Lincoln and Ann Rutledge

[L Verge]

Eva,

When you are ready to prepare your thoughts on William Wood and the so-called relationship with the First Lady, let me know because we have an extensive file on the gentleman at the James O. Hall Research Center at Surratt House. The basis of the file comes from the research conducted by Mr. Hall years ago; however, one of our staff historians, Joan Chaconas (our Washington, D.C. history expert) expanded on Mr. Wood's information a few years ago while preparing for a symposium talk on Old Capitol Prison. In fact, she got quite fascinated with this sly gentleman.

I just asked her if she found anything to suggest a "meaningful" relationship with Mrs. Lincoln. She emphatically said, "NO!" There were references to their being friends, but nothing deeper. I do remember from working with her on the symposium talk that both of us were astonished at how "friendly" Mr. Wood was with quite a few people -- and it appeared that he carefully chose whom to be friends with at any certain moment. The man was slick, sly, and worthy of any modern CIA, B-rated drama.

As far as Burlingame's writing, I am not a fan and literally tossed Inner World down after reading about half of it, and never picked it up again except to donate it to a used book sale table at Surratt House. I was also present at a talk that he gave at the LGDC where members of the audience got up and left in the middle because of the blatant blasting he was doing of Mrs. Lincoln.

For years, we had been under the belief that Presidential historian Michael Beschloss was going to be writing the definitive biography of Mr. Lincoln. The next thing we heard was that Dr. Burlingam was being touted as doing it. Would love to know the story behind the switch.