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16th President of the United States
On this day Abraham Lincoln is elected the 16th President of the United States of America. Due to the Democratic party being divided deeply during this election Lincoln becomes the first Republican to win the presidency. During his candidacy many Southern States had already threatened to secede from the Union if a Republican took office to due to the perception that if Lincoln was elected the interests of the southern economy would be suppressed by the federal government. -
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President Abraham Lincoln's Assassination
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Lincoln's 1st Inauguration
Abraham Lincoln is Inaugurated as President in Washington D.C. His speech though took caution to not make any specific threats, he made it clear that he was going to enforce federal law on those states that had seceded. He also mentioned he would not interfere with slavery where it already existed, but he did intend to "hold, occupy, and posses" federal property to collect taxes. NC, TN, VA, AR, MI, KY, MD, and DE were all upper Southern states that had yet to secede at this point. -
The Battle of Fort Sumter
The Battle took place when the already seceded state of SC demanded that the Union's Fort Sumter be turned over to the Confederates. The situation had been escalating since January and the men inside the fort were running out of living supplies. Lincoln did not want the North to begin the war so instead he informed the South of a supply ship coming to aid the men with food, but the South fired anyway. After 33 hours of fighting the fort surrendered and the Civil War had officially began. -
First Battle of Bull Run
The first Battle of Bull Run was fought with a brutal Confederate victory. Washington DC had now realized this was the start of what would be a much longer war than anyone could have previously predicted. The leaders of the Confederates believed that the war would be short especially after the performance of the Union army at Bull Run. Congress grants Lincoln "war powers" including increasing the Army and Navy size, expended funds, issuing blockades, issuing martial law, and executive orders. -
John Wilkes Booth Arrested
Booth was outspoken in his love for the South, and equally outspoken for his hatred of Lincoln. Him and his family lived in Maryland, a border state that remained faithful to the Union, but was under Martial Law with Lincoln's war powers. Booth viewed this as unconstitutional and an abuse of executive power. In the Spring of 1862 he was arrested and taken before a Provost Marshall or making anti-government remarks like "So help me holy God! my soul, life, and possessions are for the South!" -
District of Columbia Abolishes Slavery
On this day President Lincoln signed an act abolishing slavery in the District of Columbia, this being his "first installment" on the issue. He saw slavery as morally wrong yet held it to be an institution dying by its own wieght, to be abolished by voter consent. As commander in chief, Lincoln also realized the military expediency of emancipation.This was an important step in the long march toward freedom and equal rights for African Americans something John Wilkes Booth was not very fond of. -
Territories Prohibit Slavery
As George B. McClellan’s army gave ground to Robert E. Lee’s, Congress passed and President Lincoln signed into law the “second installment” following slavery abolished in the District of Columbia, the Territorial Abolition Act. This act prohibited slavery in United States territories, defying the Supreme Court decision in the Dred Scott case, which ruled that Congress was powerless to regulate slavery in the territories. Another way Booth felt the federal government was abusing its powers. -
Battle of Antietam
Generals Robert E. Lee and George B. McClellan faced off in the the first battle of the American Civil War fought on northern soil. Though the battle was inconclusive, it remains the bloodiest single day in American history, with more than 22,000 casualties. However, the Confederates did retreat giving Abraham Lincoln the sense of “victory” he desired before issuing a preliminary Proclamation of Emancipation on September 22, and his intention of circulating another proclamation in 100 days, -
Emancipation Proclamation
As promised Lincoln issued his "third installment" after freeing the District and the territories now moving to the freeing the slaves in all areas of rebellion against the Union. Although the Emancipation Proclamation did not end slavery in the nation, it announced the acceptance of black men into the Union Army. When the war began Lincoln's stance was to preserve the Union, now with slavery under this document the objective moved from a war to save a nation to a war to save human liberties. -
Lincoln Watches Booth in Play
President Lincoln goes to see a play at Ford's Theater in Washington. At one point during the performance, Booth who was an actor in the play, shook his finger in Lincoln's direction as he delivered a line of dialogue. Later, Lincoln requested to meet him after the play but Booth refused to do so because of his disgust with Lincoln's presidential actions. Booth's family was long time friends with John T. Ford, the theater's owner, giving Booth complete access to the theater day and night... -
Gettysburg Address
Lincoln was invited to give remarks at a dedication ceremony for the National Cemetery of Gettysburg. Within the address he invoked the principles of human equality in the Declaration of Independence and connected the sacrifices of the Civil War with the “new birth of freedom,” as well as the "importance of the preservation of the Union". On the day following the ceremony, newspapers all over the country reprinted Lincoln’s speech for supporters and well as those who severely opposed him... -
Booth Plots to Kidnap the President
Booth learned Lincoln would be attending a performance of the play "Still Waters Run Deep" at a hospital near a Soldier's Home. Booth got his group of conspirators and headed down the road where the President would be in an attempt to kidnap Lincoln on his way to the hospital, but the president never showed. Booth later learned that the President had changed plans at the last moment to attend a reception at the National Hotel in Washington, which ironically was where Booth lived. -
Lincoln's 2nd Inauguration
On this day President Lincoln was inaugurated into the presidency for the second time. In the crowd that day was none other than John Wilkes Booth along with some of his co-conspirators although they cannot be confirmed to have attended for certain. Booth was the guest of his fiancé, Lucy Hale the daughter of John P. Hale, former U.S. Senator from New Hampshire. One of Booth's actor friends Samuel Knapp Chester claims he stated, "What an excellent chance I had to kill president if i had wished." -
The South Surrenders
General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox. Although some scattered resistance may have occurred for several weeks after, the Civil War had come to an end. Two days later Lincoln spoke from the White House to a crowd gathered outside. Booth was present at the event as Lincoln suggested in his speech that voting rights be granted to certain African Americans. Infuriated, Booth's plans turned to assassination, claiming that was the last speech he would ever make. -
Lincoln's Last Play
That night Lincoln attended a play at Ford's Theater when he was cowardly shot in the back of the head by John Wilkes Booth. Booth jumped from the presidential box down to the stage escaping out the back door. Booth along with his co-conspirators had hoped to take out the Secretary of State as well as the Vice-President, but the President was the life taken. All attacks were to take place simultaneously in hopes the chaos and weakness in the government would lead to a comeback for the south. -
Booth's Last Barn
Federal authorities finally caught up with John Wilkes Booth and a fellow co-conspirator hiding in a barn after fleeing the scene of the theater. His co-conspirator gave up, but Booth refused to surrender so the barn was set on fire while he was still inside of it. Even with a broken leg since he jumped from the Presidential box at the theater onto the stage, he still refusing to exit the barn and was shot to death by a Sergeant. His remains were sent to Washington for positive identification. -
President Lincoln is Buried
President Lincoln's body was sent on a 12 day train ride from Washington D.C. to where he would be buried in Springfield, IL. The train was called the "Lincoln Special" by the newspapers traveling through 180 cities so citizens could pay their final respects to their beloved President. On board the train was his son Robert and his son Willie who had passed in 1862 at the age 11.The family wanted them to be buried together so he was taken along with his father so they both could rest at peace.
