1  To Mr. Samuel Sinclair, of the New York Tribune, for the introduction to Mr. Lincoln, and to Frederick A. Lane, Esq., of New York, for the generous aid thus extended, I shall ever be indebted for the accomplishment of my work.

2  The authorship of this poem has been made known since this publication in the Evening Post. It was written by William Knox, a young Scotchman, a contemporary of Sir Walter Scott. He died in Edinburgh, in 1825, at the age of 36.

The two verses in brackets were not repeated by Mr. Lincoln, but belong to the original poem.

3  Hon. Henry J. Raymond.

4  Colonel Le Grand B. Cannon, of General Wool’s staff

5  Raymond’s Life of Lincoln.

6  Hon. H. J. Raymond.

7  Mr. Lincoln’s friend Brooks, of the Sacramento Union, has given to the public a somewhat different version of this story, placing its occurrence on the day of the election in 1860. The account, as I have given it, was written before I had seen that by Mr. Brooks, and is very nearly as Hay and myself heard it,—the incident making a powerful impression upon my mind. I am quite confident that Mr. Lincoln said it occurred the day he was first nominated; for he related it to us a few hours after having received intelligence of his renomination, saying, “I am reminded of it to-night.” It is possible, however, that I am mistaken in the date. Mr. Brooks’s statement that “Mrs. Lincoln” was “troubled” about it, regarding it as a “sign that Mr. Lincoln would be reëlected, but would not live through his second term,” is undoubtedly correct.

8  Holland’s Life of Abraham Lincoln.

9  My “six months” proper, at the White House, terminated, as will be seen, the last week in July, 1864. February and a part of March following I passed in Washington, and was privileged with a renewal of my previous intercourse with Mr. Lincoln.

10  San Francisco Bulletin.

11  Noah Brooks, Harper’s Monthly, July, 1865.

12  Boston Watchman and Reflector.

13  Abbott’s History of the Civil War.

14  “Accuse not a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.”

15  Speech at Charleston, September 18th, 1858.

16  Boston Commonwealth.

17  Rochester (New York) Express.

18  Colonel Charles G. Halpine, New York Citizen.

19  Correspondence of the N. Y. Independent.

20  J. C Derby, Esq., of New York.

21  Address in Philadelphia upon the death of Mr. Lincoln.

22  This article was written and first published some months previous to Mr. Lincoln’s reëlection, during the depression of the public mind following the “raid” on Washington.

23  Rev. Mr. Henderson, Louisville, Ky.

24  Mr. Murtagh, of the Washington Republican.