Lincoln's Final Journey

Five days after Lee's surrender at Appomattox, on Good Friday, April 14th, 1865, Abraham Lincoln was assassinated at Ford's Theater. The following day, the City of New York mourns under dark skies. A week later, Lincoln's casket passes thousands of New Yorkers on it's way home to Springfield, Illinois.

I added one final still photo to this clip at the end, of Lincoln, almost lost in the crowd at Gettysburg as he delivered the two-minute speech that cemented the final foundation for the American ideal of democracy, born of Jefferson's Declaration of Independence, and for which Lincoln gave his life.

From the excellent American Experience documentary "New York" by Ric Burns (brother of Ken Burns), with superb musical score by Brian Keane. Although less well-known than his brother, the New York documentary is a masterpiece of film-making, riveting in all 14 hours.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• lincoln
• assassination
• funeral

[Defcon458]

You folks obviously have NO idea who Lincoln was. I highly urge you to read "The Real Lincoln by Thomas DiLorenzo. He was far from a good man or a hero.

[COSMOTOPPER777]

@Defcon458: I'll refer you to one of my all-time favorite movie quotes:

Jimmy Stewart: You're not going to use the story, Mr. Scott?

Shinbone Star Editor: No, sir. This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.

(from "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" 1962)

[tdmthomas]

Walt Whitman's words, accompanied by the video and tolling church bells, struck me silent. What an awesome sense of history and participation in American history. Thanks for this.

[COSMOTOPPER777]

I entirely agree. This clip is one of many great moments which may be found in Ric Burns wonderful documentary on New York City. (My only contribution was to post it.) Thanks for commenting.

[pdxdefatty]

A great man. Our greatest President.

[MrSteevieboy]

A good view for$8.0.......that must have been hell of a lot of money back then - that's about £5.0 .......i'd miss that even today!!!....i find that very hard to believe......8c maybe!!!....

[mecormany]

@mrceebees14 Very different back then. No secret service. People could walk into the White House and wander around. Around 1864 they did assign some local police to stop that and to guard him but only while going somewhere. Once he got where he was going the policeman went out to wait with the carriage driver for the ride back. Lincoln family stayed at a house 3 miles from DC during the summer and Lincoln would ride in alone on his horse and back as late as midnight. Very different culture.

[Defcon458]

@mecormany It is ultimately clear who has studied Lincoln or not by their view of the Confederates during the war. I suggest you look up some of Judge Andrew Napolitano's stuff about the Civil War. He ONLY uses WELL documented, indisputable fact. Lincoln was nothing more or less than a tyrant.

[mecormany]

@Defcon458 Thomas DiLorenzo is a Confederate and slavery apologist who's books are so biased and written with such an obvious agenda it makes anybody who's studied the times and Lincoln laugh out loud. Lincoln was not the saint they made him out to be right after he was murdered but he was one of the great men of his time and he would be today. DiLorenzo is a stooge.

[ydnarnosfatsug]

it was a different world back then. we tend to use ideas today to judge those that lived back then. Slavery, Religion, ect...Today you piss people off by saying "Merry Christmas".

Right and Wrong is relative to the times. try and imagine. Its all really quite fasinating. We humans are such a complicated species. I mean no disrespect. I think of slavery and it makes me angry...but do I have the right? if I lived back then would i Feel so strong?

[rocky20717]

A Great President of America.12th February is great day.He was not only good president but also A Great man.

[mrceebees14]

What happened to the President's guards??? How the heck could they let some coward with a pistol just walk up behind him in the middle of a freaking play and shoot him executioner style in the back of the head??

Was Lincoln's death the start to the secret police?

[PhiloAmericana]

Very touching. Whitman truly is America's poet.