Treasury Guard Flag

[Rsmyth]

Over at BoothieBarn our young intrepid researcher has posted about the "Rambler" who penned an article on the Treasury Guard flags used to decorate the box at Ford's Theater (Feb 9th 1913). The Rambler says that on April 12th 1865 the Guard held a ball at Ford's and had the boxes decorated with flags from the Treasury. John T. Ford asked if the flags could remain as the President would be attending the theater on Friday.
We have always heard that the Fords did not receive the invitation until the morning of the 14th. But, as with the Booth autopsy photo and remains of the Rathbone's, is it possible?
Dave searched and found that on April 12th Laura Keens was performing in a play at Fords. It would be interesting to know if the play was a matanee, evening or both. And, he could not find anything about a Treasury "ball" or of the commodore visiting the capitol that evening.
In Civil War Washington, ed. Lawrence, Price, and Winkle; Portable Walt Whitman, ed. Van Doren, 434–35 it is mentioned that
"A year before his death Lincoln had also attended a Treasury Department ball and reception at Ford’s. Lincoln and the first lady arrived at the theater by carriage... So the Treasury Guard did have balls! (stop the laughter! This is serious stuff!)
Also in the Daily News of August 8th 1898 there is an article reporting on the poor condition of the flag and stating the exact story that the "Rambler" posted. I saw another mention of the story in a book titled "Timely Topics" vol. 2 edited by Henry Pattengil dated January 21st 1898.
If not true, I wonder how this story originated? It appears the earliest mention is the "Timely Topics" articel from 1898, 33 years after the assassination.

[Laurie Verge]

I can't comment on this particular Rambler article, but the gentleman did a lot of rambling and writing through and about Southern Maryland - especially Prince George's County. My grandmother was known for clipping and saving any articles about history and historic sites. Her desk was filled with them. Therefore, I have read many of the Rambler's writings and have found that he relied a lot on folklore.

[LincolnMan]

Weren't we always told that the flags were obtained for the box that day-April 14th?

[GARY POPOLO]

(06-17-2013 03:34 PM)LincolnMan Wrote:  Weren't we always told that the flags were obtained for the box that day-April 14th?

Bill, I agree with you. I remember reading in a number of books that on that Friday morning after hearing the president was coming to the theater that night James ford wanted to decorate the state box with the biggest American flag he could find. He thought that the treasury department had such a flag. Why would he have to go looking if he already had flags? Best Gary

[Jim Garrett]

This is exactly why the world famous Roger Norton site is so important. I think it safe to say that without this site, Eva, with encouragement from Rich, would not have gone the extra mile, (or Kilometer), t travel What we always thought was the facts of the story, are not necessarily so. This site has spawned researchers! Now we may find that the Treasury Guard flag may have already been in the building and that Harry just got bigger American flags. Keep on questioning!

[wsanto]

(06-17-2013 03:34 PM)LincolnMan Wrote:  Weren't we always told that the flags were obtained for the box that day-April 14th?

To my recollection, there is ample testimony in the trial of the conspirators about Ford obtaining the treasury flags April 14th.