DEATH OF PRIVATE RIGGIN, GUIDON BEARER, RICKETTS' (PA) BATTERY
Note.—The wood-cuts interspersed through this circular have been engraved to illustrate scenes in the Battle of Gettysburg, and with many others will appear in the History of that Battle.
"THE LAST HOURS OF LINCOLN."
ORIGIN OF THIS HISTORICAL PAINTING.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN, President of the United States, was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth on the night of April 14, 1865, at Ford's Theater, Washington, D. C. This night, fraught with woe to the peoples of two continents, sombered by its halo of diabolism, must forever remain the Golgotha of American history.
At the threshold of the temple of peace—the High Priest was stricken down—and the great heart whose every throb was a pulsation of love for his country's enemies, was robed in silence. In company with Mrs. Lincoln, Miss Harris, and Major Rathbone, Mr. Lincoln had sought a brief respite from the iron wheel of State toil, and in the search, through the medium of the assassin's bullet, found a respite for all time.
Immediately after the fatal shot was fired, and under direction of Assistant-Surgeons Leale and Taft, he was removed to a private house, and placed upon a couch in a small bedroom. Robert Lincoln, General Todd, and Dr. Todd, cousins of Mrs. Lincoln, and other personal friends, speedily arrived. His family physician, Dr. Stone, and Surgeon-General Barnes, accompanied by Asst.-Surgeon General Crane, were in early attendance, and later he was visited by Drs. Hall and Liebermann, and other eminent physicians, all of whom agreed that the wound was unto death. The bullet had entered the back of his head, and lodged behind the right eye.
Mr. Lincoln was visited during the night by Vice-President Johnson and the entire cabinet, except Mr. Seward, including Secretaries McCulloch, Stanton, Welles, and Usher. Postmaster-General Dennison, and Attorney-General Speed, together with Asst.-Secretaries Field, Eckert, and Otto. There were also present Speaker Colfax, Chief-Justice Cartter, Senator Wilson, Representatives Farnsworth, Arnold, Marston, and Rollins, Governor Oglesby, accompanied by Adjutant-General Haynie, Major Hay, Generals Auger, Meigs, and Halleck, Ex-Governor Farwell, Rev. Dr. Gurley, and Commissioner French, Colonels Vincent Pelouze and Rutherford, and Major Rockwell. Early in the night Mrs. Lincoln sent for Mrs. Senator Dixon, who was accompanied by her sister and niece, Mrs. Kinney and daughter. There were also a few others present during the night, but never more than half of those represented on the painting at any one time.
By the publicity of the assassination it was soon known throughout the city, and thousands crowded the avenues leading to the house where the President lay.