Figure 1.--This is a colorized version of an Alexander Gardner portrait. This image of President Lincoln with his Tad was taken on Sunday, February 5, 1865. ardner reported the date as April 9th, 1865, however recent evidence indicates the earlier date in February. The modern colorizer has removed the background which was only a studio back drop to msimplify the colorization process. Tad seems to be wearingh his Army uniform. You can see the original black and white portrait on the previous page.

A year after arriving in the White House, both boys contracted typhoid fever and were bedridden (February 1862). Willie died, but Tad recovered. Both the President and the First Lady were devetated and the atmosphere in the White House changed. After Willie's death, his parents became even more lenient with Tad's behavior. [Wead, pp. 90-91.] Tad also changed, he became notably became more sedate, but the key word herre was 'more'. He was still largely undisciplined. He and his father grew closer than ever before. The 13th Pennsylvania Reserves were nicknamed the "Buck tails". Soldiers from the regiment were assigned to guard the President's family. Tad became very close to these these soldiers and the soldiers returned his fondness. [Turner and Turner, p. 250.] Tad continued to be impulsive and largely unrestrained by his parents. He was not sent to school. Rather a string of tutors were hired. John Hay, the President's secretary relates that numerous tutors were engaged, but usually quit in frustration after only a short time with Tad. Tad thus had free run of the White House and plenty of time to get up some develment. A vast litany of his exploits were noted by staff and visitors. Tad would often accompany the President when he visited the troops in the forts ringing Washington. He also went along with his mother when she brought flowers, food, and books to wounded soldiers. The white House received parcels of treats and liquors from all over the country. Mrs. Lincoln took much of this to the soldiers. Apparently Tad liked to have Col. Thomas Sweney accompany him and his mother on these trips. Like his parents, Tad loved the theater. At Grover's theater. Tad often went to rehearsals and became a familiar figure backstage. He became quite a hit with the stage workmen. He personally appeared in at least two plays when his dad was in the audience. Just before his father's assassination, Tad accompanied his father to Richmond where they toured the Confederate capital just a few days after Lee's army had been forced to abandoned it. The first Union troops to enter the city was a black calvary unit. Lincoln and Tad toured the city without incident. Only a few sailors guarded them.

Willie's Death (February 1862)

A year after arriving in the White House, both boys contracted typhoid fever and were bedridden (February 1862). Willie died, but Tad recovered. Both the President and the First Lady were devetated and the atmosphere in the White House changed. After Willie's death, his parents became even more lenient with Tad's behavior. [Wead, pp. 90-91.] Tad also changed, he became notably became more sedate, but the key word herre was 'more'. He was still largely undisciplined. He and his father grew closer than ever before.

The Buck Tails

The 13th Pennsylvania Reserves were nicknamed the "Buck tails". Soldiers from the regiment were assigned to guard the President's family. Tad became very close to these these soldiers and the soldiers returned his fondness. [Turner and Turner, p. 250.]

Exploits

Tad continued to be impulsive and largely unrestrained by his parents. He was not sent to school. Rather a string of tutors were hired. John Hay, the President's secretary relates that numerous tutors were engaged, but usually quit in frustration after only a short time with Tad. Tad thus had free run of the White House and plenty of time to get up some develment. A vast litany of his exploits were noted by staff and visitors. He was known to interrupt Presidential meetings and even charge visitors, including important visitors, to see his father. He continued to collect a virtual Noah's Ark of animals. [Wead, p. 93.]

War Visits

Tad would often accompany the President when he visited the troops in the forts ringing Washington. He also went along with his mother when she brought flowers, food, and books to wounded soldiers. The white House received parcels of treats and liquors from all over the country. Mrs. Lincoln took much of this to the soldiers. Apparently Tad liked to have Col. Thomas Sweney accompany him and his mother on these trips. Mrs. Lincoln wrote to Sweney about one of these trips, "About 1 o'clock to day, Taddie & myself are going in the carriage about a mile & half out to carry some flowers && to the sick soldiers, if you are disengaged, will you go with us. Taddie, as usual is appropriating you, for a ride on horseback this afternoon to the Navy Yard. It is sometimes, unfortunate, to be a favorite, with so exacting a young man." [M. Lincoln Letter, April 1863.]

The Theater

Like his parents, Tad loved the theater. At Grover's theater. Tad often went to rehearsals and became a familiar figure backstage. He became quite a hit with the stage workmen. He personally appeared in at least two plays when his dad was in the audience.

Richmond (April 1865)

Just before his father's assassination, Tad accompanied his father to Richmond where they toured the Confederate capital just a few days after Lee's army had been forced to abandoned it. The first Union troops to enter the city was a black calvary unit. Lincoln and Tad toured the city without incident. Only a few sailors guarded them.

Sources

Turner, Justin G. and Linda Levitt Turner. Mary Todd Lincoln: Her Life and Letters (Alfred A. Knopf: New York, 1972), 744p.

Wead, Doug. All The Presidents' Children (Atria Books: Mew York, 2003).