Lincoln's Greatcoat: The Unlikely Odyssey of a Presidential Relic - Paperback

by Reignette G. Chilton (Author)

Brooks Brothers crafted Abraham Lincoln's greatcoat in honor of the president's second inauguration. The coat's wool was "finer than cashmere." Its quilted silk lining bore an embroidered banner that read, "One Country, One Destiny." Lincoln wore the garment when he was assassinated on April 14, 1865. After his death, Mrs. Lincoln gave the greatcoat to a faithful doorkeeper. The coat was returned to Ford's Theatre more than a century after her bequest, but not before it underwent a mysterious journey. This book recounts that journey as a reminder of the 16th president and his call to "bind up wounds" and care for others.

Author Biography

Reignette G. Chilton is a researcher and author. Her essays on President Lincoln's "assassination clothing" have appeared in Gannett publications, For the People (the newsletter of the Abraham Lincoln Association), and the Surratt Courier. She lives in New Jersey.