Details
[LINCOLN -- ASSASSINATION]. CHAPLIN, E.A. Autograph letter signed to "Cousin Susie," Fort Richardson, April 15 [1865]. 4pp., 8o. Tipped to a larger 4o card, 3 minor tears expertly repaired.
"MR. JOHNSON WILL NOT BE SO LENIENT AS HONEST ABE HAS BEEN": THE SITUATION IN WASHINGTON, THE DAY OF LINCOLN'S DEATH
Chaplin, evidently a Union soldier stationed at a fort some three miles from the Capitol, reports in considerable excitement: "..You will hear before this reaches you, of the assassination of our good and noble president. He was murdered at Ford's Theatre last night by a low actor, J. Wilkes Booth. How sad an end, after the grand object was so nearly reached and his next four years of official life seemed to bid fair, to be so peaceful compared to the last. You will probably learn more particulars than I can tell you now...the wildest excitement prevails here. There is a strong picket guard all around the city. We cannot leave our Brigade. The men are all out on guard. The citizens of the city are frantic. Some half dozen men have been shot down in the streets for expressing disloyal sentiments, and saying that they were glad Mr. Lincoln was killed-serves them right. Mr. Johnson will not be so lenient as Honest Abe has been to the scoundrels. He seems to be the man for the times. Acting with firmness and ordering the patrols to shoot down anyone who is disloyal in his sentiments...Every stranger is halted or fired on...There seems to be a deep laid plot to assassinate all the chief officers of the nation and thus create such consternation as to counteract the results of our late glorious victories. There is such excitement here that I cannot think of writing about anything else..."
Provenance: Philip Sang collection, sale 26 April 1978, lot 201 (part).
"MR. JOHNSON WILL NOT BE SO LENIENT AS HONEST ABE HAS BEEN": THE SITUATION IN WASHINGTON, THE DAY OF LINCOLN'S DEATH
Chaplin, evidently a Union soldier stationed at a fort some three miles from the Capitol, reports in considerable excitement: "..You will hear before this reaches you, of the assassination of our good and noble president. He was murdered at Ford's Theatre last night by a low actor, J. Wilkes Booth. How sad an end, after the grand object was so nearly reached and his next four years of official life seemed to bid fair, to be so peaceful compared to the last. You will probably learn more particulars than I can tell you now...the wildest excitement prevails here. There is a strong picket guard all around the city. We cannot leave our Brigade. The men are all out on guard. The citizens of the city are frantic. Some half dozen men have been shot down in the streets for expressing disloyal sentiments, and saying that they were glad Mr. Lincoln was killed-serves them right. Mr. Johnson will not be so lenient as Honest Abe has been to the scoundrels. He seems to be the man for the times. Acting with firmness and ordering the patrols to shoot down anyone who is disloyal in his sentiments...Every stranger is halted or fired on...There seems to be a deep laid plot to assassinate all the chief officers of the nation and thus create such consternation as to counteract the results of our late glorious victories. There is such excitement here that I cannot think of writing about anything else..."
Provenance: Philip Sang collection, sale 26 April 1978, lot 201 (part).