A Second Target

The article had appeared in the newspapers, announcing that General Ulysses S Grant and his wife Julia would join the President and Mrs Lincoln at Ford’s Theater later that evening. For John Wilkes Booth, the news was “amazing” because he would now have a perfect second assassination target. For the rest of the audience, the news meant they were in for a double treat…seeing not only the President but also the Hero of Appomattox. Little did they know of the sinister plans that were in the making.

Julia Grant wasn’t interested in going, because she didn’t care much for Mary Lincoln. Her husband agreed, understanding that his usually easygoing wife felt uneasy around the high-strung First Lady. In addition, the Grants were eager to get back to their rented house in Burlington, New Jersey, to see their children, whom they hadn’t seen in weeks. To make it easier they said they had business to attend to in Burlington, and they must be on their way.

Around noon, a scruffy-looking man showed up at Julia’s door with what he claimed was a message from Mrs Lincoln. It said the Lincolns would pick up the Grants at exactly 8:00 that evening. Mrs Grant picked up on a bossy tone she didn’t appreciate and told the man to inform Mrs Lincoln they wouldn’t be joining them. In reality, Mrs Lincoln had never sent any message and knew nothing about it. It’s possible that the two women might have been friends were it not for other people, but that’s just my opinion.

Whatever the case may be, the Grants did not end up accompanying the Lincolns that night and quite likely, that saved Ulysses Grant’s life. Had he been there, he would have most likely not survived the evening. In all, 13 other people declined the invitation Mr and Mrs Edwin Stanton, Thomas Eckert, Schuyler Colfax, George Ashmun, Richard J Oglesby, Richard Yates, General Isham N Haynie, William A Howard, Mr and Mrs William H Wallace, Noah Brooks, and even Robert Lincoln, the president’s son. The others had various reasons for declining, but Robert said that He said that as his parents were departing for Ford’s, his dad said, “We’re going to the theater, Bob, don’t you want to go?” Captain Lincoln, recently back from his tour of duty with General Grant, wanted to turn in early that night. Twelve-year-old Tad Lincoln remarked that no one had invited him to go along. Instead, he went to see “Aladdin or The Wonderful Lamp” at Grover’s Theatre, just a few blocks from Ford’s. Tad was still at Grover’s when his father was shot at Ford’s, after which he was brought to the White House and put to bed. A number of those who declined could have also been a target, but we will never know. In the end, it was Major Henry Rathbone, and Clara Harris who accompanied President and Mrs Lincoln, although, I’m sure they wished they had not in the end. I’m sure that was a night they could never forget…no matter how much they tried.