Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft: Monday, March 4, 1861

This has been an eventful day in Washington. A Lincoln has been Inaugurated Pre^s of the U.S. His address seems to give general satisfaction. I stood near him and heard it distinctly. The crowd was very great at the Capitol, probably Thirty Thousand people stood before Mr L, and all were very orderly, and nothing has occured during the day to interupt the proceedings. Was at Willards this evening with Brother C R, great crowd there still. Wife & boys saw the procession pass and went to the “White House.”

SOURCE: Taft, Horatio Nelson. The Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft, 1861 to 1865. Volume 1, January 1,1861 to 1865, 1861. Manuscript/Mixed Material. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/mtaft000001/. Image 24. (Accessed April 17, 2018.)

Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft, Thursday, February 20, 1862

This has been a bright pleasant day, quite a rarity for a month past. There is no particular news in the papers. I have been down onto the Av^e this evening. Called upon Mr Daws M.C. who is sick at his rooms co[rne]^r of 8^th & Av^e, bought some maps and two Flags in view of the Celebration of the 22^nd. I must make arrangements tomorrow to illuminate on Saturday night. We hear tonight with much sorrow that our little friend Willie Lincoln died at 5 p.m. He had been sick for near three weeks with Typhoid fever. “Bud” has been to see him or to enquire about him almost every day. He and his Mother were there yesterday about noon. Willie was then thought to be better. He was an amiable good hearted boy, was here with our boys almost every day or our boys were there. We all got much attached to him & “Tad” his Brother. He had more judgment and foresight than any boy of his age that I have ever known, poor Willie we all lament.

Source: Horatio Nelson Taft, The Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft, 1861-1865. Volume 1, January 1,1861-April 11, 1862, Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Washington D. C.