Lincoln pallbearers - April 19, 1865

[RJNorton]

Thanks to Laurie for sending this.

The following photo was donated to Surratt House Museum this past week by Jerry and Eleanor Bennett of New Jersey.

The names are difficult to read on the scan. They are: Senate: Lafayette Foster, Edwin D. Morgan, Reverdy Johnson, Richard Yates, Benjamin Wade, John Conness. Army: U. S. Grant, H. W. Halleck, W. A. Nichols. Civilians: Orville Browning, George Ashmun, Thomas Corwin, Simon Cameron. Marine Corp: J. Zelin. Navy: D. Farragut, W. S. Shubrick. House of Representatives: Henry Worthington, Elihu Washburn, Green Clay Smith, Schuyler Colfax, Henry Dawes, Andrew Coffroth.

[LincolnMan]

Roger, thanks for listing out the names-because they were impossible to read, for sure. I note with interest the name of Reverdy Johnson-the same individual involve in the Surratt defense?

[GARY POPOLO]

Thank you both Roger and Laurie for the information and picture. I know I am new to this forum but have to tell you I have never seen so much history in pictures that I never new existed! Great job! Best Gary P.

[RJNorton]

Yes, I think it is the same Reverdy Johnson. When I looked up Reverdy Johnson I came upon this 1849 Brady daguerreotype of the Zachary Taylor Administration. From the left, the men are William B. Preston, Thomas Ewing, John M. Clayton, Zachary Taylor, William M. Meredith, George W. Crawford, Jacob Collamer and Reverdy Johnson. Thomas Ewing's son represented Samuel Mudd, Ned Spangler, and Sam Arnold at the conspiracy trial.

Picture source: Library of Congress

[L Verge]

Reverdy Johnson is a history lesson all to himself. He is considered one of the foremost American jurists of all time, but few people have ever heard of him.

[LincolnMan]

And yet, if I understand the history correctly, he really did not do much in the Surratt case?

[Hess1865]

And yet, if I understand the history correctly, he really did not do much in the Surratt case?

Didn't Reverdy basically pass it off to Aiken??

[Laurie Verge]

Reverdy Johnson may have hurt the case for Mary Surratt. Aiken and Clampitt has already been retained as counsel for the lady when Johnson agreed to sign onto the case also. He did so without sufficient time to examine the facts and basically stated that he would represent her unless he found extenuating circumstances that would cause him to withdraw.

He immediately questioned the legality of the military tribunal in trying a civilian and incurred the wrath of some very vocal members of that tribunal. During the war, he had also questioned the use of verbal oaths of allegiance; and this was brought up against him. At that point, he realized that he was becoming "an enemy" of the court also and that it would prejudice the officers against Mrs. Surratt, so he withdrew from the spotlight. The court, the press, and the public, however, saw this as a sign that Johnson had found evidence of Surratt's guilt. It became yet another hurdle to overcome in Mary's defense.

I doubt that Reverdy Johnson could have done any better with the case than did Aiken and Clampitt, however - even if he had not prejudiced the court against him.

[LincolnMan]

Laurie: that information is helpful, thank you!