George B. Todd letter to his brother   Save
AV83 Abraham Lincoln Presidental Collection
Description: 4 page letter by George B. Todd to his brother detailing his eyewitness account of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theater. The letter was dated April 15, 1865 and was written aboard the Civil War Monitor USS Montauk, Naval Yard, Washington D. C. The letter reads in part "Dear Bro. The few hours that have intervened since that most terrible tragedy of last night have served to give me a little clearer brain, and I believe I am now able to give you a clear account up to this hour... In the evening nearly all of us went to Ford's Theatre. I was very early, and got a seat very near the President's private box, as we heard he was to be there... About 10:25 P.M. a man came in, and walked slowly along the side on which the "Pres" box was and I heard a man say "there's Booth" and I turned my head to look at him. He was still walking very slow, and was near the (President's) box door when he stopped, took a card from his pocket, wrote something on it, and gave it to the usher, who took it to the box. In a minute the door was opened and he walked in- No sooner had the door closed, than I heard the report of a pistol, and on the instant, Booth jumped out of the box onto the stage, holding in his hand a large knife, and shouted so as to be heard all over the house, 'Sic Semper Tyranus" ("so always with tyrants") and fled behind the scenes-- I attempted to get to the box, but I could not, and in an instant the cry was raised "The President is assasinated"... View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: GeorgeB.Toddlettertohisbrother,page1of4
Subjects: Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865--Pictorial works; Presidents--Death and burial; Assassinations
Places: Washington D. C.