Lincoln's Last Hours
By
Charles A. Leale, M. D.
Compliments of
The Estate of Charles A. Leale
New York
ADDRESS
delivered before the
COMMANDERY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
Military Order of the Loyal Legion
of the United States
at the regular meeting, February, 1909, City of New York
in observance of the
ONE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTH OF
President Abraham Lincoln
Lincoln's Last Hours
By Charles A. Leale, M. D.
COPYRIGHT, 1909, BY CHARLES A. LEALE, M. D.
Commander and Companions of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion ofthe United States:
At the historic pageant in Washington, when the remains of PresidentLincoln were being taken from the White House to the Capitol, acarriage immediately preceding the catafalque was assigned to me.Outside were the crowds, the martial music, but inside the carriage Iwas plunged in deep self-communion, until aroused by a gentle tap atthe window of my carriage door. An officer of high rank put his headinside and exclaimed: "Dr. Leale, I would rather have done what youdid to prolong the life of the President than to have accomplished myduties during the entire war." I shrank back at what he said, and forthe first time realized the importance of it all. As soon as Ireturned to my private office in the hospital, I drew down thewindow-shade, locked the door, threw myself prostrate on the bare woodfloor and asked for advice. The answer came as distinctly as if spokenby a human being present: "Forget it all." I visited our SurgeonGeneral, Joseph K. Barnes, and asked his advice; he also said: "Castit from your memory."
On April 17, 1865, a New York newspaper reporter called at my armytent. I invited him in, and expressed my desire to forget all therecent sad events, and to occupy my mind with the exacting present andplans for the future.
Recently, several of our Companions expressed the conviction, thathistory now demands, and that it is my duty to give the detailed factsof President Lincoln's death as I know them, and in compliance withtheir request, I this evening for the first time will read a paper onthe subject.
Lincoln's Last Hours
One of the most cruel wars in the history of the world had nearlyclosed.
The people of the United States were rejoicing at the prospect ofpeace and returning happiness. President Lincoln, after the surrenderof General Robert E. Lee, visited Richmond, Virginia, exposing himselfto great danger, and on his return delivered an address from thebalcony of the White House.
I was then a Commissioned Officer in the Medical Department of theUnited States Army, having been appointed from my native State, NewYork, and was on duty as Surgeon in charge of the Wounded CommissionedOfficers' Ward at the United States Army General Hospital, ArmorySquare, Washington, District of Columbia, where my professional dutieswere of the greatest importance and required constant and arduousattention. For a brief relief and a few moments in the fresh air Istarted one evening for a short walk on Pennsylvania Avenue. Therewere crowds walking toward the President's residence. These I followedand arrived just at the commencement of President Lincoln's lastpublic