Did Robert Lincoln Ride the Funeral Train to Baltimore?

[RJNorton]

There is a conflict in sources on this. I am curious if anyone has ever come across whether or not Robert rode the funeral train to Baltimore and then returned to Washington in a source other than what I will mention here.

In Scott Trostel's The Lincoln Funeral Train the author writes, "Captain Robert Lincoln, and family friends escorted the remains to the depot, and witnessed their loading on the train. Then he returned to the White House to tend to his grieving mother. He did not leave Washington for the Springfield burial until the afternoon of May 1, 1865."

In The Farewell to Lincoln by Victor Searcher the author writes, "Aboard the cars were seven who had accompanied the President-elect from Springfield. One was the lost son. Wife Mary and young Tad had been with him then but could not undergo the rigors of this return. Only Robert of the immediate family could make it and the strain had him hollow-eyed and drawn-looking. He came just before departure and was seated in the last car alongside his friends, the two private secretaries. Nicolay and Hay both had made the inaugural journey but now would proceed only to Baltimore from where they would return to Washington, and, with Robert, help clear the way for the incoming executive. Judge David Davis would return with them."

In his Robert Lincoln bio Jason Emerson agrees with Scott Trostel. However, in Abraham Lincoln: From Skeptic to Prophet, Dr. Wayne C. Temple agrees with Victor Searcher. Jason Emerson cites a letter Robert wrote in 1900 while Wayne C. Temple cites a Washington Daily National Intelligencer article of April 22, 1865.

Scott lists Victor Searcher's book in his bibliographic resources but apparently didn't agree with Searcher's statement about Robert. I am also going to write Scott and see what he might think about this conflict of whether or not Robert rode the train to Baltimore.

[HerbS]

I think RTL did things for his own personal gain! When you examine Emersn's book,the more you see the real RTL.In my research of Pullman Island[neighbor's brother owns it now]in the 1000 Island region.RTL. shows a disire to be seen in important places with important people!

[L Verge]

"He came just before departure and was seated in the last car alongside his friends, the two private secretaries. Nicolay and Hay both had made the inaugural journey but now would proceed only to Baltimore from where they would return to Washington, and, with Robert, help clear the way for the incoming executive. Judge David Davis would return with them."

To me, that portion is awkwardly worded. I don't know whether Robert continued with his father's train, or if he, Nicolay, Hay, and Davis all went back to D.C. To me, those few sentences could be interpreted either way

[Eva Elisabeth]

It would be interesting and maybe helpful to read Robert's letter and the Washington Daily National Intelligencer article.

[RJNorton]

(11-26-2014 07:12 PM)L Verge Wrote:  "He came just before departure and was seated in the last car alongside his friends, the two private secretaries. Nicolay and Hay both had made the inaugural journey but now would proceed only to Baltimore from where they would return to Washington, and, with Robert, help clear the way for the incoming executive. Judge David Davis would return with them."

To me, that portion is awkwardly worded. I don't know whether Robert continued with his father's train, or if he, Nicolay, Hay, and Davis all went back to D.C. To me, those few sentences could be interpreted either way

Dr. Temple's book words it this way:

"Robert T. Lincoln would also start out on the train as the only member of the Lincoln family present. But Robert would ride with friends Nicolay and Hay only to Baltimore where they would all turn around and head back to Washington. There was still much planning to be done in the Capitol City, and Robert could help with it. Justice David Davis would also accompany these three on their short trip."

[loetar44]

I found in my files that there were only five direct members of the Lincoln family on the funeral train, when it started from Washington D.C.: Ninian Wirt Edwards (husband of Elizabeth Todd), Clark M. Smith (husband of Ann Todd), Brig. Gen. John Blair Smith Todd (son of Dr. John Todd and Elizabeth Smith), Charles Alexander Smith (brother of Clark M. Smith) and Robert Todd Lincoln. Also on board was David Davis, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court (was he family or a close friend?). Robert only rode from Washington, D.C. to Baltimore and returned from there with Nicolay, Hay and Davis.

[STS Lincolnite]

(12-11-2014 05:18 AM)loetar44 Wrote:  I found in my files that there were only five direct members of the Lincoln family on the funeral train, when it started from Washington D.C.: Ninian Wirt Edwards (husband of Elizabeth Todd), Clark M. Smith (husband of Ann Todd), Brig. Gen. John Blair Smith Todd (son of Dr. John Todd en Elizabeth Smith), Charles Alexander Smith (brother of Clark M. Smith) and Robert Todd Lincoln. Also on board was David Davis, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court (was he family or a close friend?). Robert only rode from Washington, D.C. to Baltimore and returned from there with Nicolay, Hay and Davis.

Kees,

As Roger stated above in post #1 there are conflicting accounts as to whether Robert actually rode the train to Baltimore or not. Do you cite you one of the above sources in your files - or do you have a different/new one? This is an interesting question that apparently does not have an easy answer.

Thanks!

[Eva Elisabeth]

Judge Davis was not a family member, he was the judge on the 8th circuit and and acquaintant of Abraham Lincoln from those days. After Lincoln's death he became the executor of the Lincoln estate. A close friend? As for Abraham Lincoln sure not an intimate like J. Speed. Mary considered him a friend until she learned from the newspapers that he had forwarded Robert the double amount of money from the estate already before the final settling of the inheritance although all three (Mary, Tad + Robert) were entitled to the same portion and should have been treated the same (and both, Robert and Mary were in equal "need" of money). Thus certainly a good friend of Robert's as he also plotted with him to get Mary institutionalized.

[loetar44]

(12-11-2014 08:16 AM)STS Lincolnite Wrote:  

(12-11-2014 05:18 AM)loetar44 Wrote:  I found in my files that there were only five direct members of the Lincoln family on the funeral train, when it started from Washington D.C.: Ninian Wirt Edwards (husband of Elizabeth Todd), Clark M. Smith (husband of Ann Todd), Brig. Gen. John Blair Smith Todd (son of Dr. John Todd and Elizabeth Smith), Charles Alexander Smith (brother of Clark M. Smith) and Robert Todd Lincoln. Also on board was David Davis, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court (was he family or a close friend?). Robert only rode from Washington, D.C. to Baltimore and returned from there with Nicolay, Hay and Davis.

Kees,

As Roger stated above in post #1 there are conflicting accounts as to whether Robert actually rode the train to Baltimore or not. Do you cite you one of the above sources in your files - or do you have a different/new one? This is an interesting question that apparently does not have an easy answer.

Thanks!

Scott,

I took the "information" mainly from these two sources:

(1)
Ralph G. Newman in his “In This Sad World of Ours, Sorrow Comes to All”, A Timetable for the Lincoln Funeral Train” saying:

7:30 a.m. Lincoln's body is placed in the hearse car, where the remains of his son Willie had already been deposited.
7:50 a.m. Robert Lincoln, accompanied by two relatives, arrives and takes his place in the car provided for him.
7:55 a.m. John G. Nicolay and John Hay, the late President's secretaries, arrive and take their places.


(2) and from the “My Lincoln, Tell Me More” website at
http://www.mylincoln.org/en-us/more/area...7&item=119

“On Friday, April 21 at 7 am, Lincoln's coffin was brought to the Washington depot and placed into the funeral car. At least 10,000 people witnessed the train's departure from Washington an hour later. The train consisted of nine cars, including a baggage and hearse car, with the president’s funeral car as the ninth. Five relatives and family friends were officially appointed to accompany the funeral train: Associate Justice of the Supreme Court and longtime family friend David Davis; Lincoln's brothers-in-law, Ninian W. Edwards and Clark M. Smith; Charles A. Smith, the brother of Clark M. Smith; Mary Lincoln's cousin Brigadier General John Blair Smith Todd. Robert Lincoln rode on the train as far as Baltimore and then returned to Washington.”

[STS Lincolnite]

Thanks Kees, that is helpful!

[LincolnToddFan]

It puzzles me that no one from AL's birth family came to Washington for the funeral nor were any of the Hanks in Springfield for the burial. Of course I understand about Lincoln's much loved but aged stepmother Sarah. But what about Dennis or the others? I don't get the impression he was ever shy about the spotlight and he was certainly very willing to chat up his famous kinsman after his death.

What happened? I know that AL supported them financially. Did they simply not have enough money to make the trip?

[RJNorton]

Hi Toia. I cannot remember the source, but I do recall reading somewhere that John Hanks was present for the Springfield funeral.

[HerbS]

Some families are strange with coping of death!

[RJNorton]

(12-24-2014 06:28 AM)HerbS Wrote:  Some families are strange with coping of death!

I believe John Hanks was the only one of the Hankses who was a Republican. I think everyone else was a Democrat. Could that be an explanation?

[STS Lincolnite]

How did Mary feel about the Hankses? If she did not get along with them perhaps she did not want them there.