Ja[me]s Tanner Manuscript to Henry F. Walch, April 17, 1865
Ja[me]s Tanner Manuscript to Henry F. Walch, Washington, D.C.: April 17, 1865. Abraham Lincoln Collection.
Ordnance Office.
War Department.
Washington. Apr. 17th. 1865.
Friend.
Your very welcome letter was duly recd. by me and now I will steal a few minutes from my duties in the office to answer it.
Of course you must know as much as I do about the terrible events which have happened in this city during the past few days. I have nothing else to write about so I will give you a few ideas about that, perhaps which you have not yet got from the papers.
Last Friday night, a friend invited me to attend the Theatre with him, which I did. I would have preferred the play at Fords Theatre where the President was shot, but my friend chose the play at Grover’s, which was “Alladdin, or the wonderful lamp.” While sitting there, witnessing the play, about ten o’clock, or rather a little after, the entrance door was thrown open, and a man exclaimed, “President Lincoln is assassinated in his private box at Ford’s!” Instantly all was excitement, and a terrible rush commenced. and some one cried out, “Sit down, it is a ruse of the pick-pockets.” The audience generally agreed
to this, for most of them sat down, and the play went on; soon however a gentleman came out from behind the scenes, and informed us, that the sad news was too true. We instantly dispersed On going out in the street we were horrified to learn that Mr. Seward had been attacked, and severely injured while in bed, at his house. Myself and friend went up to Willard’s which is a short distance above Grover’s to learn what we could, but could learn nothing there. The people were terribly excited, Fords Theatre is on Tenth Street between “E,” and “F.” Grover’s is on the Avenue near 14th. Street, and just below Willard’s; it is about four blocks up from Ford’s. My boarding house is right opposite Fords Theatre. We then got on the cars and went down to Tenth Street and up Tenth Street to Fords, and to my boarding house. There was an immense throng there, very quiet and yet very much excited. The street was crowded, I only got across on account of my boarding there. The President had been carried into the adjoining house to where I board. I went up to my room on the second floor and out on the balcony which nearly over-hung the door of Mr. Peterson’s house Members of the Cabinet, the Chief Justice, Gens, Halleck, Meiggs, Augur and others were going
in and out, all looking anxious and sorrow stricken. By leaning over the railing I could learn from time to time of His Excellencey’s condition and soon learned that there was no hopes of him. Soon they commenced taking testimony in the room adjoining where he lay, before Chief Justice Carter, and Gen. Halleck called for a Reporter. No one was on hand; but one of the Head Clerks in our office who boarded there, knew I could write short hand and he told the Gen. so, he bade him call me. so he came to the door and asked me to come down, and report the testimony. I went down, and the General passed me in, as the house was strictly guarded of course. I went into a room between the rear room and the front room. Mrs. Lincoln was in the next front room, weeping as though her heart would break. All of the Cabinet excepting Mr. Seward In the back room lay His Excellency breathing hard, and with every breath a groan. In the room where I was were Gens. Halleck, Meiggs, Augur and others. – All of the Cabinet excepting Mr. Seward – Chief Justice Chase, and Chief Justice Carter of the Dist. of Columbia. Andrew Johnson and many other distinguished men. A solemn silence pervaded the whole throng. It was a terrible moment Never in my life was I surrounded by half so impressive circumstances, Opposite me, at
the table where I sat writing, sat Secy. Stanton writing despatches to Gen. Dix, and others, and giving orders for the guarding of Ford’s and the surrounding country, at the left of me, was Judge Carter propounding the questions to the witnesses, whose answers I was jotting down in Standard Phonography. I was so excited when I commenced, that I am afraid it did not much resemble Standard Phonography or any other kind, but I could read it readily afterwards, so what was the difference. In fifteen minutes I had taken testimony enough down to hang Wilkes Booth the assassin, higher than ever Haman was hung; I was writing shorthand for about an hour and an half, when I commenced transcribing it. I thought I had been writing about two hours, when I looked at the clock and it marked half past four, A.M. I commenced writing about twelve, M. I could not believe that it was so late, but my watch corroborated it. The surrounding circumstances had so engrossed my attention that I had not noticed the flight of time. In the front room Mrs. Lincoln was uttering the most heart broken exclamations all the night long. As she passed through the hall back to the parlor after she had taken leave of the President for the last time – as she went by my door, I heard
her moan, “Oh My God, and have I given my husband to die,” and I tell you, I never heard so much agony in so few words. The President was still alive, but sinking fast; he had been utterly unconscious from the time the shot struck him and remained so until he breathed his last. At 6:45 Saturday morning I finished my notes and passed into the back room where the President lay. It was very evident that he could not last long. There was a crowd in the room which was small, but I approached quite near the bed on which so much greatness lay, fast loosing its hold on this world. The head of the bed was towards the door, at at the head stood Capt. Robt. Lincoln, weeping on the shoulder of Senator Sumner. Gen. Halleck stood just behind Robt. Lincoln and I stood just to the left of Gen. Halleck, and between him and Gen. Meiggs.
Stanton was there, trying every way to be calm and yet he was very much moved. The utmost silence pervaded, broken only by the sounds of strong mens tears. It was a solemn time, I assure you. The President breathed heavily until a few minutes before he breathed his last, then his breath came easily, and he passed off very quietly. As soon as he was dead, Rev. Dr. Gurley, who has been the President’s Pastor since his sojourn in this city, offered up a very impressive prayer. I grasped for my
pencil which was in my pocket, as I wished to secure his words, but I was very much disappointed to find that my pencil had been broken in my pocket. I could have taken it very easily, as he spoke very favorably for reporting. The friends dispersed Mrs. Lincoln and family going to the White House which she had left the night before to attend the Theatre with him who never returned to it except in his coffin.
Secy Stanton told me to take charge of the testimony I had taken, so I went to my room and took a copy of it, as I wished to keep both my notes and the original copy which I made while there in the house. They will ever be cherished moments monuments to me, of the awful night and the circumstances with which I found myself so unexpectedly surrounded, and of which, will not soon be forgotten.
Saturday night, I took the copy I had made, to the Secy’s house; but as he was asleep, I did not see him, so I left them, with my card. I tell you! I would not regret the time and money I have spent on Phonography if it never brought more than it did that night, for that brought me the priviledge of standing by the death bed of the most remarkable man of modern times, and one who will live in the annals of his Country as long as she pro continues to have a history.
Frank Leslie’s Illustrated will have a good picture of the building there made celebrated by this sad event on that evening. I saw the sketch made by its Artist, – of the Theatre and it was very correct indeed. He also sketched the inside of the room where the President died. also the outside of the building as well as the adjoining buildings on both sides.
You will see the house I board in has a balcony along the front of the two rooms on the second floor, I occupy both of these rooms.
You can imagine the feelings here, by judging by the feelings in your own place, only it is the more horrifying from the fact that the President lived in our midst and was universally beloved by the people.
This morning there was published in the Chronicle, the statements of one of the witnesses which I reported. Mr. Jas. B. Ferguson by name. You will doubtless see it in your own papers, as it is most important. I have an idea, which is gaining ground here, and that is, that the Assassin had assistance in the Theatre and that the President was invited there for the express purpose of assassinating him. The Theatre is very strictly guarded now, night and day.
I shall pack up my things tonight etc * * *
Very Truly your Friend
Jas. Tanner.
