The Lincoln Funeral Train, A Documentary

It was a time wet with tears, that fateful Spring of 1865 as the Abraham Lincoln funeral train crept from Washington, DC to Springfield, Il. Here is the complete story of this unique and sad operation as told by Lincoln scholar Dr. Wayne Wesolowski of Benedictine University in Lisle, IL. Photos of the real train and funeral sites plus footage of similar trains that exist today are used to illustrate the operation. Also shown are views of the one inch scale model of Lincoln’s private car and one of the locomotives that pulled the train are also included. Actor Max Daniels presents Lincoln’s farewell speech, given at Springfield when Lincoln departed for Washington after his election. Actual music from the funeral is played by the First Brigade band of Wisconsin.