Jay Peter Morgan

The Lincoln Family Photograph Jay Peter Morgan

Few days in history have been as meticulously documented as Abraham Lincoln's last day. The bucket list was short. The day began as a peaceful spring day and Lincoln had put in motion a plan to have a joyous carriage ride with his wife, attend the theater, and spend the day enjoying his family. Gone was the melancholy that had engulfed the last few years. On this day, the President bounced out of bed, was jovial at breakfast, and uncharacteristically fussed over his appearance. He was usually unkempt and miserable, but had a special reason to appear dapper on this day. On their carriage ride there is about an hour where the Lincolns are unaccounted for. Mary Lincoln claims they went toward The Soldier's Home-historians disagree with her, but do not offer much of an alternative. Many historical accounts of Lincoln's last carriage ride contradict the very eyewitness accounts they source. Everyone knows the events of that night, and hopefully my photograph fills in the afternoon of Lincoln's last day.