Abraham Lincoln Funeral Train

Follow the slain president's funeral train as it wound from Washington, D.C., to Springfield, Illinois

Photograph of Ford's Theatre after the assassination by Library of Congress: LC-B8184-7765Original Source: Library of Congress, LC-DIG-ppmsca-23872

Washington, D.C.

After President Abraham Lincoln died at the Petersen House at 7:22 a.m., the United States went into immediate mourning. His remains were removed to the White House in a plain, pine coffin. After doctors performed an autopsy, mourners paid their respects at the White House, the Capitol and in a grand procession along Pennsylvania Avenue. Finally, on Friday morning, April 21, Lincoln’s remains were taken to the same depot where, four years earlier, the president-elect had arrived for his inauguration.

Albert Berghaus’s Drawing of the Death Scene of Abraham Lincoln (1865) by Albert BerghausOriginal Source: DC Public Library Special Collections

Following Lincoln's death at the Petersen House (depicted here), his remains were returned to the White House. Drs. J.J. Woodward and E. Curtis recovered the fatal bullet during an autopsy.

Photograph of Mary LincolnOriginal Source: Library of Congress, LC-USZ62-8341

The question of how to mourn Lincoln arose immediately. Mary Lincoln fought to keep her husband’s remains out of the national spotlight, but reluctantly conceded to pleas that a public funeral was in the best interests of the grieving nation.

Lincoln's body lying in state in the East room White house (1865-04-19) by Alfred WaudOriginal Source: Library of Congress, LC-DIG-ppmsca-19403

On Tuesday, April 18, the East Room of the White House opened for mourners to see the casket of the slain president.

Invitation to Lincoln's Funeral (1865)Original Source: Ford's Theatre National Historic Site, FOTH 3369

The viewing in the White House continued through the morning of Wednesday, April 19.

Lincoln's Funeral on Pennsylvania Avenue (1865-04-19)Original Source: Library of Congress, LC-DIG-cwpbh-03254

On Wednesday, April 19, 25,000 people lined Pennsylvania Avenue as Lincoln's casket traveled from the White House to the Capitol. Millions attended religious services nationwide marking the day.

The funeral car that conveyed the remains of President Lincoln from the Executive Mansion to the Capitol, April 19th 1865, Chase & Hatch, 1865-04-19, Original Source: Library of Congress, LC-DIG-ppmsca-23860
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During the procession, the United States Marine Band played a Funeral March by Brevet Major General John G. Barnard. Click the video above to hear the Marine Band play the march in 2009.

Washington Buildings During Lincoln Funeral (1865-04) by Alfred WaudOriginal Source: Library of Congress, LC-DIG-ppmsca-20990

Artist Alfred Waud captured some of the decorations business owners along Pennsylvania Avenue used to demonstrate their grief. Many buildings, including Ford’s Theatre, were draped in mourning cloth.

Lincoln's casket proceeded down Pennsylvania Avenue to the U.S. Capitol, where mourners filed through on April 19 and 20.

A flag flew at half-staff above the Capitol Building, which was hung with mourning crepe.

Sketch of the Funeral Car, Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, 1865, Original Source: Library of Congress, LC-USZ62-6937
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At 8 a.m. on Friday, April 21, the funeral train left the Washington Depot of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. The funeral car was draped in black crepe and richly ornamented with emblems of mourning.

Photograph of Lincoln's Funeral Car (1865)Original Source: Library of Congress, LC-DIG-ppmsca-08259

The train car carrying Lincoln's remains was named the United States. It was completed only a few months before his death. The funeral was the first and last time the president traveled in it.

Crowd Forms at Camden Station (1865) by Ridgway GloverOriginal Source: Library of Congress, LC-DIG-stereo-1s04299

Baltimore, MD

Baltimore's Camden Station was the train's first stop. Four years earlier, great precautions were taken to ensure Lincoln's safety when he passed through as president-elect. 

On this day, 10,000 citizens filed by Lincoln's bier at Camden Station in less than two hours to honor the president.

Camden Station stands close to the Camden Yards stadium and today houses the Baltimore Sports Legends Museum.

From the train station, Lincoln's coffin proceeded to the Baltimore Merchants Exchange, at the corner of Gay and Water streets. Today, the U.S. Custom House sits on the site of the Merchants Exchange.

Front Page of the Baltimore Sun (1865-04-20) by Baltimore SunOriginal Source: Library of Congress

The front page of the Baltimore Sun carried a notice about the train the day before it arrived, as well as reports about mourning in the city and Lincoln’s assassins. Baltimore added $10,000 to the reward for the capture of John Wilkes Booth.

Photograph of Captain Robert Todd Lincoln, Original Source: Library of Congress, LC-DIG-ppmsca- 19229
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Captain Robert Todd Lincoln accompanied his father's body to Baltimore before returning to Washington to attempt to comfort his mother. He finally departed for the Springfield funeral on May 1.

Lincoln's Funeral Train in Harrisburg, PA (1865-04-22)Original Source: Arthur Dubin 1.32.3, Lake Forest College Library

Harrisburg, PA

On Saturday, April 22, tolling bells and a 21-gun salute announced the funeral train's arrival at the Pennsylvania Railroad Depot in Harrisburg.  The funeral procession was cancelled due to a harsh, heavy rain.

Pennsylvania State HouseOriginal Source: Library of Congress, HABS PA,22-HARBU,1--1

Despite the terrible weather, a large crowd assembled outside the State House. So many people were waiting to enter the Hall of the House of Representatives, where Lincoln lay in state, that mourners exited through windows after viewing the body.

In 1897, a fire burned the Pennsylvania State House in which Lincoln's Harrisburg funeral was held. The current Capitol building dates from 1906.

James Buchanan, Original Source: Library of Congress, LC-BH82101-6628
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At Lancaster, en route to Philadelphia, 20,000 people assembled just to see the train pass.
Sitting in his carriage on the edge of the crowd was Lincoln’s predecessor as president, James Buchanan.

Lincoln's Funeral in Philadelphia by Ridgway GloverOriginal Source: Library of Congress, LC-DIG-stereo-1s04302

Philadelphia, PA

On April 23, a huge throng of people overwhelmed the city as the casket traveled from Philadelphia's Broad Street Station to Independence Hall. By comparison, only a few thousand had greeted Lincoln's inaugural train in 1861.

Lincoln's Funeral Hearse (1865)Original Source: The Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection

Lincoln's hearse was pulled by eight black horses with silver-trimmed harnesses. The crowd, described by one reporter as "a living mass of men, women and children," was tormented by pickpockets, triggering a chaotic scene during which one woman broke her arm.

Lincoln's casket was placed in Independence Hall, in the same room where the Declaration of Independence had been signed. Mourners waited for several hours in a three-mile-long line to view the body, and some never made it inside.

Lincoln Funeral Car Crossing the Hudson River (1866) by Obsequies of Abraham Lincoln, in the City of New York, under the Auspices of the Common Council and David Thomas ValentineOriginal Source: Archive.org

New York City, NY

Tens of thousands watched the funeral train as it passed through New Jersey, and the crowd in Newark covered a square mile. At Jersey City, the funeral car was ferried across the Hudson River to New York City for the funeral procession and a two-day viewing. Ships lowered their flags to half-mast as the little vessel approached Manhattan Island. 

Lincoln's Funeral Procession near Union Square (1865-04-25)Original Source: Library of Congress, LC-USZ62-19640

The funeral in New York City lasted for two days, April 24 and 25. Among the million mourners was six-year-old Theodore Roosevelt, who watched the funeral procession as it passed beneath the windows of his grandfather's house (at left).

The Roosevelt mansion was located on the southwest corner of Broadway and 14th Street, adjacent to Union Square.

Lincoln Funeral Procession Passing Fifth Avenue Hotel (1865-04-24) by Obsequies of Abraham Lincoln, in the City of New York, under the Auspices of the Common Council and David Thomas ValentineFord's Theatre

The New York City Council attempted to ban African Americans from participating in the Lincoln funeral procession, but the order was rescinded at the insistence of Lincoln's Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton.

Lincoln's Catafalque, New York (1865-04-24)Original Source: Library of Congres, LC-DIG-ppmsca-19422

A police escort was assigned to protect African Americans as they joined in the grandest, most solemn procession ever staged in Manhattan. New Yorkers decorated their buildings in mourning crepe.

New York City Hall Draped in Mourning Crepe (1866) by Obsequies of Abraham Lincoln, in the City of New York, under the Auspices of the Common Council and David Thomas ValentineOriginal Source: Archive.org

New Yorkers, who had once talked of secession, now competed to honor Lincoln. One observer noted, "every house, from pavement to roof, all the way from the Battery to Central Park, was draped in black."

New York City Hall today.

Lincoln's Body in New York City Hall, Currier & Ives, 1865, Original Source: Library of Congress, LC-DIG-ppmsca-23847
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Lincoln's body was placed in City Hall. At 1 p.m., the building opened to a vast throng. Mourners filed past the president’s body throughout the night.

Advertisement Depicting Lincoln Funeral (1866-12-24) by Hatch & CompanyOriginal Source: Library of Congress, LC-DIG-pga-01508

A year after Lincoln's funeral, a casket maker created this advertisement depicting the slain president's casket leaving City Hall.

Departure of the Lincoln Funeral Train from New York City (1865) by Obsequies of Abraham Lincoln, in the City of New York, under the Auspices of the Common Council and David Thomas ValentineOriginal Source: Archive.org

Albany, NY

The funeral train left New York City on April 25 and headed north along the Hudson River, pulled by the locomotive "Constitution". People gathered along the river to offer their sympathies. 

City Inspector's Office Certificate (1865-04-24) by New York City InspectorOriginal Source: Ford's Theatre National Historic Site, FOTH 3375

This pass officially granted permission to the New York Central Railroad to remove Lincoln's body from New York City to Springfield.

State Capitol, Albany, N.Y. (1866) by S.N. Beers and Daniel G. BeersOriginal Source: Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library

The funeral train arrived in Albany around midnight, and the solemn procession carrying the president's remains to the State Capitol was flanked by 100 firemen bearing torches. All through the night, mourners passed the casket at a rate of 4,000 per hour.

Horses that Led Lincoln's Funeral Car (1865)Original Source: Library of Congress, LC-DIG-ppmsca- 19189

The following day, tens of thousands braved the hot sun, crushing crowds and ruthless pickpockets for a chance to glimpse the procession, led by six white horses, as it went from the Capitol Building to the rail station.

In Syracuse, 35,000 turned out at midnight to see the funeral car during a half-hour stop at the city's New York Central Railroad station, which stood in this location from 1839 to 1870.

Lincoln Funeral Procession, Buffalo, N.Y. (1865-04-27)Original Source: Buffalo History Museum

Buffalo, NY

The route from Albany to Buffalo witnessed the largest trackside crowds to date. Expressions of grief stretched along the tracks: bonfires and torches illuminated the night, and mournful dirges resonated from station to station. The train eventually reached Buffalo, where a funeral was held on April 27.

Public viewing at St. James Hall, which stood in this spot in downtown Buffalo in 1865, lasted 11 hours. Nearly 100,000 mourners shuffled silently and respectfully through the building.

Music Performed at Lincoln's Funeral in Buffalo (1865) by E. HoffmanOriginal Source: Library of Congress, Stern catalog 4906

On the morning of April 27, Buffalo's St. Cecilia Society sang "Rest, Spirit, Rest," one of many pieces of music composed in memory of Lincoln. Click the above video to hear a 2013 rendition.

Key to Lincoln's Funeral Car (1865)Original Source: Ford's Theatre National Historic Site, FOTH 2409

At all points along the journey, an honor guard attended to Lincoln's casket, both while it lay in state on public display, and while it was on board the funeral train. This key granted access to the funeral car.

Funeral Train in Cleveland (1865-04-28)Original Source: Reproduced from "Behind Bayonets" The Civil War in Northern Ohio by Van Tassel and Vacha. Courtesy Christopher Busta-Peck.

Cleveland, OH

A 36-gun salute sounded as the funeral train pulled into Cleveland's Euclid Street station a few minutes after 7:00 a.m. on April 28.  It remained in the city for just one day.

Building Erected for the reception of the body of the President at Cleveland (1865-04-28) by William WaudOriginal Source: Library of Congress, LC-DIG-ppmsca-05575

The city had hurriedly constructed an outdoor pavilion in a downtown park, Public Square, to handle the expected crowds.

Public Square, site of Lincoln's Cleveland funeral, today.

Lincoln's Funeral in Cleveland (1865-04-28) by Western Reserve Historical SocietyFord's Theatre

Wind and rain failed to deter the grieving multitudes who filed by the open casket before it was closed at 10:00 p.m.

The Face of the Dead, Cleveland Morning Leader, 1865-04-28, Original Source: Western Reserve Historical Society
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The open-casket funeral in Cleveland took place two weeks after Lincoln's death. The Cleveland Morning Leader commented on the appearance of his body.

Lincoln's Catafalque in Cleveland (1865-04-28) by Western Reserve Historical SocietyFord's Theatre

The coffin, strewn with elaborate floral offerings, was returned by torchlight to the rail depot for a midnight departure to Columbus.

A Portrait of Lincoln Hung over the Cowcatcher of the Nashville. (1865) by Western Reserve Historical SocietyFord's Theatre

The locomotive Nashville pulled the funeral train while on the Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad. A portrait of Lincoln hung over the cowcatcher.

Ohio Funeral Obsequies (1865-04-29)Original Source: Ohio History Connection

Columbus, OH

Vast crowds slowed the funeral train as it moved through northern Ohio. It arrived in Columbus, Ohio, for a procession to the state capitol building on April 29.

Ohio Statehouse during Lincoln's memorial (1865-04-29)Original Source: Ohio History Connection

Once the train arrived in Columbus, mounted cavalry stationed at intersections kept the route clear for the funeral procession.

Funeral Obsequies of the Late President A. Lincoln (1865-04-29)Original Source: Kelton House Museum and Garden

Ohio's Capitol was dressed for mourning: its columns adorned with black cloth, flags lowered to half-staff, and the words "With Malice toward none; with Charity for all" suspended over the cornice.

Inside the Ohio Capitol, battle-worn flags of Ohio's regiments were draped alongside the traditional black mourning cloth. Lincoln's body was viewed on a unique dais adorned with moss and flowers.

First National Bank of Columbus, Decorated for Lincoln's Funeral (1865-04-29)Original Source: Columbus Metropolitan Library, courtesy Christopher Busta-Peck.

After this official stop, there was another night journey past small towns teeming with mourners, many of whom had come in from the surrounding countryside. Others had traveled north from Kentucky, the state of Lincoln's birth.

Sketch of Lincoln's Coffin (1865) by Frank Leslie's Illustrated NewspaperOriginal Source: Library of Congress, LC-USZ62-6938

Indianapolis, IN

Around midnight the train crossed into Indiana, the state where Lincoln had spent his boyhood. A heavy rain forced the cancellation of planned outdoor ceremonies in Indianapolis. Still, 100,000 people came to pay their respects.

During the 13 hours Lincoln lay in state at the Indiana State Capitol (on the same site as the present Capitol), mourners streamed by at a rate of 155 per minute. The open casket allowed viewers to see Lincoln's body.

Lincoln's funeral march: performed by Menter's Band by C. Hess (1865) by Charles HessOriginal Source: Library of Congress, Stern catalog 4905

During Lincoln's funeral service in Indianapolis, the City Band played the dirge composed for the occasion by Charles Hess in honor of Lincoln.

Arch for Lincoln's Funeral in Chicago (1865-05-02)Original Source: Library of Congress, LC-DIG-ppmsca- 19202

Chicago, IL

After an overnight trip marked by more tolling bells and platform dirges, the funeral train arrived shortly before noon on May 1. While a band played "The Lincoln Requiem," 36 schoolgirls dressed in white placed garlands of white roses atop the casket. At the time of Lincoln's death, there were 36 states.

Lincoln's Funeral Train Car (1865)Original Source: Library of Congress, LC-DIG-ppmsca- 19404

The city's parade featured a regiment of Confederate prisoners of war who had taken an oath of allegiance to the Union. An armed escort guarded Lincoln's funeral car, where Willie Lincoln's remains stayed throughout the journey.

Cook County Courthouse, Lincoln Funeral (1865)Original Source: Library of Congress, LC-USZC4-1835

Mourners entering the Cook County Courthouse passed beneath an inscription reading "He Was Sustained by Our Prayers, and Returns Embalmed by Our Tears."

The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 destroyed the former courthouse. Today Chicago's City Hall sits on the same site.

Sketch of Lincoln's Funeral in Chicago (1865) by William WaudOriginal Source: Library of Congress, LC-USZC4-8107

Sketches like this one, of Lincoln’s Chicago viewing, were drawn by artists who traveled with the train. Their works provided the basis for woodcuts that enabled mass production of these images in news magazines.

Funeral Train at Lake Michigan (1865)Original Source: McLean County Museum of History

After the courthouse doors closed at 8:00 p.m., a torchlight procession escorted Lincoln's casket to the depot of the Chicago, Alton, and St. Louis Railroad.

Time Table for Lincoln's Funeral (1865-05-02) by Chicago Alton Railroad CompanyOriginal Source: Library of Congress, Stern catalog 4767

Each leg of the funeral train's journey was carefully planned and timed. Schedules like this one let communities along the way pay their respects as it rolled past.

Photograph of the Funeral Carriage (1865)Original Source: Library of Congress, LC-USZ62-14065

Springfield, IL

On May 3, Lincoln's body arrived in his hometown of Springfield, where he had lived from 1837 until his departure for Washington in 1861. 

Lincoln lies in state, Springfield, May 1865 (1865-05)Original Source: Library of Congress, LC-DIG-stereo-1s04303

The mourners included old friends and neighbors, colleagues from Lincoln's lawyer days, political allies and adversaries, soldiers bearing the scars of conflict and children barely old enough to understand the scene of grief.

Illinois Capitol in Mourning (1865)Original Source: Library of Congress, LC-DIG-stereo-1s04304

In Springfield, 75,000 mourners climbed the stairway to the second floor of the domed Capitol.

Lincoln's body was displayed in Representative Hall in the former Illinois Capitol, the same chamber where in 1858 he had warned, "A house divided against itself cannot stand."

Shadow Box with Soldering Tools (1865) by S.S. ElderOriginal Source: Ford's Theatre National Historic Site, FOTH 6341-6342

After the public viewing, tinsmith S.S. Elder used these tools to seal Lincoln’s coffin before his burial in Springfield. He later created this shadow box to commemorate the occasion.

Lincoln Home Draped for His Funeral (1865-05)Original Source: Museum of the Grand Prairie

On the morning of May 4, General Joseph Hooker led the final march to Oak Ridge Cemetery, passing the Lincoln home at Jackson and Eighth Streets.

Mary Lincoln, deep in grief at the White House, was too distraught to travel to her former home in Springfield for the funeral. The home is today a National Historic Site.

Lincoln's Rider-Less Horse, Old Bob. (1865)Original Source: Library of Congress, LC-DIG-ppmsca-10880

The Rev. Harry Brown, an African American minister well known to the Lincoln family, attended the hearse. Lincoln's rider-less horse, Old Bob, followed just behind.

Lincoln's Tomb in Springfield (1865-05)Original Source: Library of Congress, LC-DIG-stereo-1s04305

A final funeral service took place at the cemetery. Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address was read. A local choir sang traditional dirges and pieces composed for the occasion. Bishop Matthew Simpson delivered an oration that left many in tears. Finally, the vault's iron gates clanged shut.

Credits: Story

Exhibition Developer:
Anna Snyder, Digital Public History Intern

Exhibition Manager:
David McKenzie, Associate Director of Education for Digital Resources

Editors:
Sarah Jencks, Director of Educational Programming
Tracey Avant, Curator of Exhibitions
Heather Hoagland, Manager of Collections & Exhibitions
Liza Lorenz, Director of Communications & Marketing

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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