Premonitions Before the Assassination
It was well known that Lincoln's own premonitions of his death in his dreams forewarned him during the last weeks of his life of his pending assassination.
Harriet Beecher Stowe, who claimed that the Lord had directed her to write Uncle Tom's Cabin, stated that Mr. Lincoln had confided to her his certainty that death was near; and her brother, Henry Ward Beecher, said that Lincoln had known all along that he would not survive the war. But the President, being something of a fatalist, gave little evidence of fear. In spite of repeated warnings through other psychic channels, as well as his own premonitions and dreams, he awaited his inevitable hour with calm. As the date of the assassination approached, he was unusually troubled by dreams foretelling his murder, yet he still refused to take extra precautions.[1]
Negro leader, Frederick Douglass, had written, after attending Pa’s second inauguration, “‘I felt there was murder in the air. I kept close to his carriage on the way to the Capitol. I felt I might see him fall that day. It was a vague presentiment.”[2]
Premonitions After the Assassination
but before Hearing the Tragic News
That particular April morning [April 15,1865], Putnam went over to the shanty of a venerable African American, who served as the local barber to get a shave. The old man took up his razor, put it down, and then lifted it up again, but was unable to begin his task. The barber’s arms were visibly shaking. Finally, he told the major, “Massa, I can’t shave yer this mornin’.’ Putnam could see he was very upset and asked why. “Well, somethin’s happened to Massa Linkum,” replied the old barber.
The soldier tried to reassure him that they had no news from the government of anything amiss up North. Surely, in this remote post, the army would get word first The barber, nearly in tears, was insistent, however: “We colored folks – we get news, or we get half news, sooner than you-uns. I don’t know jes’ what it is, but somethin’ has gone wrong with Massa Linkum.”
Disturbed, Putnam went over to headquarters to see if any news had arrived that he might not have heard. Other soldiers in the camp. Including the division Adjutant had experienced similar encounters with the local black population and were equally perplexed.
At noon the courier was seen rising across the field. From the man’s face, the other soldiers could tell he was bearing bad tidings. His saddle bags carried the regular mail, but he handed a special envelope directly to the Adjutant.
The officer broke open the letter and read the dispatch, but he was unable to read it aloud. A lieutenant took it from his hand, but he, too. was overcome with emotion. All the lieutenant could blurt out was, “Lincoln is dead.’’[3]
Footnotes
[1] Shelton, Harriet M. Abraham Lincoln Returns. NY: Evans Pub. Co., 1957. p. 209.
[2] Rice, Allen Reminiscences of Abraham Lincoln by Distinguished Men of his Time. NY: North American Review, 1888. p. 190. Quoted by Fleckles, Elliott V. Willie Speaks Out! The Psychic World of Abraham. Lincoln. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 1974. p. 153.
[3] Putnam, George Haven. Abraham Lincoln the Great Captain: Personal Reminisces of a Veteran of the Civil War. (Lecture delivered at Oxford University, May 3, 1928), (Oxford, 1928), p. 28-30. Quoted by: Coleman, Christopher Kiernan. The Paranormal Presidency of Abraham Lincoln: Presentiments, Precognition, Prophetic Dreams, & Other Uncanny Encounters of the 16th President of the United States. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Pub., 2012. p. 129.