Two Telegrams Related to Lincoln’s Visit to City Point

Description

President Lincoln received an invitation from U. S Grant on March 20, 1865, to visit him in City Point, Va. Initially the USS Bat was to be used for transport, but since Mary Lincoln and a few others wished to accompany him, the River Queen conveyed the party instead. The Bat went along as protection.

This culminated in historic meetings with Grant, Sherman, Admiral Porter, Secretary Stanton, and others. Lincoln and his son Tad visited Richmond on April 4 and Lincoln with party returned to Washington on board the River Queen on April 9– while Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox.

Fox, Gustavus V. Manuscript Telegram, Signed “G. V. Fox” as Ast. Sec’y of Navy. Telegram / Navy Department / Washington: 22 March 1865 / 10:30 A.M. 4to.; 1p. To: Commo. J. B. Montgomery / Comdt. Navy Yard / Washington, D.C.. In full: “Have the Bat ready to convey the River Queen; to-morrow noon. The President will be in the River Queen bound to City Point / By order of Sec of Navy”  This is marked “Recd 10:35 am / sent 11:15 am by K.” with the overlay of an official oval stamping–strangely, a 40-minute delay in sending the telegram.

Fox, Gustavus V. Manuscript Telegram, Signed “G. V. Fox” as Ast Sec’y of Navy. Telegram / Navy Department / Washington: 23 March 1865. 4to.; 1p. In full, with Fox’s own annotations in bold: The River Queen  leaves the 6th Street wharf about 1 P.M. with the President (.) Have the Bat [crossed out] accompany her to City Point and back. / By order Secy Navy.” Marked  Recd 10:05 am / Sent 10:20 am by L.