Lincoln and Ann Rutledge

[LincolnToddFan]

Thanks Linda...wow. MTL was out of control at City Point, there is simply no way to pretty it up, is there? The sad thing is that there were some wonderful accomplishments Mary made as First Lady. She cared passionately about preserving the beauty and dignity of the President's House, as Mrs. John F. Kennedy would a hundred years later, and was the most charming, accomplished of hostesses. She was an angel to the wounded, hospitalized Union soldiers...visiting them with delicacies and gifts, writing to their families. She cared deeply about the problems of the misplaced former slaves living in miserable conditions around D.C. She was fiercely loyal to her husband and the Union cause.

But in one fell incident of neurosis and irrationality at City Point she seemed to wipe it all away and insure that people will mostly remember her as AL's great personal Cross to bear. What a shame.

Laurie,

All I can say is you should feel relieved that I don't live anywhere near Surratt House...I'd be visiting and skulking around so much your staff would need a restraining order against me...Surratt House sounds right up my alley!