n the President, is furnished in the contemporaneous
record of Secretary Welles, a singularly cool observer and clear
narrator. "I had retired to bed about half-past ten on the evening of
the 14th of April," writes Mr. Welles, "and was just getting asleep when
Mrs. Welles, my wife, said some one was at our door.... I arose at once
and raised a window, when my messenger, James Smith, called to me that
Mr. Lincoln, the President, had been shot; and said Secretary Seward and
his son, Assistant Secretary Frederick Seward, were assassinated.... I
immediately dressed myself, and, against the earnest remonstrance and
appeals of my wife, went directly to Mr. Seward's, whose residence was
on the east side of the square, mine being on the north.... Entering the
house, I found the lower hall and office full of persons, and among them
most of the foreign legations, all anxiously inquiring what truth there
was in the horrible rumors afloat.... At the head of the first stairs I
met the elder Mrs. Seward, who was scarcely able to speak, but desired
me to proceed up to Mr. Seward's room.... As I entered, I met Miss Fanny
Seward, with whom I exchanged a single word, and proceeded to the foot
of the bed. Dr. Verdi, and, I think, two others, were there. The bed was
saturated with blood. The Secretary was lying on his back, the upper
part of his head covered by a cloth, which extended down over his eyes.
His mouth was open, the lower jaw dropping down. I exchanged a few
whispered words with Dr. Verdi. Secretary Stanton, who came after but
almost simultaneously with me, made inquiries in a louder tone till
admonished by a word from one of the physicians. We almost immediately
withdrew and went into the adjoining front room, where lay Frederick
Seward. His eyes were open, but he did not move them, nor a limb, nor
did he speak. Doctor White, who was in attendance, told me he was
unconscious and more dangerously injured than his father.... As we
descended the stairs, I asked Stanton what he had heard in regard to the
President that was reliable. He said the President was shot at Ford's
Theatre, that he had seen a man who was present and witnessed the
occurrence. I said I would go immediately to the White House. Stanton
told me the President was not there but was at the theatre. 'Then,' said
I, 'let us go immediately there.' ... The President had been carried
across the street from the theatre, to the house of a Mr. Peterson. We
entered by ascend