Julia Gardiner Tyler Gives Details of John Tyler’s Last Hours

It was through a singular dream I had that I came to Richmond in time to be with Mr. Tyler during all his illness, which ended with his death, January 18, 1862. He had gone on before, in his usual health, and I was to follow with the baby, Pearl, for a stay of a few weeks, after visiting my friends at Brandon and Shirley on the river, which I intended should consume at least a week; but I awoke the morning I had proposed to leave with a troublesome dream. I thought I had risen to dress, but on looking back to the bed, observed Mr. Tyler lying there, looking pale and ill. I remarked it to Nancy, the maidservant, who had come in to assist me in dressing. It seemed he heard me speak, and said: "Are you awake, darling; come and hold my head." My feelings were so sad that he should have waited until I awoke before telling me he felt ill, that I really awoke, much distressed, and as I did so, Nancy entered the room, and warned me it was time to dress for the boat. I surprised her by saying that I intended going right on to Richmond, without stopping anywhere on the river, and narrated my dream. She knew I had looked forward with pleasure to making the visits to my friends, and begged I would not be influenced by my dream, saying: "You know, mistress, dreams always go by contraries;" but none of the family could dissuade me from going direct to Richmond; and so, with old nurse, Fanny, and the baby, I arrived at the Exchange Hotel on Friday, January 10th, after dark, and entirely unexpected. On alighting from the carriage, I was recognized by Col. Edward C. Cabell, who assisted me. My first enquiry was in regard to the President, and my anxiety was allayed on hearing he was quite well. He said I was taking my husband by surprise, as he had just left his room, and heard from him that I would not be in Richmond for some time. He proposed to go in search of him, as they had left his room together, and had parted at the reading-room. I knew the location of his room, and said we would await him there. In a few moments I heard his hurried steps on the bridge, which, you know, joins the Exchange to the Ballard House. The baby clapped her little hands on seeing him. As he took her from the nurse he said, gleefully, "I really believe she knows me"—he had been away from her two or three weeks; and then he wanted to know what all this change in my plans, since my letter of the day before, meant. I told the dream, which quite amused him. The next day, the parlor was filled with our visitors, and all were remarking on the health and cheerfulness of the President. Mr. Boulware said to him, "how becoming is your new suit!" The President laughed heartily, and replied, "I wear it in honor of my wife's arrival; but I had always thought until now that there was no use in my having a new suit of clothes, for no one ever noticed it." That night (Saturday) I awoke in the night suffering from headache. The President placed his hand on my head, and said "your forehead is so cold; shan't I send for the doctor? You see your dream is out; it is your head that I am holding, and not you mine." I asked for morphine. He arose, weighed some, and gave it to me, and very soon I was entirely relieved. The next morning when I awoke, quite early, I observed him standing before the fire nearly dressed. Then he said, "your dream now is out, for I believe I have had a chill, and I have determined to go down to the breakfast table and take a cup of hot tea." I begged he would have it sent for, and lie down again; but he preferred to go for it, and so I, not thinking his illness was serious, remained where I was, to sleep off the effects of the morphine. I was aroused by the entrance of the President returning, and alarmed to see him with collar open, and cravat in hand. He exclaimed, "I would not have had it happen for a great deal; it will be all around the town!" and then went on to tell me he had risen to leave the table, staggered and fell. He was lifted and carried to the parlor, where, lying on the sofa, he recovered consciousness, and then insisted upon coming alone to his room, lest I should be alarmed. His friends began surging into the room before I could rise to attend him. They were very solicitous, and extended him on the sofa; but he assured them he was better, and would send for his doctor, and then he could not help relating my dream, saying, "her dream is a true one, and I leave my wife and her children to God and my country." The gentlemen left the room, expressing wishes soon to hear from him, and to be of service. Dr. Peachy arrived, and pronounced his case a billious attack, united with bronchitis, as he was soon troubled with a cough. He did not take to his bed entirely, and desired to receive and converse with the friends who called upon him; but as his symptoms did not improve, and he had much headache, his physician insisted he should go home and have perfect quiet for a few days, for his mind was constantly exercised over the situation of the country, and he could talk of little else, except to express such tender love and anxiety for his family. How I will treasure all his loving expressions! The doctor gave him a morphine mixture for his cough, which soothed it, but caused him to make wandering remarks when half asleep.

Mr. Rives had an interview with him on Thursday (the 16th) in regard to his son residing in New York, whose property he feared might be in danger of confiscation. He took occasion to request that Mr. Rives would ask the permission of Congress to his absence for a few days, according to the wish of his physician. He was always so scrupulous in his obedience to rules. He said we would go to Sherwood on Saturday; but alas! on Friday night, just after he had retired to bed, expressing the hope that he was better, and would have a good sleep, and had slept for an hour, he suddenly awoke with a feeling of suffocation, which immediately aroused me. Robert Tyler, who had determined to spend the night, and be of any assistance if needed, and had arranged himself to sleep upon the sofa, hastened for Dr. Brown, whose room was upon the same floor. By my side of the bed was a cot for the baby. He threw himself across to it in his restlessness, which awoke the child, who whimpered a little. He raised himself up, saying: "Poor little thing, how I disturb her," and laid back on his pillow. I bathed his head and chest with spirits, while the nurse hushed the little one. He asked to have her brought to him that he might kiss her. Dr. Brown came in without delay, and prescribed mustard plasters and brandy. The President said: "Doctor, I think you are mistaken," but took the stimulant. Dr. Peachy entered, to whom he said: "Doctor, I am going." Dr. Peachy answered: "I hope not, sir." The President added: "Perhaps it is best," (his last words). I held again the stimulant to his lips; his teeth chattered on the glass; he looked forward with a radiant expression, as if he saw something to surprise and please, and then, as if falling asleep, was gone! The bedstead on which he died was exactly like the one I saw him upon in my dream, and unlike any of our own.

"So passed the strong, heroic soul away.”

SOURCE: Lyon Gardiner Tyler, The Letters and Times of the Tylers, Volume 2, pp. 670-2

Proceedings of Congress.

Congress sat yesterday with open doors, devoting their entire session to suitable tributes to the virtues and services of their late fellow-member, the venerable and lamented ex-President Tyler. All day long his honored remains lay in state, in the draped Hall of Congress, covered with the flag of his country, with a wreath of evergreens and white roses on his breast; and multitudes of both sexes visited the chamber to take a last look at his well-known features, and testify by their presence their sense of the public loss. As the hour for the meeting of Congress drew near, the space allotted to spectators rapidly filled with ladies and gentlemen. At twelve o'clock President Cobb took the chair, and an earnest and touching prayer was offered by Rev. Dr. Hoge.

Mr. MACFARLAND, of Virginia, rose and said:

Mr. President: My colleagues have been pleased to assign to me the sad duty of preparing resolutions, to express the sense of Congress of the great bereavement it is summoned unexpectedly to mourn and lament. I wish it were in my power to perform the mournful duty in a manner satisfactory to the sensibilities of Congress and the country. Any announcement of the decease of the Hon. John Tyler is imperfect and inadequate, fails of giving utterance to the nation's lamentation, if it do not present him as a statesman and patriot in whom his countrymen delighted to repose their confidence, and who failed not to derive fresh incentives to honor and revere him from the faithfulness and ability with which he administered every trust.

John Tyler is an historical name. He was himself permitted to hear the judgment of his generation, and I might say, of posterity, upon the labors and motives of his life, pronouncing that they were alike elevated and successful. He was the venerable representative of the memories of a past age, with its renounced alliances and associations, and zealous and efficient in the reforms and progress which have made the period of his latter days forever memorable. His fame is indissolubly blended with the history of his times, and shall survive the most enduring memorials of personal affection, or of public esteem. Live, he still does, and will, in his example, his deeds, the purity of his public and private life, in his matured counsels and inflexible devotion to Constitutional and Republican Government. However profoundly the blow smote upon our own feelings, "where else could he have been relieved of the yoke of his labors so well as in the field where he bore them?"

The time in which he lived was characterized by fierce political and party divisions; and Mr. Tyler was ever intrepid in avowing his opinions, and resolute in defending them. His career as chief-magistrate of the United States exposed him to painful collisions, and demanded of him the exercise of the highest fortitude and intrepidity. He met his trials then, as he did all others, as a good and brave man may, with patience and confidence, in the ultimate vindication of his motives. It was reserved for him, here in his own State, and in her august convention, to receive the unanimous vote of the entire body, on being proposed as a delegate to this Provisional Congress—an emphatic and deserved tribute to the fidelity of his eventful life, and to the weight of his character.

Mr. President, it is not alone for his statesmanship, and the length and variety of his public services, that Mr. Tyler will be gratefully remembered, and that admiring memories will fondly revert to, and recall him. As in his successive elevation from one high trust to another, until he had compassed the entire round of political preferment, an increase of reputation, fame, homage, met him at every advance, so in private life it was his privilege to secure the respect, confidence and esteem of all who approached him. Of the most obliging courtesy, genial, generous and confiding; and withal, so engaging for his copious eloquence, his sympathy for his fellow man, and his profound views of the questions which engaged the public attention, all persons were instinctively attracted to him, nor did any go away without admiring him. You remember, sir, how the gentlemen of this House were accustomed to cluster around him, and how engaging and attractive he was always found. Nothing now remains for us, but the last and sad office of mourning friends, to commemorate the afflicting dispensation.

I move the adoption of the following resolutions:

Resolved, That Congress has heard, with the deepest sensibility, of the death, in this city, on the morning of Saturday, the 18th instant, of the Hon. John Tyler, a member of this Congress from the State of Virginia.

Resolved, That as a testimonial of respect for the memory of this illustrious statesman and honored patriot, the members of the Congress will wear the usual badge of mourning for thirty days, and will attend the funeral of deceased at twelve o'clock to-morrow.

Resolved, That a committee of one member from each State be appointed to superintend the funeral solemnities.

Resolved, That the proceedings of this body, in relation to the death of the Hon. John Tyler, be communicated by the President of Congress to the family of deceased.

Resolved, That as a further mark of respect to the memory of the deceased, that Congress do now adjourn.

Eulogies on the deceased were then pronounced by Messrs. Hunter and Rives, of Virginia Wigfall, of Texas; Venable, of North Carolina; and Rhett, of South Carolina.

The resolutions were then adopted, but the adjournment was stayed to enable the Speaker to present a copy of the resolutions adopted by the General Assembly of Virginia, on Saturday, in relation to the death of Mr. Tyler.

On motion of Mr. Bocock, of Virginia, a committee to make arrangements for the funeral obsequies was appointed.

The Speaker announced the committee as follows: Messrs. Bocock, of Virginia; Smith, of Alabama; Johnson, of Arkansas; Ward, of Florida; Crawford, of Georgia; Burnett, of Kentucky: Conrad, of Louisiana; Harris, of Mississippi; Bell, of Missouri; Morehead, of North Carolina; Boyce, of South Carolina; Atkins, of Tennessee; and Oldham, of Texas.

On motion, Congress Adjourned.

SOURCES: Lyon Gardiner Tyler, The Letters and Times of the Tylers, Volume 2, pp. 674-6; “Proceedings Of Congress,” Daily Richmond Whig, Richmond, Virginia, Tuesday Morning, January 21, 1862, p. 2, col. 1 & 2

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: March 2, 1865

Raining. No well-authenticated news; but by many it is believed Staunton is in the hands of the enemy, and Lynchburg menaced. Nevertheless, the government is sending a portion of the archives and stores to Lynchburg!

The clergymen are at work begging supplies for the soldiers; and they say the holding of Richmond and the success of the cause depend upon the success of their efforts, the government being null! A large per cent. of these preachers is of Northern birth and some of them may possibly betray the cause if they deem it desperate. This is the history of such men in the South so far. But the President trusts them, and we must trust the President.

Hon. Wm. C. Rives has resigned his seat in Congress. Alleged causes, ill health and great age-over 70.

The Negro bill still hangs fire in Congress.

Roger A. Pryor is to be exchanged. He was the guest of Forney in Washington, and had interviews with President Lincoln.

The government is impressing horses in the streets, to collect the tobacco preparatory for its destruction in the event of the city falling into the hands of the enemy. This fact is already known in the North and published in the papers there. A pretty passport and police system, truly!

I saw a paper to-day from Mr. Benjamin, saying it had been determined, in the event of burning the tobacco, to exempt that belonging to other governments—French and Austrian; but that belonging to foreign subjects is not to be spared. This he says is with the concurrence of the British Government. Tobacco is being moved from the city with all possible expedition.

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 2, p. 437-8

William C. Rives to Major General Robert E. Lee, April 28, 1861

CASTLE H1LL, COBHAM P. O., 28th April, 1861.

MY DEAR SIR:

Being recently in Richmond on business for a single day, I had it very much at heart to call and pay my respects to you.

But being prevented from doing so by very urgent engagements, I hope you will allow me, in this form, to express to you the very great gratification I have felt at your appointment to the chief command of our military and naval forces. The moment is one of so much exigency as to call for a combination of qualities rarely found united in the same character.

In you we feel that we possess them all in their highest development. The confidence and heart of the whole State are with you; and while in so general an acclamation of approbation and congratulation, no one voice can have much value, I trust you will not deem it intrusive if I venture to add mine, with the assurance of the highest respect and warmest good wishes with which I am truly and faithfully,

Yours,

W. C. RIVES.

MAJ.-GEN. ROBERT E. LEE.

SOURCE: John William Jones, Life and Letters of Robert Edward Lee: Soldier and Man, p. 141