MARCH 24, 1865:
Mrs. Julia Dent Grant, the General’s
wife, was so concerned about President Lincoln’s appearance when she saw him,
that she prevailed upon her husband to invite the President to City Point for
some fresh air. Grant did so. On March 20th, the President responded
positively to Grant’s “kind invitation.”
Grant dispatched a fast ship, the U.S.S. BAT, to ferry the President to
City Point. Lincoln, in the company of Mary and Tad, arrived at Grant’s HQ
around 9:00 P.M. this day. Lincoln stayed with Grant for more than two weeks.
With the Siege of Petersburg-Richmond
well into its ninth month, and continuing reports of the visible deterioration
of Lee’s forces, Lincoln knew the end was near. He wanted to be there. He
wanted to experience life on the front lines, and most of all, he wanted to
visit with the troops. Mary was beside herself to see that their son Robert,
now a member of Grant’s staff, was well.
Lincoln
must have looked especially poorly to convince Julia Grant that a vacation in a
war zone was preferable to staying at the White House.
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