Lincoln's Last Battleground: A Tragic Night Recalled

By Robert T. Bain

On an unsuspecting night in April of 1865, the world would be changed forever. Our president, while sitting with his wife, was assassinated inside Fords Theater in Washington D.C. by a man named John Wilkes Booth. The events that followed changed the lives of so many people both of that time and the present day.

I think all historians agree that a gambit of emotions were experienced that evening. Some of anger, some of distress, some of sorrow like never experienced before. Several accounts have been written about that night and the events that unfolded but out of this chaos and panic there would be several fateful, far reaching consequences.

My name is Robert T. Bain and this is the story of my ancestors, William and Anna Petersen. They owned the house where President Lincoln died. It has been known for over a hundred years as the Petersen Boarding House.

William Petersen was born in Hanover, Germany in 1816. Anna was born in Hesse Cassel, Germany. They both arrived on the ship Europaat the port of Baltimore on June 23rd ,1841. William was listed on the passenger list as being 25 years of age and a tailor by profession. Anna was listed as age 23. They applied for naturalization papers in Washington, D.C. and in 1846 became citizens of the United States.

As it was with most immigrants, Im sure, all they wanted from life was to raise a family where they would feel safe and know that their children, with hard work, could carve out a life for themselves that would continue for generations to come. However, a terrible war and an infamous assassin would turn that dream into a nightmare

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jun 9, 2005
• ISBN: 9781467029919

Book preview

Lincoln’s Last

Battleground

A Tragic Night Recalled

by

Robert T. Bain

a direct descendent of

William & Anna Petersen

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© 2005 Robert T. Bain. All Rights Reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 06/17/05

ISBN: 1-4208-5972-2 (sc)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2005904706

Printed in the United States of America

Bloomington, Indiana

Contents

FOREWORD

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

EPILOGUE

This book is dedicated to my wife and children. Raelene, my wife, has always been encouraging and supportive no matter what I do in my life. Jordan, a young man of 13, still has so much too learn in life, but has learned so much already, has the ability to be anything he chooses. Faith, my oldest daughter, the princess, is truly one of the most precious things in my life. Finally Anna, who carries the most respected feminine name in our ancestry, makes me smile every time I see her.

There is a case for telling the truth; there is a case for avoiding the scandal; but there is no possible defense for the man who tells the scandal, but does not tell the truth.

- - - G. K. Chesterton

FOREWORD

Taken from a letter dated October 1913 written by Ferdinand Petersen, son of William and Anna Petersen:

Sir:

No one loves the truth better than I do myself, when I read Ramblin’s account and description of my old home which he used ___________, and trying to belittle by writing and trying to hide historical facts to bolster up many fake things said to be held, and, ____by a number of people it makes mentioned. As the youngest man being of the very few who were there at the time President Lincoln lay dying in my old home compels me to deny to all who are interested this new untruthful statements in that article also some statements of Willie T. Clark; and when I come to Washington make it a point to let it be known particularly to those in Congress who are interested and tell them the true facts about the matter. Yes, I love the truth and for the benefit of the public I will give it to them historically as it occurred and not a pack of falsehoods as I read in this article and the truth will prevail as it always does and now for a few things stated in that article.

In 1865, there were not several residences who had steps such as we had. There was only one other and that was next door. It was not by chance that bought the President into our home, only was he brought there, oh well it is not necessary to tell you, for I’ll tell it when the proper time comes to do so and many other things in connection share with you. You may not believe it, my father was at one time one of the leading merchant tailors, don’t forget this and never received any thanks from anyone for what he did nor did he have his shop in his home either. Do you get this? And he was a more truthful man than many of these trying to be historical writers of the death of President Lincoln and his son, a retired merchant of Washington, it is who is writing this to you not a former Government clerk either. Please remember this.

Clark says he has the pillow and case upon which Lincoln died. What a deliberate falsehood. The article says the real Village Blacksmith is still hanging there on the wall. If all the statements written are true as this, why doggone it no one could believe in anything then, for the pillow is owned by my brother-in-law who also owns the real Village Blacksmith. I own and still have the pillowcases in which President Lincoln died and I have mostly all of the pictures that were in the room at the time and they are not prints either and I do not want to sell them to the Government either nor any relic I have. I should like to donate them though and some day I’ll hand them over to the Government for preservation and my reputation as a Merchant and is convicting enough to prove them all. I have been in my old home once or twice since I left and if memory serves me correctly the wall paper is not the same as it was on April 15, 1865 and there are many things I can say and pick out as being untruthful but why waste time and trouble when the time comes I will give the truth to the proper ones and I will have no favors to ask either.

From this you see I’m not a dead one but very much alive and with a very vivid memory and will not let any of these fellows slander my good father in my home and I am sure will be alive for some time to come to deny all these untruthful writings and will