Lincoln's Sanctuary

[RJNorton]

Thanks for mentioning this book, Eva. One thing I liked about the book is that it contained information backing up Ward Hill Lamon's story that someone took a shot at Lincoln as he was riding alone to the Soldiers' Home in August of 1864. I am sure other books have this information, too, but previously I had not remembered seeing anything other than Lamon's account. Pinsker writes:

"About eleven o'clock one night, Private John W. Nichols of Company K was on guard duty at the large gate on the edge of the institution's grounds when he heard a rifle shot and then witnessed the "bareheaded" president riding quickly on horseback toward his cottage. Private Nichols asked the president about his missing hat and was told that "somebody had fired a gun off at the foot of the hill" which frightened Lincoln's horse and then led to a struggle to regain control that had "jerked his hat off." Concerned, Nichols recalled years later that he and another member of the company went down the twisting driveway toward the main road where they discovered the president's signature silk plug hat with a bullet hole through the crown. The next day Nichols claimed that he returned the item to the president, who assured him "rather unconcernedly" that the whole episode was the product of "some foolish gunner" and that he wanted the matter "kept quiet."

Nichols' account was originally published in the Wheeling Register, and reprinted in the April 6, 1887, edition of the New York Times.

Since I don't always trust Lamon's memory I was happy to see his story was corroborated.