Sneaking Into Town

At six am on February 23 1861 Abraham Lincoln along with his friend Ward H Lamon and Allan Pinkerton arrived by train in Washington DC. Before this leg, Lincoln’s journey east had been very public, filled with parades, rallies and speeches. However do to concerns about his safety, and rumors of a plot to kill him when he traveled through Baltimore MD, this last train ride was made in secrecy.

After reluctantly agreeing, Lincoln and his traveling companions left Harrisburg PA after dinner on the 22nd, on a special train to Philadelphia PA. From Philadelphia they connected with a late train which arrived in Baltimore MD about four in the morning. From the there they switched trains for the one into Washington, where they were met by Illinois Representative Elihu Washburne, who took them to the Willard Hotel. Lincoln’s enemies as well as many of his supporters ridiculed his sneaking into Washington. Lincoln himself came to regret the move, feeling it wasn’t a commendable action for the leader of the republic.

Some other reading you might be interested in
History And Evidence Of The Passage Of Abraham Lincoln From Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, To Washington, D.C., On February 22-23, 1861