taken by Matthew Brady.

Honorable William H. Seward, New York, Secretary of State

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The assassination of President Lincoln is one of the most, if not the most, tragic event in the history of Washington. Lincoln was shot at Ford’s Theatre in the evening of April 14th, 1865. A massive hunt for the conspirators ensued in the days following the assassination and the War Department, headed by Edwin Stanton, printed up and distributed the wanted poster below to aid in capturing the murderers.

reward poster by the War Department for Booth, Surratt and Herold (Library of Congress)

Related articles

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• Abraham Lincoln assassination: Dr Charles Leale’s long-lost medical report details his treatment after president was shot at Ford Theatre (dailymail.co.uk)
• Decapitated by the Hangman’s Rope (ghostsofdc.org)

The post April 20th, 1865: Wanted! $100,000 Reward! appeared first on Ghosts of DC.

The city and the nation was about to celebrate Lincoln’s 98th birthday when the Washington Times published a feature on how visitors seemed to have completely forgotten the fallen president. A generation had passed since Abe was gunned down in Ford’s Theatre by Booth, and the country’s memory of their leader appeared to be fading.

Lincoln strangely forgotten – Washington Times

LINCOLN is strangely forgotten by visitors to Washington.

The sightseers who flock to the National Capital at all seasons of the year, for some unknown reason seem to find more interesting the things of less historic importance than the relics pertaining to the first martyred President, whose untimely death was mourned by the entire civilized world.

That a stone fountain, a modern building, a plat of ground owned by some old resident, or a storehouse of Government belongings of no particular historic value should draw crowds while the throng indifferently passes by the house where died Lincoln, the inspiration of all patriots since his day, seems almost incredible. Yet such is the case.

While the trend of tens of thousands is wearing away the steps leading to the Capitol, the Library of Congress, the Army and Navy Building, and other Government structures, but few persons stray into the modest three-story red brick house at 516 Tenth street northwest, in which Lincoln breathed his last on the night of April 14, 1865.

In this building, which would burn like tinder should fire break out in it, is gathered what is said to be the largest memorial collection ever brought together in behalf, not only of Lincoln, but of anyone human being. There are over 3,000 separate articles of Lincolniana, representing forty-seven years of untiring collection on the part of Osborn H. Oldroyd, the custodian.

This collection of rare mementoes [sic] is without price. Mr. Oldroyd never has set a value on it. Perhaps the most valuable parts of it are the thirteen pieces of furniture from the Lincoln homestead in Springfield, Ill.; an autograph letter wherein he grants a discharge to a member of his regiment which fought in the Black Hawk war, in 1832, and the family Bible, in which Lincoln wrote his name when he was but nine years old.

Mr. Oldroyd, himself a veteran of the civil war, having fought as a member of the Twentieth Ohio Regiment in thirteen different battles, began collecting Lincoln mementoes in 1860, when Lincoln was running for President. He has seventy badges, cartoon caricatures, and flags relating to the Lincoln campaign of that year. He has 1,000 books and 3,000 newspaper clippings relating to Lincoln; 27 busts, 171 political and memorial medals; 145 pictures illustrating the assassination and funeral of the President; 37 photographs of the assassin, John Wilkes Booth, showing his flight, capture, death, and burial; the spur worn b Booth which caught in the silk flag draped before the President’s box, in Ford’s Theater and the flag itself, and thousands of other memorial articles, large and small, including death and life masks, cartoons from London Punch, a rail split by Lincoln, and the family cradle wherein the Lincoln children were rocked.

The rooms in the memorial house, which was bought by the Government in 1887, are literally packed with Lincolniana. The very room in which the President died contains some of the most interesting portions of the collection.

Yet all these things do not appeal to the routist and the visitor as do the “rubber neck” wagons, the theaters, and other places of amusement.

Sadly, this is still the case — although less so after the great renovation of Ford’s Theatre. I think it’s depressing that more tourists want to go see Georgetown Cupcake or the Real World DC house than the spot where Lincoln was shot. For shame.

Related articles

• Abraham Lincoln in Color (1865) (ghostsofdc.org)
• Doctor’s report on Lincoln assassination discovered by researcher (usnews.msnbc.msn.com)
• April 10th, 1865: Four Days Before Ford’s Theatre (ghostsofdc.org)
• Visiting Ford’s Theatre, Where Lincoln Got Assassinated (gadling.com)

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This is a great find. I was digging through old newspapers in the Library of Congress’ Chronicling America archives and came across this from the Daily National Republican. It dates back to July 21st, 1864.

Abraham Lincoln for President in the Daily National Republican – July 21st, 1864

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• Calvin Coolidge, Vermont Native and Our 30th President (ghostsofdc.org)

The post For President: Abraham Lincoln of Illinois appeared first on Ghosts of DC.

This title is worthy of a big #WTF.

Posts like this are sadly some of the more popular ones. I don’t know if GoDCers are attracted to the macabre, but it sure seems that way. So here’s another one for “From the Crazy Vault.”

Lieutenant Colonel Richard Bennett (Washington Post)

This is a crazy story of a military officer who shoots his wife while she was asleep and then kills himself with a gunshot to the heart. It was reported by the Washington Post on September 29th, 1930.

Lieut. Col. Richard B. Creecy, a prominent marine officer and a member of an old Washington family, committed suicide yesterday in the Mayflower Hotel by fireing a bullet into his heart after he had tried to kill his wife, Mrs. Louise Creecy, by fracturing her skill with a hatchet. She is near death in Emergency Hospital.

Blood transfusions were resorted to in Emergency Hospital last night in an attempt to infuse new life into the woman whose head had been hacked b the hatchet wielded by the marine officer. Her condition is regarded as serious. Three ugly gashes made by the hatchet were found on the back of her head.

Col. Creecy was found on the floor of the room. A bullet from a .38-caliber revolver had passed through his heart. By his body the pistol was found.

There was no motive for the suicide and attempted killing that could be found by the police. It was evident that the tragedy had occurred in the early hours of yesterday morning. Rigor mortis had set in on the body of the man when the discover was made. Mrs. Creecy had lain in a pool of blood between twin beds from the time her husband tried to slay her until twelve hours later when the hotel employes found her.

Okay, that’s crazy. Rigor mortis? Pool of blood … twelve hours? Holy crap.

The hotel management had been attempting to call the room to request permission for their daily cleaning, of course to no avail. There was a “Don’t Disturb” sign on the door and the couple was left alone for quite some time. Eventually, the maids were able to access the room, and to their horror, found the body of Col. Creecy laying dead on the floor and Mrs. Creecy on the verge of death between the beds in a pool of blood.

Each of the couple was in underclothes.

All Mrs. Creecy’s garments were drenched with blood. On the left breast of her husband a gaping wound was found where the bullet had entered. Powder burns were found on his underwear.

On the “Don’t Disturb” sign a notice was found, written in ink, which read, “Call J. L. Reifsnider at Westminster, Md.” It had evidently been written by the hand of the officer.

As reconstructed by the police, Mrs. Creecy had evidently been assaulted while she slept. There was no sign of any disorder in the room. None of the occupants of adjacent rooms heard any evidences of a struggle or any shots.

It was patent, said the police, that Mrs. Creecy was lying on the bed when her husband struck her on the back of the head with the hatchet. It had evidently been purchased recently. The three gashes ran almost perpendicularly on her skull. They were made by the cutting edge of the instrument.

Let me add that this story does not get any sunnier. This is one of the more gruesome ones (although I spared you the gory details of the plunge down the Washington Monument elevator shaft).

Newspaper photo of Richard and Louise Creecy (unknown source)

The story goes on to say the colonel believed his wife was dead, and then took his own life in quite a narcissistic way.

It is likely, the police said, that Col. Creecy faced a mirror in the bathroom when the [sic] sent bullet into himself. He had aimed the weapon at his heart.

On his right hand were blood splotches. On the hammer of the revolver other bloodstains were found where he had touched it to bring it back for single action firing.

For those of you not familiar with firearms — I am not, so I had to look this up — single action means the gun has to be cocked prior to each shot being fired.

In the chamber of the gun one exploded shell was found and four unfired cartridges. One chamber was empty. Acting Coroner Joseph D. Rodgers, after examination of the body, said that death had probably been instantaneous. He issued a verdict of suicide. No inquest was deemed necessary by him.

Scanning further down the article, I came across a holy sh*t moment … I didn’t write a post on this, but I mentioned it in the HuffPost interview several weeks back.

… At one time he was commandant of the Marine Barracks here. In 1909, when the Wright Brothers made their airplane tests at Fort Myer, Creecy flipped a coin with Lieut. Selfridge, U. S. A., after whom Selfridge Field, Mich. is named, for the privilege of going up with Orville Wright.

Selfridge was killed in the flight. Creecy had thought himself unlucky when he lost. The story of the incident still lives in military circles here.

Wow. That’s a crazy connection. And by the way, if you didn’t read that HuffPost article, the reason it’s really crazy is that Lieut. Selfridge was the first fatality in an airplane crash in history.

Fatal crash of Wright Flyer at Fort Myer, Virginia - September 17th, 1908 (National Archives)

He was from a prominent local military family, and his father had served in the navy during the Civil War. Not only that, but he had briefly attended the Naval Academy in Annapolis prior to the outbreak of war, being appointed to the Academy by President Lincoln and the senatorial recommendation of Jefferson Davis! Seriously? That’s bizarre. I can’t make this stuff up.

His father, Col. Edward W. Creecy, was originally from Louisiana. There’s a slightly lighter side to the article, mentioning the moment Lincoln appointed Edward to Annapolis.

This letter, with others, Creecy’s mother presented to the Northern President when she applied for an appointment for her son. Lincoln read it and laugher, making out the appointment, but warned her not to say on whose recommendation her son was being appointed to the Naval Academy. “We need more young men from that part of the country,” he said.

Not to get too far off topic with this bizarre tale … poor Mrs. Creecy ended up succumbing to her wounds several days later.

Sadly, it wasn’t terribly clear what the motive was for this brutal murder and subsequent suicide. Creecy was seen that afternoon in a nearby restaurant, appearing either “drunk or crazy.” The colonel was about to return to his post in Haiti with his wife and had only checked into the Mayflower on September 23rd. It was also made public that he had seen a physician for several years for “complaints indicating possibility of insanity.”

Ultimately, after an investigation by the Navy Department, and announced Rear Admiral David F. Sellers, judge advocate general, Creecy was deemed sane at the time due to “lack of material evidence of insanity” and therefore “the deceased must be held sane at the moment of taking his life.”

The report went on to conclude that the murder and suicide were the “result of his own misconduct.”

Richard Creecy is buried in Arlington Cemetery (Section 7, Site 8341). His wife Louise is not. She rests with her parents in Westminster Cemetery, Carroll County, Maryland.

Mayflower Hotel in 1925 (Library of Congress)

Mayflower Hotel in the 1920s (Library of Congress)

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The post Mayflower Hotel Maid Finds Woman Near Death; Husband Shoots Self Through Heart appeared first on Ghosts of DC.

View of Washington Monument (May 5th, 1922)

Here is a nice photograph from 1922. You’re looking at the Washington Monument from within the Lincoln Memorial, which has just opened. The memorial has not yet been formally dedicated — a ceremony attended by Lincoln’s son.

Thanks Shorpy!

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April 10th, 1865 — Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia had surrendered a day earlier at Appomattox Court House. The Civil War was over and the Union had been preserved.

Workmen from the Washington Navy Yard, accompanied by a band, visited Abraham Lincoln and Secretary of the Navy, Gideon Welles to congratulate them and celebrate the Union victory.

Abraham Lincoln in March, 1865 (Wikipedia)

The President briefly addressed the men to thank them for their visit.

The workmen of the Washington navy-yard yesterday, headed by a band of music, visited President Lincoln, Secretary Welles and other public functionaries, to congratulate them upon the recent Union successes. The following is the speech of Mr. Lincoln:

I am very much rejoiced, my friends, in the fact that an occasion has occurred so pleasurable that the people find it impossible to refrain from giving vent to their feelings.–[Applause.] I suppose that arrangements are being made for a formal demonstration either this or to-morrow evening. [A voice–That's too late.] Should such demonstration take place, I, of course, will be expected to respond, if called upon, and if I permit you to dribble all out of me now, I will have nothing left to say on that occasion. [Laughter and applause.]

I observe that you have a band of music with you. I propose having this interview closed by the band performing a particular tune, which I will name. Before this is done, however, I wish to mention one of two little circumstances connected with it.

I have always thought that “Dixie” was one of the best tunes I had ever heard. Our adversaries over the way, I know, have attempted to appropriate it, but I insist that on yesterday we fairly captured it. [Applause.] I referred the question to the Attorney General, and he gave it his legal opinion that it is now our property. [Laughter and loud applause.] I now ask the band to favor us with its performance.

The band immediately complied amid the cheers of the crowd.

The next day, Lincoln was talking with his friend and biographer Ward Lamon and mentioned a disturbing dream he had a week earlier.

About ten days ago, I retired very late. I had been up waiting for important dispatches from the front. I could not have been long in bed when I fell into a slumber, for I was weary. I soon began to dream. There seemed to be a death-like stillness about me. Then I heard subdued sobs, as if a number of people were weeping. I thought I left my bed and wandered downstairs. There the silence was broken by the same pitiful sobbing, but the mourners were invisible. I went from room to room; no living person was in sight, but the same mournful sounds of distress met me as I passed along. I saw light in all the rooms; every object was familiar to me; but where were all the people who were grieving as if their hearts would break? I was puzzled and alarmed. What could be the meaning of all this?

Determined to find the cause of a state of things so mysterious and so shocking, I kept on until I arrived at the East Room, which I entered. There I met with a sickening surprise. Before me was a catafalque, on which rested a corpse wrapped in funeral vestments. Around it were stationed soldiers who were acting as guards; and there was a throng of people, gazing mournfully upon the corpse, whose face was covered, others weeping pitifully. ‘Who is dead in the White House?’ I demanded of one of the soldiers, ‘The President,’ was his answer; ‘he was killed by an assassin.’ Then came a loud burst of grief from the crowd, which woke me from my dream. I slept no more that night; and although it was only a dream, I have been strangely annoyed by it ever since.

Three days later, the President and his wife attended the performance of Our American Cousin at Ford’s Theatre.

The Assassination of President Lincoln (1865)

Related articles

• Abraham Lincoln in Color (1865) (ghostsofdc.org)
• Mrs. Lincoln Hosts Grand Reception at the White House (abrahamlincolnandthecivilwar.wordpress.com)
• Robert Todd Lincoln Attends Dedication of His Father’s Memorial (1922) (ghostsofdc.org)
• President Lincoln Combines Work with Pleasure (abrahamlincolnandthecivilwar.wordpress.com)

The post April 10th, 1865: Four Days Before Ford’s Theatre appeared first on Ghosts of DC.

This is a very famous photo of President Lincoln from February 5th, 1865. The President would be assassinated a short two months later at Ford’s Theatre. I also found a colorized photo of the one taken by Alexander Gardner. Compare the two of them … the colorized one looks amazing, and kind of spooky.

Check us out on Facebook or Twitter if you want to see more stuff like this.

Here’s the color one again for a closer look. Wow.

Abraham Lincoln colorized (1865)

This was another gem from Shorpy, posted by their user, Tacoma.

Related articles

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The post Abraham Lincoln in Color (1865) appeared first on Ghosts of DC.

File this one away in the historic candids section. On May 30th, 1922 and at the advanced age of 78, Robert Todd Lincoln is seen arriving at the dedication of the memorial to his father Abraham Lincoln.

While any son would be overshadowed by the accomplishments of a father like President Lincoln, Robert was far from lacking accomplishment. He was the U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom between 1889 and 1893, the Secretary of War under Presidents James Garfield and Chester A. Arthur, as well as the chairman and president of the Pullman Railroad Company.

Robert Lincoln attends dedication of Lincoln Memorial (1922)

This was the last public appearance he made as Robert was living out his final years in his home at 3014 N St. NW (coincidentally, also the former home of The Washington Post’s Ben Bradlee).

Here’s another photo of Robert, seated at the event.

Robert Todd Lincoln (1922)

And below is a photo of the home in Georgetown.

Former home of Robert Todd Lincoln at 3014 N St. NW in Georgetown

Here is a younger Robert Todd Lincoln in 1865, at the age of 22. The photo was taken the same year his father was assassinated in Ford’s Theatre.

Robert T. Lincoln (1865)

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• Abraham Lincoln in Color (1865) (ghostsofdc.org)

The post Robert Todd Lincoln Attends Dedication of His Father’s Memorial (1922) appeared first on Ghosts of DC.

Buy this book and then read it (I bought the Kindle version). It is an excellent window into life in Washington City in the days after the fall of Fort Sumter.

It chronicles life in the District starting April 14th, 1861. Word had spread to Washington that the Union flag was lowered over Fort Sumter. Lincoln and his cabinet feel it is imminent that Beauregard is going to invade the city. Fear and panic grip the city as Lincoln issues an emergency order to call on 75,000 Union volunteers. Jefferson Davis’ public response to this proclamation quite harsh.

Fort Sumter is ours, and nobody is hurt. With mortar, Paixhan, and petard, we tender ‘Old Abe’ our Beau-regard.

An advertisement ran in the Mobile paper that day asking for proposals to supply the Confederacy with 75,000 black coffins — and no proposals would be accepted from north of the Mason-Dixon Line (of course).

The Siege of Washington by John and Charles Lockwood

Even more shocking was the arrogant, presumptuous, and (at the time) exceedingly disrespectful, statement of Varina Davis, First Lady of the Confederacy. She was planning on being in the White House by the end of the month and had the audacity to send formal invitations to members of high society in Alabama, Mississippi and even New York City, asking them to attend her planned reception in the White House on the first of May.

A song was written entitled “Jeff Davis in the White House,” envisioning a new America, based on Confederate ideology and with Jefferson Davis living at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. The most telling verse is below.

Jeff Davis in the white House,
What glorious news it will be;
Abe Lincoln in a inglorious flight,
In a baggage car we will see:
With Seward as conductor,
Gen. Scott as engineer,
Old Hicks, our traitor governor,
Following, panting in the rear.

Harsh words for President Lincoln, Secretary of State William Seward, General Winfield Scott and Governor Thomas Hicks of Maryland. Click the image below to see the whole song.

Jeff Davis in the White House (1861)

The mood was quite bleak in the city as most papers were predicting the Confederate flag would be flying over the White House by May 1st. Women and children were fleeing the city in droves, heading north to friendlier territory. Washington was not a fun place to be between April 14th and 25th, 1861. The has a chapter for each day, and even though you know the eventual outcome, it’s still nerve-wracking to have this ground level perspective of what was happening in and around Washington during those twelve tense days.

I want to add a couple great Library of Congress photos from the era to close this out. Below is a photo a Pennsylvania soldier, with what appears to be his family, encamped at Fort Slocum (now a park at Madison St. and Kansas Ave. NW).

Tent life of the 31st Penn. Inf. (later, 82nd Penn. Inf.) at Queen's farm, vicinity of Fort Slocum

This is the Winder Building, which still exists on 17th St. NW across from the Old Executive Office Building. At the time, it was the largest office building in the city and it housed numerous military offices, including those of General Winfield Scott.

Old Winder Bldg. 17th & F. St. NW

Here’s a photo of the President and First Lady of the Confederacy, Jefferson and Varina Davis.

Jefferson and Varina Davis (1845)

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• Review: And The War Came: The Six Months That Tore America Apart (writingwrongs.wordpress.com)

The post Read This Book: The Siege of Washington – The Untold Story of Twelve Days That Shook the Union appeared first on Ghosts of DC.