The Grand Army of the Republic Museum was in the news today again. It’s an interesting issue regarding the Lincoln relic owned by the museum. They have been asked to have the blood stained fabric that was part of the pillow case that cradled the dying president’s head after the assassination DNA tested for evidence of a rare genetic syndrome. The board of directors will make a decision in early May. It’s interesting to note that Lincoln’s surviving son was known to be adamant in his desire to let his father rest in peace after the attempt to steal his body in 1876. One can speculate that his feelings on this matter would extend to DNA testing as well.
We are at the eve of the 144th anniversary of Lincoln’s assassination and by coincidence I have been reading, for the last four months, “A Team of Rivals” by Doris Kearns Goodwin. I confess, this is the first Lincoln book I have read and it has been facinating. I had some vague ideas about the civil war (war between the states) but really did not pay a lot of attention to the overall picture of what was going on in the country at the time. This book brings it all together and let’s you walk away with your own conclusions. I have added this to our Amazon bookstore page and it’s worth the price of the paperback edition.
