Come take a walk through Lincoln’s Final Footsteps. This self-guided tour chronicles Lincoln’s historic time in the region. Visit General Grant’s Headquarters, tour the Forts where the last battles raged, and see the grand mansions Lincoln visited in the War’s final days.
View pictures, videos, and learn new insights of Lincoln’s last weeks at www.walkinlincolnsfinalfootsteps.com.
Lincoln Timeline
President Abraham Lincoln visited the Petersburg area on three occasions: at the end of the Peninsula campaign (July 1862); immediately following the end of the opening assault on Petersburg (June 1864); and during the final push ending the war (March 24 – April 8, 1865).
Visit One
July 7, 1862 — President Lincoln and military party leave Washington on the Ariel to visit General McClellan and the Army of the Potomac at Harrison’s Landing at Berkeley Plantation.
July 8, 1862 — Lincoln arrives at Harrison’s Landing at 6:00p.m. He then reviews McClellans’ Army by corps and divisions until 9:00p.m.
July 9, 1862 — Lincoln talks with officers of the Army about military problems and records the results in a memorandum. He then leaves on the Ariel for the return trip to Washington.
Visit Two
June 20, 1864 — Lincoln departs Washington on the USS Baltimore at 5:00p.m.
June 21, 1864 — Lincoln lands at City Point (today’s Hopewell) and visits General Grant’s headquarters. He then meets a division of U.S. Colored Troops.
June 22, 1864 — Lincoln and Grant take a trip up the James River. The President visits Bermuda Hundred in Chesterfield County. He then travels up the Appomattox River to Point of Rocks in Chesterfield and tours the Bermuda Hundred defenses of General Benjamin Butler. Later, Lincoln boards the USS Baltimore to return to Washington.
June 23, 1864 — Lincoln returns to Washington.
Visit 3
March 23, 1865 — Lincoln, along with son Tad and wife Mary, board the River Queen and depart for City Point (today’s Hopewell).
March 24, 1865 — The River Queen arrives at City Point.
March 25, 1865 — Lincoln sees the smoke and hears the sounds of the 6th Corps picket line attack from Fort Wadsworth with his son Tad.
March 26, 1865 — Lincoln spends the day traveling up the James River visiting troops at Aiken’s Landing in Henrico County. The President rides by horse over muddy roads to visit a division of black troops. Mary Lincoln and Julia Grant follow in an ambulance wagon. Lincoln returns to the River Queen for dinner.
March 27, 1865 — Lincoln travels up the Appomattox River to Point of Rocks in Chesterfield County, where he visits wounded soldiers.
March 28, 1865 — Lincoln holds a conference with General Grant and others aboard the River Queen at City Point.
March 29, 1865 — Grant boards a train preparing to move his headquarters closer to anticipated hot spots at the western end of his siege lines. Lincoln sees Grant off then returns to Point of Rocks.
March 30, 1865 — Lincoln spends the day in the cabin of Lt. Colonel Theodore Bowers at City Point waiting on news of the war.
March 31, 1865 — Lincoln receives word from Grant that Union troops are now in command of the White Oak Road area in Dinwiddie County.
April 1, 1865 — Mary Lincoln goes back to Washington, while Lincoln receives word about the victory at Five Forks in Dinwiddie County. Lincoln is awakened around 2:00a.m. by a dream of his death.
April 2, 1865 — Grant sends Lincoln a telegram informing him about the complete capture of Petersburg, with 12,000 prisoners and fifty guns taken.
April 3, 1865 — Lincoln travels by train to the fallen city of Petersburg. The President leaves the train and rides by horse to Fort Mahone, where he weeps when he sees dead Union and Confederate troops from the April 2 battle. Lincoln then proceeds to the Wallace House where he meets with General Grant.
April 4, 1865 — Lincoln visits Richmond. The Capital of the Confederacy has fallen to the Union Army. He then spends the night on board the Malvern.
April 5, 1865 — Lincoln returns to City Point.
April 6, 1865 — Mrs. Lincoln returns to City Point and visits Richmond.
April 7, 1865 — Lincoln visits Petersburg again, arriving by train in the city’s Old Towne area. He travels by carriage to Centre Hill Mansion where he meets with General George Hartsuff.
April 8, 1865 — Lincoln visits the Depot Field Hospital at City Point and then departs for Washington.
Come take a walk through Lincoln’s Final Footsteps. This self-guided tour chronicles Lincoln’s historic time in the region.