"Glorious News. Lincoln and Seward Assassinated!"

Full Title

"Glorious News. Lincoln and Seward Assassinated! Lee Defeats Grant. Andy Johnson Inaugurated President."

Description

Erroneous dispatch originally published in the Demopolis Herald on April 19, 1865 (shown here reprinted in the Alabama Beacon on April 21). While correctly announcing the death of Lincoln and the inauguration of Johnson as president, it reports that Secretary of State Seward was killed as well; in fact, that assassination attempt was not successful. The piece also mentions a rumor from Selma, Alabama, "that Lee and Johnston had effected a junction and whipped Grant soundly. Passengers, wounded soldiers and officers confirm this." The news was sent by the telegraph operator in Meridian, Mississippi.

Transcription

[From Demoplis Herald, 19th]
GLORIOUS NEWS.
Lincoln and Seward Assassinated!
LEE DEFEATS GRANT.
Andy Johnson Inaugurated President.

We have been favored with the following private dispatch , which we hasten to lay before our readers, with the hope that it may prove true:

DEMOPOLIS, April 18, 1865 —TO COL. GARNER:—SIR—The operator at Meridian has just telegraphed me that Memphis papers state, over the signature of Secretary Stanton, that Lincoln and Seward were both assassinated the same night at Washington City. Lincoln was shot through the head in the theatre: Seward slain while sick in bed.
Andy Johnson was inaugurated as President of the United States on the 15th.
This is said to be true beyond a doubt.
I inquired particularly from the operator as to whether from the operator as to whether there was anything more in regard to Lee’s capitulation, and he said nothing at all from Northern papers.
A gentlemen just from Selma says it is believed in Selma that Lee and Johnson had effected a junction and whipped Grant soundly. Passengers, wounded soldiers and officers confirm this.
This is given on the authority of the operator at Meridian.
JOHN W. HENLEY, Operator.




[Transcription by: Dr. Susan Corbesero, Ellis School, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]

Source

Excerpt from the Alabama Beacon, book number 33.0010. Catalog record for this title is available here.

Rights

Use of this item for research, teaching and private study is permitted with proper citation and attribution, as defined here. Reproduction of this item for publication, broadcast or commercial use requires written permission. For permission, please contact the Alabama Department of Archives and History.

Tags

• transcribed

• celebration/rejoicing

• denunciation: Lincoln

• misinformation

Cite this Item

Alabama Beacon. ""Glorious News. Lincoln and Seward Assassinated! Lee Defeats Grant. Andy Johnson Inaugurated President."". Remembering Lincoln. Web. Accessed November 23, 2024. https://rememberinglincoln.fords.org/node/192

Item Type

Newspaper

Creator

Alabama Beacon

Date

April 21, 1865

Region

Confederate states