Lincoln’s Funeral Pageant; America Mourns its Martyred President - Brian Flora

An amateur Civil War historian, Flora sheds light on our nation’s 20 days of mourning for Abraham Lincoln.  The “Lincoln Special”, bearing his body, traveled over 1,645 miles stopping for 182 funerals before arriving in Springfield.  Lincoln was transfigured from a mortal man to a martyred saint. Our grieving nation saw his sacrifice as a symbol for the 360,000 Union soldiers and sailors who died in the war. Since the May 4, 1865 burial, Lincoln’s coffin has been moved seventeen times and opened six times.  There was even an 1876 attempt to kidnap the body and hold it for ransom. The plot was narrowly thwarted. Join Flora to learn more!