The Monocacy Legacy

By John Crouch

After its victory at the Monocacy River in Maryland on July 9, 1864, Confederate Lieutenant General Jubal Earlys Army of the Valley marched upon Washington, D.C. Three days later, President Abraham Lincoln is killed at Fort Stevens, one of the forts in Washingtons defense perimeter, while watching a skirmish between Earlys Confederates and Union defenders of the city. Lincolns death four months before the presidential election in November causes numerous political and military crises for his successor, Vice President Hannibal Hamlin of Maine. Could the Civil War have ended this way? If it had, what would America be like today?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 10, 2006
• ISBN: 9781462807413

Book preview

INTRODUCTION

What a difference one moment in time can make to all the events that follow it! From time to time, momentous events have occurred that completely changed the subsequent course of human history. In July 1864, only inches separated the occurrence from the non-occurrence of such a momentous event. This book speculates upon the course of history that might have followed if this very possible momentous event had actually happened.

The Battle of Gettysburg on July 1-3, 1863 was the bloodiest battle of the American Civil War. Many historians feel that when Confederate General Robert E. Lee failed to win at Gettysburg, the South was doomed. However, although Lee lost much of the offensive capability of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia at Gettysburg, he did not lose all of it. In fact, Lee was able to mount one more serious threat to the North. As events turned out, that threat had the potential of being the most serious threat of all.

In early 1864, President Abraham Lincoln promoted Ulysses S. Grant to Lieutenant General and appointed him General-in-Chief of all Union armies. Grant arrived in Washington in March 1864 to take charge of directing the operations of all Union armies. He made it clear from the outset that the Union war effort was under new management and that bolder and more aggressive actions would be taken. Major General George Meade, the victor at Gettysburg, technically remained in command of the Union Army of the Potomac. However, as that army moved south in May 1864 in an effort to engage and destroy Lee’s army, Grant attached his headquarters to the Army of the Potomac and accompanied it, enabling him to provide Meade with such personal direction as Grant deemed necessary.

During May and June 1864, the Army of the Potomac and the Army of Northern Virginia were engaged almost continuously. The bloody battles of The Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, and Cold Harbor, and the frequent skirmishes between those battles took a terrible toll on both armies. The Army of the Potomac suffered approximately sixty thousand casualties in the first two months of Grant’s Overland Campaign. The Army of Northern Virginia had approximately half that many. Both armies were substantially weakened.

Although the Union had overall numerical superiority, Grant had to replace his casualties to keep the pressure on Lee. Grant obtained many of his replacements from the Union forts defending Washington, D.C. He assured President Lincoln and Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton that if Lee threatened Washington, he would send enough men by steamers from Petersburg, Virginia to defend Washington against Lee’s threat.

When Lee perceived that Grant had weakened Washington’s defenses, Lee initiated an expedition which he hoped would force Grant to send troops back to Washington, thereby relieving the pressure on the Army of Northern Virginia at Petersburg and Richmond. In early June 1864, Confederate Major General John C. Breckinridge, who had been Vice President of the United States from 1856-60, was resisting the advance toward Lynchburg, Virginia of a Union army under Major General David Hunter. After the Confederate victory at Cold Harbor, Lee sent Lieutenant General Jubal Early and the Second Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia to join Breckinridge and defeat Hunter at Lynchburg. Then, Early was to march on Washington and threaten the city to force Grant to send troops to defend Washington.

As Early’s Army of the Valley moved down the Shenandoah Valley toward the Potomac River, Hunter withdrew his army into West Virginia leaving Early unopposed. Early crossed the Potomac into Maryland northwest of Washington on July 5th and 6th near the site of the 1862 Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg).

Until July 5th, Grant was unaware that Early had been detached and was operating in the Shenandoah Valley. When he learned of Early’s activities, Grant sent a division from the VI Corps of the Army of the Potomac under Brigadier General James B. Ricketts with orders to hold Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, northwest of Washington. However, when Ricketts’ brigades arrived by train at Monocacy Junction, Maryland, en route to Harpers Ferry, Early had already bypassed Harpers Ferry and was approaching the Monocacy River and the river bridges at Monocacy Junction.

The Union military commander responsible for western Maryland was Major General Lew Wallace, later to become famous as the author of the novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. Wallace was the first Union commander to recognize Early’s threat to Washington. Wallace took all the militia units under his command to Monocacy Junction to try to slow Early down so Grant would have more time to reinforce Washington’s defenses. When Ricketts’ two brigades arrived en route to Harpers Ferry, Wallace persuaded their commanders to detrain at Monocacy Junction. Together, Wallace’s two-thousand-five-hundred militia and Ricketts’ three-thousand-five-hundred regulars entrenched on July 8th to await the arrival of Early’s fourteen thousand regulars.

Early’s army attacked with fury on the morning of July 9th. The Battle of the Monocacy River, now called the Battle of Monocacy, lasted all day. Wallace and Ricketts sustained casualties of about one-fourth of their combined commands and were forced to withdraw. Early’s casualties were considerably fewer. Early’s army camped on the Monocacy battlefield that night. The next morning, Early resumed his march toward Washington, forty miles to the southeast.

Early’s army arrived opposite Fort Stevens, an earthworks fort on the north side of Washington’s defense perimeter, on the afternoon of July 11th. If Early had attacked immediately, he would likely have overrun the fort because it was sparsely manned by militia, civil servants, and convalescents from the military hospitals in and around Washington. However, Early’s army had already marched fifteen miles on that hot, dry day, and he elected to bivouac without attacking the fort even though one of his division commanders told him the road into Washington was undefended.

General Grant took advantage of the extra day bought by Wallace and Ricketts at Monocacy. During the day on July 11th, two divisions of the Union VI Corps under Major General Horatio Wright arrived by ship from Petersburg. By the following morning, they were in their defensive positions in and around the fort ready to contest any attack made by Early.

On the morning of July 12th, President Abraham Lincoln was at Fort Stevens eager to see the Confederate Army. During the day, Lincoln and several Union officers stood on a platform by the fort’s wall watching a skirmish going on outside the fort. Their position was vulnerable to enemy fire and an officer standing next to Lincoln was struck by Confederate fire. If fate had so opted, Lincoln could have been killed by Confederate fire. According to his biography, Captain Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., (who many years later became a distinguished Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court) saw Lincoln exposed to Confederate fire and impertinently said to his President, Get down, you fool, before you’re killed. Lincoln descended from the platform and wasn’t harmed.

In the critical summer of 1864, with a presidential election looming in November, Abraham Lincoln was the glue that held the Union war effort together. What would have happened if fate had opted for Lincoln’s death at Fort Stevens? How would his successor, Vice President Hannibal Hamlin, have handled the heavy burden thrust upon him by Lincoln’s death? Would Hamlin’s war goals have been the same as Lincoln’s? What would the political consequences of Lincoln’s death have been at election time? The outcomes of the Union presidential election and of the American Civil War were far from decided on July 12, 1864.

This story simulates one possible course that the Civil War might have taken if Lincoln had been killed at Fort Stevens. All the principal characters in this story were real people living at that time. Lincoln’s premature death, if it had really happened, would have caused a substantial change in each of these people’s lives. I’ve taken known biographical information about each of these principal characters and modeled how they might have responded to the altered circumstances in which they would have found themselves if Lincoln had died at Fort Stevens.

I’ve been able to use descriptions of some of the story characters’ actual reactions to the news of Lincoln’s death. Booth’s assassination of Lincoln occurred only nine months after the Fort Stevens encounter and those characters’ reactions to Lincoln’s death were later recorded by themselves, their biographers, or their friends. I’ve used speeches, letters, quotations and achievements of the principal characters, as reported by their biographers and in their autobiographies, to model how they might have acted in the altered circumstances in which they find themselves in this story.

This story creates a simulated interaction between the leaders of the United States and the leaders of the Confederate States after July 12, 1864. As this simulation plays out, real historical events are applied to affect the results. Some of the applied historical events happened just as they are described in this story. Some of the other applied events would have been altered by the prior events in this story and are presented so as to be consistent with this story’s evolution. There are also some fictitious events, although many of these have their foundations in the actual accomplishments of the characters. After the tale has been woven, I’ll distinguish for the reader the reality from the fiction. There’s less fiction here than one might think.

My objective is to provide a dynamic, insightful, and entertaining fictional excursion through time while simultaneously presenting a realistic literary simulation of the effect that Abraham Lincoln’s death on July 12, 1864 might have had upon American history. Enjoy your journey!

John Crouch

ONE

July 11, 1864—Washington, D.C.

Good morning, Secretary Stanton, President Abraham Lincoln said upon entering the office of his Secretary of War. Your note said you had urgent news.

Good morning, Mr. President, Stanton replied. We do have urgent news and it’s not good.

Well, we’ve had bad news before, Lincoln observed calmly. Where’s that Rebel army?

Stanton answered, General Wallace reports the Rebel army is moving toward Washington. I received a report less than an hour ago saying Rebel cavalry is already in the District of Columbia—here. He pointed to a spot on a map of the District tacked to a wall. He continued, We expect their infantry to arrive within a few hours.

Lincoln studied the map intently. He asked, How do we plan to stop them?

Stanton replied, All available troops are being moved to the city’s northern and northwestern fortifications. Once we know where the Rebel infantry’s concentrating, we’ll place our men opposite them. However, we’ve got to keep enough troops elsewhere around the city to defend against a possible attack by Mosby’s Rangers. Wallace bought us a day by his action at Monocacy Junction and we’ve taken advantage of that day. General Grant has sent two divisions from the Sixth Corps under General Wright by steamer. We expect them to begin arriving at Alexandria later this morning. It’ll be close, but if the Rebels don’t attack immediately, we should be able to put enough of Wright’s men opposite them to stop them.

What do we know about the Rebel army we’re facing? Lincoln asked.

Stanton replied, Generals Ricketts and Wallace say it’s a force led by Lieutenant General Jubal Early. The units they’ve identified were last known to be part of the Second Corps of Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. Early was appointed to command that corps in May. Some of the units identified were previously reported by General Hunter to have been under Breckinridge’s command at Lynchburg early last month. We think Breckinridge may be one of Early’s division commanders in this campaign. We’ve heard that Early calls his force the ‘Army of the Valley’. We estimate he’s got about fourteen thousand men—infantry, artillery and cavalry. They’re all veterans. Many of them fought at Antietam, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, The Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, and Cold Harbor. Some of them were part of ‘Stonewall’ Jackson’s Corps before he died last year. They’re definitely some of Lee’s best troops.

Lincoln reflected philosophically, When I defeated John Breckinridge for the Presidency in ’60, I never thought the day would come when he’d try to occupy the Executive Mansion this way. You know, Stanton, if Breckinridge had been from one of the Rebel states instead of Kentucky, he’d probably be their President right now instead of Jefferson Davis. Breckinridge won the electoral vote of all those states except Tennessee and Virginia. In fact, I wasn’t even on the ballot in ten of those states. I was on the ballot in Virginia, but John Bell whacked me pretty-soundly there.

Stanton was impatient with his President’s sentimental rambling. He interrupted Lincoln saying, Mr. President, I’ve got to get back to these reports. I’ll let you know when we’ve learned more about the Rebels’ movements.

Lincoln asked, Will the Rebel army be visible from our defense lines? We’ve been fighting these people for three years now and I’ve never seen their army. I went to Antietam after the battle and saw bodies and Rebel prisoners, but I’ve never seen their army.

Stanton was horrified that Lincoln wanted to go to the front and risk his life to see the Confederate Army. He pleaded excitedly, Mr. President, please stay away from the fortifications! It will be dangerous there! You’ll be an inviting target for Rebel sharpshooters. Don’t forget that only two months ago Major General Sedgwick was killed at Spotsylvania by a Rebel sharpshooter at a distance of a half-mile. We can’t afford to take the chance you’ll be hurt.

Lincoln replied calmly, I appreciate your concern, Secretary Stanton, but as the Commander-in-Chief, I believe it’s important for our men to see me at the front. I’ll try to keep my head down. Please keep me advised on the Rebels’ movements.

* * *

While Lincoln leaned back in his chair and appeared to listen to the boring office seeker, Lincoln’s secretary, John Hay, entered the President’s office. Hay handed Lincoln an envelope and said, This just arrived from Secretary Stanton, Mr. President.

Thank you, Mr. Hay, Lincoln said as he took the envelope and opened it. Please wait a moment while I read it. I may have some things for you to do.

Lincoln removed the message from the envelope and silently read the contents:

11 July ’64, 11:00 a.m.

Mr. President,

Rebel infantry is concentrating opposite Fort Stevens on the north side of the city. We are reinforcing our garrison there.

The first of General Wright’s troop transports have been sighted. They will arrive at Alexandria within the hour.

Stanton

Lincoln stood up and said to his visitor, Mr. Matthews, this message contains information of great importance that I must act upon immediately. I’ll review your qualifications and give them careful consideration. Thank you for coming. To his secretary he said, Mr. Hay, please ask Marshal Lamon to assemble an escort and have my carriage brought around.

Hay replied, Yes, Mr. President, and left the room.

Lincoln shook hands with his guest and escorted him into the reception room. Then Lincoln went upstairs in the Executive Mansion to find his wife.

Mary Todd Lincoln was in a parlor crocheting when her husband entered. Lincoln said to her, Secretary Stanton has just informed me that Rebel infantry is approaching Fort Stevens in the north end of the city. He also said General Wright’s relief troops will arrive at Alexandria within the hour. I’m going to ride over there and meet General Wright and his troops. Then I’m going to ride out to Fort Stevens and review our situation there.

Mary Lincoln replied, Please don’t go out to Fort Stevens. It’s too dangerous. If anything happened to you, I don’t know how I could live without you.

Lincoln replied, I must go out there. We have a lot of inexperienced men there. My presence may help stiffen their resolve. If I won’t take the risk as Commander-in-Chief, how can I ask them to take the risk as soldiers? Secretary Stanton tells me our defenses will be vulnerable until General Wright’s veterans are in place opposite the Rebels. If the Rebels attack before Wright’s men are in position, they could overrun the entire city. If my being there will strengthen the men’s confidence and morale, then I’ve got to be there.

Mary Lincoln told him, If you’re going out there, so am I. I’m not going to wait here wondering if something’s happened to you.

Lincoln nodded and said, That’s fine. We’ll leave as soon as you’re ready.

* * *

The carriage ride north to Fort Stevens was slow and dusty. The day was hot and dry—the temperature was in the nineties. The road was clogged with men, wagons and guns moving toward the defense perimeter. The Lincolns finally arrived at Fort Stevens in mid-afternoon.

Fort Stevens was a reinforced-earthworks fortification armed with seventeen heavy guns and two mortars. It was flanked by trenches and rifle pits. When the Lincolns arrived, it was being defended by inexperienced militia, civil servants, and convalescents from military hospitals in the District of Columbia. Reinforcements were arriving continuously and were being assigned places in the line, whereupon the previous defenders were being repositioned to make room for the newcomers. The place was a beehive of activity.

President Lincoln was warned by the senior officer at the fort to keep his head below the top of the wall. He was reminded that if he could see the enemy, they could also see him. He was told that if he chose to look over the wall, he should be careful not to look for more than two seconds because the Confederate lines were approximately eight hundred yards north of the fort and the flight time of a rifle bullet over that distance was about two-and-one-half seconds. If he limited his viewing to two seconds, a Southern sharpshooter wouldn’t have time to aim and fire a bullet that could reach him before he ducked below the top of the wall.

During the afternoon, Lincoln looked briefly over the parapet at the enemy lines numerous times. He was disappointed that he couldn’t see the Confederates.

As the afternoon progressed, Mrs. Lincoln tired of the heat and lack of accommodations and began complaining to her husband. At his suggestion, she returned to the Executive Mansion. He told her he would stay with the army while the Confederates threatened the city. He assured her he would be careful.

TWO

July 12, 1864—Fort Stevens in the District of Columbia

Good morning, Mr. President! Secretary Stanton exclaimed as he stepped down from his carriage at dawn. Did you enjoy your evening here with the troops?

Yes, I did, Mr. Secretary, Lincoln replied. The Army provided me with a camp bed and tent, and Marshal Lamon’s men provided security for me. I was very comfortable.

Did you sleep well? Stanton inquired.

Fairly well, Lincoln answered. I woke up from time to time because of the noise from rifle fire and from the reinforcements arriving. On one occasion, I looked over the parapet at the area where the Rebels were camped. There were a lot of campfires over there. They looked like fireflies in the night. It was a very pretty sight.

Also a dangerous one, Mr. President, Stanton chided him. If a Rebel sharpshooter had seen you silhouetted against the glow from our fires, you might have been killed.

That’s a good point, Mr. Secretary, Lincoln conceded. I’ll try to be more careful. Are all of General Wright’s troops here and in position?

Yes, they are, sir, Stanton answered. "All the steamers were here by late yesterday afternoon. General Wright’s men moved into position yesterday afternoon and last night. We have a large number of men in the lines and a large reserve force ready to counter any attack that General Early may make.

I believe Early’s opportunity has passed. If he had attacked yesterday afternoon, he might have overwhelmed us, but he had his problems too. His men marched at least fifteen miles in the hot sun yesterday to get here, and they weren’t all here until late afternoon. He probably thought they would fight better after eating and a night’s rest. He had no way of knowing that Wright’s men were coming by steamer and would be here this morning. If he attacks today, we may be able to give him a taste of what the Rebels did to us at Cold Harbor.

Yes, that was a terrible disaster, Lincoln lamented. What was the final tally on our losses at Cold Harbor?

Stanton lowered his voice to avoid being overheard and replied, It appears we sustained approximately seven-thousand casualties in less than thirty minutes of fighting on June 3rd without reaching the Rebel lines, and approximately twelve-thousand casualties overall during the entire battle. On the third, many of our men clearly felt our frontal attack was suicidal. Many of our bodies had a piece of paper pinned to the uniform stating the man’s name, hometown, and next of kin. I received a report that a diary found on one body had an entry for June 3rd saying, ‘Cold Harbor. I was killed.’

Lincoln shook his head in amazement and said confidentially, "I continue to believe General Grant is the right man to lead us to victory, but he has to understand that our manpower has limits. Since we began the ‘Overland Campaign’ two months ago, he’s lost more men than we think General Lee has in his entire army, and Lee’s army hasn’t been destroyed or even defeated.

Some of our newspapers have begun to refer to General Grant as ‘The Butcher’. The political pressure on me from some quarters to replace him is tremendous. At least his operations at Cold Harbor held Lee in check until he was able to move our army around Lee’s flank and get in front of Richmond and Petersburg.

That’s true, Mr. President, Stanton agreed, "but the situation here today is a consequence of those heavy losses at The Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, and Cold Harbor. As you know, General Grant replaced his losses with the troops who were guarding this city. As a result, this city’s defenses were badly depleted when this threat arose.

"General Grant assured us that if Lee threatened this city, he could send us enough troops by steamer to defend against Lee’s threat. I believe he’s succeeded, barely, in doing so, largely because of General Wallace’s defensive action at Monocacy Junction and General Early’s decision not to attack yesterday.

"However, if we’ve underestimated Early’s strength and the Rebels break through our defenses and take Washington, we’ll have a political and military catastrophe to deal with, assuming we aren’t killed or captured by the Rebels.

"We’d be held accountable by Congress and the public for such a disaster and there’d be no way for us to avoid it. You and I would be held politically responsible and General Grant would be held militarily responsible. General Grant would have to be removed. I would have to tender my resignation as Secretary of War and you would probably have to accept it. Congress might initiate impeachment proceedings against you on the charge that you were criminally negligent in allowing General Grant and me to strip the capital’s defenses.

As a minimum, the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War would demand a greater say in military operations in exchange for giving us the funding we’ll need to continue the war. Then there’s the election in November.

Yes, Lincoln said, "the National Union Convention was kind enough to nominate me for reelection last month, but a number of Vice President Hamlin’s Republican friends are very upset that Governor Johnson was nominated for Vice President. Frankly, Stanton, it’ll take a miracle for me to get reelected.

"I think that’s the real reason why Salmon Chase tendered his resignation as Secretary of the Treasury a couple of weeks ago. I don’t think it had anything to do with him having a difference of opinion with me on a patronage matter. I think he wants to be available for a Presidential nomination if some of the Republicans decide to run a candidate against me in November.

Chase is a good man and I respect him even though I don’t think he agrees with my position on the unconstitutionality of secession. Of course, Lincoln chuckled as he gestured toward the Confederate lines, neither does former Vice President Breckinridge over there on the Rebel side.

Stanton had become impatient as the focus of his President’s political comments drifted away from the crisis at hand. He terminated the meeting saying, Mr. President, I must find General Wright. I expect General Early will begin to test our strength very soon. Please be careful.

I’ll do that, Mr. Secretary, Lincoln replied as Stanton climbed into his carriage.

* * *

The Confederate sharpshooter lay atop a rolling ridge several hundred yards north of Fort Stevens. Screened from view by the low-hanging branches of a large bush, he watched for targets of opportunity to appear above Fort Stevens’ parapets. His loaded, British-made, Whitworth target rifle with its long telescopic sight rested on a log in front of him.

A brisk fight was going on between him and the fort. The Union commander had sent about a thousand men out from the fort to attack Southern skirmishers who had been peppering away at the Union lines from close range for several hours. The skirmishers were engaged in steady musketry now and the Federals were taking some losses.

Then the sharpshooter noticed several men looking over the top of one of the fort’s earthen walls at the skirmishing troops. He cocked his rifle and centered the cross-hairs of his telescopic sight on the chest of the largest target, a tall man wearing a white shirt, black coat, and black stove-pipe hat. He squeezed the trigger. The rifle recoiled against his shoulder spitting forth flame, a puff of smoke, and its long, hexagonally-shaped bullet.

When the smoke cleared, the man nearest his target was missing, but his target was still watching the fight. Then his target sank below the top of the parapet. The sharpshooter grinned and said to himself, There’s a Yank who’s wishin’ right now he hadn’t been so eager to see the elephant.

* * *

Union Captain Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., looked up to see President Lincoln and several officers standing on a platform by the fort’s wall watching the skirmish outside the fort. The officer standing next to Lincoln suddenly fell backward toward Holmes. Lincoln, however, didn’t see the man fall and continued to watch the skirmish.

Holmes shouted to the President, Get down, you fool, before you’re killed.

Lincoln didn’t respond to Holmes’ admonition. Instead, his body lurched and then crumpled downward and backward, falling at Holmes’ feet. Holmes knelt to attend to Lincoln. He saw the bullet hole in the center of Lincoln’s white shirt, almost like another button hole, but with traces of blood around it. Holmes shouted to those around him, The President’s been shot! Bring a stretcher over here!

Holmes bent over Lincoln again to see how badly his President was hurt. When he did, he saw Lincoln’s eyes staring lifelessly at a distant point in the heavens. Abraham Lincoln belonged to the ages.

THREE

July 13, 1864—Fort McClary at Kittery, Maine

Hannibal, wake up, a distant voice said. Something shook him. The voice spoke again, more clearly now, Hannibal, wake up. Color Corporal Hannibal Hamlin, Company A, Maine Coast Guards, forced his eyes open. Except for the light from the lantern near his bunk, he was surrounded by black darkness. Hannibal, wake up. This time, Hannibal recognized the voice of his good friend, Captain Llewellyn Morse, commander of Company A.

I’m awake, Hannibal mumbled, rubbing his eyes. What time is it?

It’s one-thirty in the morning, Hannibal. You need to get up. Your wife and brother and Justice Nathan Clifford are here to see you, Morse said.

Hannibal shook his head to clear the cobwebs from his mind. His brain began to function more clearly. He asked, What are they doing here? We’re more than a hundred-and-fifty miles from Bangor.

Morse answered, I don’t know, Hannibal. They said they had to see you immediately, but they didn’t say why. Why don’t you come and ask them?

Hannibal struggled to his feet. At age fifty-four, his six-foot frame was still stocky and athletic. He put on his uniform jacket with the corporal’s stripes and ran a comb through his thinning black hair and tuft of beard. Then he followed Morse from the blockhouse, where he quartered with the officers, to the fort’s entranceway.

Morse was right. Ellen, his wife, Elijah, his brother, and United States Supreme Court Associate Justice Nathan Clifford were standing there. Their mood was somber. With a puzzled look on his face and a sense of apprehension, Hannibal kissed his wife, embraced his brother, and shook hands with Clifford. Then Hannibal asked the two most-obvious questions, Why are you here in the middle of the night? How did you get here?

Ellen said sadly, Dear, a militia captain brought this telegram at about three o’clock yesterday afternoon. It will explain everything. She handed Hannibal the telegram.

Morse brought the lantern closer so Hannibal could see to read it. Hannibal opened the telegram and began to read:

Washington, D.C.—July 12, 1864—1:27 p.m.

Hon. Hannibal Hamlin

Vice President of the United States

Bangor, Maine

It is my sad duty to inform you that President Lincoln was killed today at Fort Stevens on the defense perimeter of Washington City by a Rebel sharpshooter. The city has been threatened since yesterday afternoon by a Rebel army under the command of Lt. Gen. Jubal Early. However, sufficient loyal troops are in place to repel any assault Early may make upon the city. The President was shot while watching a skirmish just beyond the fort. He had been warned repeatedly about the danger posed by Rebel sharpshooters.

By the Constitution, the office of President now devolves on you. Please have the Constitutional oath of office administered to you by a local judicial officer as soon as possible and then wire me after you have taken the oath.

A special military train is being made up in Bangor to bring you to Washington immediately.

Edwin M. Stanton

Secretary of War

Hannibal felt paralyzed. He felt as though he had just had the wind knocked out of him by a blow to the stomach. He didn’t want to believe this message, but here it was. He reread the message again. And again. He tried to speak to the group around him but his voice choked and tears streamed down his face. Finally, he managed to say, He was a good man. He was a great man.

Elijah provided the remaining answers to Hannibal’s original questions saying, Hannibal, we all came down on the special military train that Secretary Stanton arranged for you. I telegraphed Justice Clifford and asked him to meet us without telling him why. We picked him up on the way. Justice Clifford has agreed to administer the oath of office to you here tonight. He and I will return home tomorrow on the cars. You and Ellen and Sarah and the boys will continue on to Washington tonight on Stanton’s special train.

Hannibal nodded his thanks to his brother and placed his hand on his brother’s shoulder for a moment. By now he had regained most of his composure. He turned to Clifford and said, Thank you for coming, Nathan. It was a very kind thing for you to do. We’ve had a lot of political differences down through the years.

Clifford replied, That’s true, Hannibal, but we both have national obligations here. Who would have guessed back in ’48 when you defeated me for the Senate that sixteen years later I would be an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court swearing you in as President of the United States during a war so terrible that no one could have dreamed it in their worst nightmares. We’ve both come a long way. I’m honored that Elijah asked me to participate in this ceremony, but I really don’t think I’m doing you a favor tonight. You’re about to assume a staggering burden.

Hannibal nodded his assent. He turned toward Morse and asked, Lew, do you think the boys would be willing to give up an hour’s sleep to attend my inauguration?

Morse replied, Hannibal, if you don’t ask them, they’ll never forgive you.

I agree, Lew, Hannibal said. Wake ’em up. I’d like to have them there.

Morse ran off to muster the garrison. Shortly thereafter, Hannibal heard the drummer beating assembly. The fort began to come alive with enlisted men pouring out of the barracks and officers running from the blockhouse.

While Hannibal and his visitors waited in the entranceway, Hannibal asked Ellen, Dear, where are Sarah and the boys?

Ellen answered, They’re on the train, dear. The boys are asleep and Sarah’s looking after them. She wanted to be here to see her father sworn in as President, but she agreed to take care of the boys so I could come. I’ve asked her to come to Washington to help me. I thought we might have some official functions to attend and I’d rather have her look after the boys than anyone else.

I’m glad you asked her, Hannibal said, and I’m glad she agreed to come.

Then Hannibal asked Clifford, Nathan, I know the Supreme Court is in recess for the summer. Will you and your wife come to Washington for the President’s funeral?

Clifford answered, I expect so, Hannibal. As you know, I wasn’t one of President Lincoln’s admirers, but I do think the Supreme Court should be as well represented at the funeral as possible. It’s a state occasion and he was our President.

Ellen and I would like for you and your wife to join us for dinner one evening while you’re there, Hannibal said. If Elijah can reserve rooms for us at Willard’s Hotel, we’ll stay there. If you’ll send your card when you arrive, we’ll schedule a convenient get-together.

Fine, Hannibal, Clifford replied. We’d like that.

Morse returned and stiffly saluted Hannibal. He announced formally, Mr. Vice President, Company A is formed.

Hannibal grinned, drew himself to attention, and returned the salute. Then he said with a smile, Thank you, Lew. Now relax. I’m still the same Hannibal Hamlin you’ve known for years and we’re all friends here. I guess I’m about to get a big promotion though, aren’t I? They all chuckled.

The Hamlins, Justice Clifford, and Captain Morse entered the fort’s parade ground where Company A was assembled. The ranks were formed in the shape of a U around the flagpole. Several noncommissioned officers held lanterns which cast a pale light onto the formation. The group walked into the open area within the formation. Captain Morse brought the men to present arms. Then, at Hannibal’s request, Morse returned the men to order arms and had them stand at ease.

Hannibal spoke to them. Men, many of you know my wife and my brother. This gentleman, Hannibal gestured toward Clifford, is Justice Nathan Clifford. He is an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. He’s come here this morning because a terrible tragedy has befallen the nation. I’m going to read you a confidential telegram from the Secretary of War brought me a few minutes ago by Mrs. Hamlin. After you hear the telegram, you’ll know why we’re assembled here this morning and the propriety of what we’re about to do. I ask each of you to refrain from discussing the contents of this telegram with anyone other than among yourselves until my family and I have safely reached Washington, D.C. Our safety lies in your hands because disloyal persons could use this information to arrange for our harm. Do I have your assurance that you won’t disclose this message to others until after tomorrow?

The men all answered, Yes, sir.

Hannibal thanked them and then read the telegram to them. He heard murmurs of disbelief after the first sentence announcing Lincoln’s death. He paused to let them fully express their feelings. After they became silent, he continued. There were more murmurs after the statement about the Rebel army outside Washington. Finally, he was able to finish reading the telegram. By the lanterns’ pale glow he could see tears on the faces of many of the men.

Hannibal said sadly, My friends, I was as shocked as you when I first read this telegram. Our nation has never had a crisis like this one. Truly, although I knew when I was elected Vice President that I could succeed to the Presidency, I’ve never thought it might actually happen. Please pray God’s blessings on me as I undertake this office. I’ll have many trials and tribulations. Justice Clifford will now administer to me the Presidential oath of office which is set forth in the United States Constitution.

Justice Clifford said, Mrs. Hamlin, please hold the Bible for your husband. Vice President Hamlin, please place your left hand on the Bible, raise your right hand, and repeat after me.

Following Clifford’s prompting, Hannibal repeated the oath of office saying, I, Hannibal Hamlin, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. So help me God.

Hannibal leaned over and kissed the Bible and then his wife. Then he shook hands with Justice Clifford who told him, Congratulations, Mr. President. May God bless you, guide your judgment, and keep you safe from harm.

Hannibal replied, choked with emotion, Thank you, Justice Clifford. He paused for a moment to regain his composure and then turned and spoke to the troops, his feelings occasionally causing his voice to crack, Men, thank you for being my witnesses here this morning. I’ve truly enjoyed being one of you, but I suppose Captain Morse will now have to remove my name from the duty roster.

After the men laughed, Hannibal continued, "I have no prepared speech, and it’s unusual to find a politician who isn’t willing to speak without preparation, but from now on I have to be very careful about what I say lest it come back to haunt me.

"As Vice President, I’ve spent most of my time in Washington presiding over the Senate, but throughout the long sessions of Congress, I’ve looked forward to the summer recesses when I could return to Maine. This is where my heart is, here with my family and you, my friends.

"Being a member of this company during this war has meant more to me than you can possibly imagine. As Vice President, I’ve often felt like a fifth wheel on a carriage, being held in reserve until misfortune occurs. As of this morning, I’m no longer a fifth wheel. I’ve now been placed on one of the carriage’s axles and I must go to Washington and carry my share of a great load.

"Our nation is undergoing a crisis unlike any it has ever faced before. Great principles are at stake. Some of them are constitutional in nature and some of them are moral and humanitarian in nature. I am for peace, but I am for that peace which comes from war, a peace that will be lasting and which will secure to all ages future liberty to themselves and their posterity. It must not be a peace which surrenders up the vital principles on which our Government was formed. It must be a peace which secures liberty to everyone of every color. As your President, I will do my best to help secure that peace.

Now, Mrs. Hamlin and I will take our leave of you. A special train is waiting for us at Kittery station to take us to Washington. God bless you all. I bid you all a pleasant good morning and a fond farewell.

FOUR

July 13, 1864—On the Train to Washington, D.C.

Shortly after eight o’clock in the morning President Hannibal Hamlin raised the window shade beside the double bed in the private car provided by Secretary Stanton. Hannibal propped himself up and watched the Massachusetts countryside roll past. It was relaxing to rest like this, being rocked along by the swaying train. He wondered how long it would be after they reached Washington before he would be able to relax like this again.

He felt movement beside him. Good morning, Mr. President, Ellen murmured sleepily.

Good morning, First Lady, he responded softly, putting an arm around her and caressing her shoulder.

The train rocked along for several more minutes before either of them spoke again. Then she rolled onto her back and asked him, What will happen after we get to Washington?

He answered slowly, trying to recall the arrangements he had made earlier, "Before we left Kittery this morning, I drafted a long telegram for Elijah to send to Secretary Stanton. I told