Existing comment:
The President's House, Washington
J. Andrews, ca 1830
At the beginning of the Civil War, the Frontier Guard from Kansas guarded the White House to protect against an attack on Washington and prevent a conspiracy to kidnap the President. They were discharged after only a few months due to inactivity. In 1863, a company from Ohio was deployed to guard the front entrance of the executive mansion. But it was not until the following year that the government provided around the clock protection for the President. While Lincoln often shrugged off concern for his safety, Ward Hill Lamon, Lincoln's friend and self-appointed bodyguard, insisted to the President, "you know and ought to know that your life is sought after, and will be taken, unless you and your friends are cautious."
In spite of this concern from others, Abraham Lincoln risked his and his family's safety by living at the Cottage for over a quarter of his presidency. For the entire first summer in residence, Lincoln commuted to and from the White House alone and unguarded. |