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Interesting US History
A Website Devoted to Interesting Events in U.S. History

 

 
 

 

ON THIS DAY IN UNITED STATES HISTORY

April 11, 1865

President Abraham Lincoln Gives His Last Public Address

On this day in 1865, Abraham Lincoln stood in the window of the White House above the main entrance and gave what would be his last public address. In his address, he struck an up-beat and surprisingly conciliatory tone towards the South. Although the Civil War was not officially over, earlier that month, Union troops had captured Richmond, the Capital of the Confederacy and just days before, Confederate General Robert E. Lee had surrendered his army to Union forces. It was becoming clear that the war was coming to and end and that the question of the day wasn't IF the southern states would re-join the Union but rather HOW. Sadly, Lincoln would not live to see it happen. Two days later, while watching a play at Ford's Theatre, John Wilkes Booth assassinated Lincoln by shooting him in the head at close range. The job of reuniting the union would fall to his successor, Andrew Johnson.