Abraham Lincoln’s Last Happy Days Before the Assassination
Our American Stories
iHeartPodcasts
4.6 • 817 Ratings
🗓️ 10 April 2026
⏱️ 11 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
On this episode of Our American Stories, in April 1865, just days after the Civil War ended, Abraham Lincoln experienced what many described as one of the happiest periods of his life. The war was coming to a close, and Lincoln’s schedule reflected a shift toward rebuilding the nation.
However, during what was supposed to be a relaxing night at the theater, John Wilkes Booth carried out the assassination that would change American history. Our own Lee Habeeb shares the story of the final hours before Lincoln was shot and the events that led to his death on April 15, 1865.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is an I-Heart podcast. |
| 0:02.3 | Guaranteed human. |
| 0:13.8 | And we continue with our American stories. |
| 0:17.6 | Up next, the short, happy life of Abraham Lincoln, his final days. By all accounts, |
| 0:26.3 | Good Friday, just two days before Easter on April 14, 1865, was the happiest day of President |
| 0:34.4 | Abraham Lincoln's life. It had most certainly been the happiest few weeks of his life. |
| 0:40.7 | According to James Swanson, author of the New York Times bestseller, Manhunt, |
| 0:46.1 | The Twelve Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer. |
| 0:49.8 | Here is what Swanson wrote. |
| 0:52.5 | Lincoln had won the war. |
| 0:54.4 | Richmond fell on April 3rd. |
| 0:57.0 | Lee surrendered on April 9th. |
| 0:59.3 | And Lincoln gave his final speech from the White House grounds the evening of April 11th. |
| 1:05.5 | The night before the night Lincoln was shot by his assassin, |
| 1:09.9 | local newspapers reported it being the most beautiful night |
| 1:12.9 | in the history of Washington |
| 1:14.6 | as the city celebrated the ending of the bloodiest and costliest war |
| 1:19.4 | ever fought on American soil. |
| 1:22.6 | Fireworks, flares, and other sources of every imaginable variety |
| 1:26.4 | illuminated the evening sky. |
| 1:29.7 | Again, James Swanson. |
| 1:31.8 | One of the papers said that the Capitol Dome was so beautiful that night that it looked |
... |
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