Lincoln's Animals

President Abraham Lincoln tried to rescue six horses on February 10th 1863 when the White House stables caught fire.

The stables at the White House caught fire on February 10th 1863. Abraham Lincoln’s security men had to restrain him to keep his from entering the structure. There were six horses trapped in the burning stable, including the pony which belonged to Lincoln’s late son Willie. The President broke open the door and would have gone into the building had he not been held back. As was recalled by one witness; William P Bogardus of Lincoln, “As we stood watching the burning building some one put a hand on the tight board fence that surrounded the barn and vaulted over. The fence was over six feet high.” All the animals in the barn were lost including two pet goats.