The American Civil War Museum

[J. Beckert]

(05-07-2019 02:01 PM)L Verge Wrote:  Definitely let her take you there. The White House has been nearly swallowed up by parking garages and buildings related to the nearby university, but if it is like it was when I was there years ago, it's lovely. I must admit that seeing the Davis desk and imagining Lincoln at it with his feet up (if the story is true) made me angry -- just like the photos of a former President with his feet up on the historic desk in the Oval Office that JFK resurrected.

I remember reading that this supposed incident infuriated Booth and he mentioned Lincoln sitting in Davis' chair and "spitting tobacco juice" all over. (In a conversation with one of the Fords?)

I also remember a piece where a reporter met with Lincoln in the White House and was appalled to be greeted by him in only his waistcoat and shirtsleeves, wearing his plug hat, while he spat tobacco juice in circles on the carpet.

While this behavior was not uncommon, (theaters were described as having a river of tobacco juice running through them during performances), these are the only two incidents I've heard of Lincoln using tobacco. Blaine posted something years ago that a later examination of Lincoln's vest that he was wearing at Ford's revealed it had traces of mint candies and a type of snuff in the pockets.

I wonder how much truth is in the Richmond story.