April 16, 1865-Galena, Illinois

 Tragic news has reached us in Galena. Our nation has lost a great leader, and I have lost a great friend. Abraham Lincoln was an amazing man who accomplished much in his sadly shortened life. He was shot by John Wilkes Boothe himself. I was supposed to be there with him. The only reason I survived and am here today is  because Julia refused to go. She and the First Lady did not get along well. I had to lie to the President himself and tell him we were visiting our children, well it wasn't completely a lie. I was going to be part of the assination. Maybe if I was there I could have stopped the murder. Just maybe..... I will give as speech mourning the death of Lincoln. Then Andrew Jackson will be announced as the new President of the United States. The Civil War is won the the bright side. Many lives have have been ended, but for a greater good. There will be a lot of rebuilding of communities and lives in the south. After fighting and spending so much money on this long war we will have to spend more on reconstruction.