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Lincoln Quiz

When President Lincoln died in April of 1865, his body was returned to his hometown by what route?

Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton arranged the itinerary of the Lincoln funeral train from Washington, D.C., to Springfield, Illinois. The route was similiar to the 1861 inaugural journey but omitted Cincinnati and Pittsburgh and included Chicago.

In Washington, Lincoln's body was placed on a train drawn by the engine Edward H. Jones (various engines pulled the train on the 1,666-mile trip). The coffin of his son William had been disinterred from a Georgetown cemetery and traveled in the same funeral car.

Along the route, thousands of mourners watched the train, and huge crowds paid their respects when the body arrived in major cities. Elaborate horse-drawn hearses carried the coffin from the train to the sites where public viewing was allowed.

On May 4, the bodies of Lincoln and his son arrived at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, where commitment services were held.

April 21, 1865
Funeral train leaves Washington, D.C., and arrives in Baltimore, Maryland, and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, for public viewing.

April 22, 1865
Train leaves Harrisburg and arrives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

April 23, 1865
Train remains in Philadelphia during public viewing.

April 24, 1865
Train leaves Philadelphia and arrives in New York City for public viewing.

April 25, 1865
Train leaves New York City and arrives in Albany, New York, for public viewing.

April 26, 1865
Train leaves Albany and travels through New York state.

April 27, 1865
Train arrives in Buffalo, New York, for public viewing and heads for Ohio.

April 28, 1865
Train arrives in Cleveland, Ohio, for public viewing.

April 29, 1865
Train leaves Cleveland and travels to Columbus, Ohio, for public viewing.

April 30, 1865
Train arrives in Indianapolis, Indiana, for public viewing.

May 1, 1865
Train leaves Indianapolis and arrives in Chicago, Illinois, for public viewing.

May 2, 1865
Train leaves Chicago for Springfield, Illinois.

May 3, 1865
Train completes journey in Springfield, where final viewing is held.

The original Lincoln funeral car was destroyed by fire in the twentieth century, but you can see photos of an accurate scale model on Abraham Lincoln Online.

Other Quizzes

  • What happened when filmmaker Ken Burns covered the Lincoln assassination?
  • What event happened on May 26, 1854, which re-awakened Lincoln's interest in politics?
  • By what route was Lincoln's body returned to his hometown?
  • Which speech did Lincoln say would "wear as well as--perhaps better than--any thing I have produced"?
  • Which Lincoln relative died on January 17, 1851?
  • How did Lincoln spend Christmas week as President and President-elect?
  • Which impact did Lincoln's election have on his professional life?
  • Which friend of Lincoln was killed on October 21, 1861?
  • Which two things would Lincoln not want you to know?
  • How did Lincoln bring fame to Beardstown, Illinois?
  • How did Lincoln spend the Fourth of July?
  • What was Lincoln's postal job like?
  • What happened the morning of February 11, 1861?
  • What happened behind the scenes with Lincoln's First Inaugural Address?

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