Diary from Apr. 14, 1865

Diary of Orville Hickman Browning

  • Full Title

    Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Friend of Lincoln - Excerpts from April 14-19, 1865

  • Description

    These are the diary entries of former U.S. Senator and friend of President Lincoln, Orville Hickman Browning, the day of Lincoln's assassination up to the funeral in Washington, DC on April 19, 1865. Browning discusses how he heard about the attacks and incorrectly states the Secretary of State Seward was killed. He talks about how Lincoln was the South's best ally within the government and speculates who the attacker was. Over the next few days he visits the White House and describes the body of the fallen president. These excerpts are part of the “Diary of Orville Hickman Browning Volume II: 1865-1881,” published in 1925 by the Illinois State Historical Library. Born in Kentucky in 1806, Browning moved to Quincy, Illinois to become a lawyer. Later he served as a U.S. Senator, adviser to Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson, and even a cabinet minister. Browning and Lincoln became friends while serving in the state legislature; both were members of the Whig party. Browning served as an ally for Lincoln during his presidency.

  • Source

    Hathi Trust Digital Library

  • Rights

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  • Cite this Item

    Orville Hickman Browning. "Diary of Orville Hickman Browning, Friend of Lincoln - Excerpts from April 14-19, 1865". Illinois State Historical Library. Remembering Lincoln. Web. Accessed March 29, 2024. https://rememberinglincoln.fords.org/node/1098