Letter from Apr. 17, 1865

T. V. Moore to Phineas D. Gurley

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    T. V. Moore to Phineas D. Gurley

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    T. V. Moore, a popular Presbyterian minister in Richmond, Virginia, writes to fellow minister, Phineas D. Gurley, expressing the shock, sorrow, and consternation in Richmond on the news of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.

  • Transcription

    Richmond April 17th 1865.

    My dear brother - Your very kind & welcome letter by Dr. Fisher, reached me yesterday. in the midst of the gloom caused by that act of atrocious crime & folly that has thrilled a continent with horror. No words can depict the grief & consternation that this foul murder has produced here. We were beginning to hope for Speedy tranquillity, & Know that in Mr. Lincoln we had a man whose policy wd. certainly secure it, & all classes seemed ready to bow, & many to welcome his authority with joy. We felt that in him we had a wise, true & humane ruler, whom we cd trust. And now in the mysterious providence of God he is Struck down by the hand of the assassin. Oh it is unspeakably sad & fearful, & we can only gaze in silence on this new act of sorrow & mystery that opens up. I believe that at no time for two years past wd. the assassination of Davis have caused

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    a hundredth part of the grief here that this has done, for he has long been losing the love & confidence of the people which Mr. Lincoln was with unexampled rapidity gaining it. What the effect will be on this awful struggle, God only Knows. Perhaps as a martyr to his principles it may Canonise them & induce the Continuance of his policy, by wh. tranquillity wd. so soon have been restored, perhaps it may be otherwise, & them who can fortell the end. Oh it is a time for good men to pray as they never prayed before. May God have mercy on our poor, distracted country.

    I wish very much I cd. see you, & have a long talk with you. Can't you come down & see me? I had the most sanguine hopes of a Speedy Settlement until this sad event happened, & will still Cherish them. Most of the people of Va. I think regarded the war as ended with Lee's surrender, & wanted peace

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    & were willing to come back on Mr. Lincoln's terms. I hope still that the policy will be such as to Keep up this feeling, & make Va. once more a loyal state. But that is yet to be seen. For myself I am sick & weary of war, secession & tumult, & long for some quiet Spot where I can live & work in peace. Whether I Can remain here is doubtful, as my Congregation is beggared by the fire, & I fear Cannot support me. I will, if permitted, stay as long as I can, & share their struggles. In a few years all will be restored again, but in the interim there must be much suffering. The money I referred to was this. I have been for several years in the habit of doing what I cd. for the U. S. prisoners here, giving & loaning them money, amounting in the aggregate to between 5 & 6000 dollars (Confed.) I took from officers an obligation

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    to refund, at their Convenience, in different ways. Some few have done it. I loaned some to a Josh. Kloppenburg, 1 Lieut, 4th N. Y. Cavalry, a Dane, who said he was on Sheridan's staff. I told him to refund to you. I know not why he has not, nor do I care much. I did these acts not as Speculation, but as a serv. believing that my Master wd repay me, if the prisoners did not, & I dont Expect to lose in the long run, for the Cup of Cold Water has its reward.

    Mrs. Rutcliffe has gone to Washn. & will tell you about us all. Judge Scarborough is in Halifax Co. I think. Judge Campell & family here. Baretor I reckon has gone with the govt. D. H. Wood I reckon is in Albimark with his friends. His family are in Larkville S. C. Pugh was with the army, but had gone home on a visit, & may be there still. Dr. Leefburn goes to Washington to-morrow & I may send this by him. - Give my Kindest remembrances to Mrs. Gurley & your daughter if with you. I hope soon to see you here. I live in the same place (Leigh b. 4th & 5th) & if you come come right here, & we will find a place for you, with a hearty welcome. Rev. Dr. Sinly Very truly yours T. V. Moore

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    T. V. Moore Letter

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    Moore, T. V.. "T. V. Moore to Phineas D. Gurley". Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. Remembering Lincoln. Web. Accessed March 29, 2024. https://rememberinglincoln.fords.org/node/704