Australia and The American Civil War - Assassination of Abraham Lincoln

Assassination of Abraham Lincoln

The news of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln caused demonstrations of sorrow in Sydney. An editorial in Melbourne's "The Age" newspaper on June 27, 1865 reported that in Sydney the assassination of Lincoln had caused great indignation. There were many Australian sympathizers that wanted to put an end to slavery, a central issue with Lincoln and his Emancipation Proclamation. A memorial service was held in Sydney's Prince of Wales Opera House on Sunday afternoon July 9, 1865. There were strong feelings of anger at public meetings against the killer of Lincoln, a person so dedicated to his country. They figured he was a genius who rose "from a log cabin to the White House."

A public meeting was held in Sydney to express sympathy for Lincoln's death and a meeting of American citizens held on June 26, 1865 had decided to forward a letter of condolence to Mrs. Lincoln, to contribute for a monumental tablet, and wear mourning for a month. There was a letter of sympathy sent to Lincoln's wife from the mayor of the city of Sydney expressing the city's condolences.

News of Lincoln's assassination was reported in the Melbourne's "The Age" on June 24, 1865. In the Melbourne newspapers, editorials were prominent. There was mention in the Melbourne Herald for June 26, 1865 that many of the American houses in town carried their national ensign at half-mast as a mark of respect to the memory of the late President. William Blanchard, the U.S. Consul in Melbourne at the time, on finding out the news of Lincoln's death, caused the consular flag to be kept at half-mast until July 4, 1865. The City Council of Melbourne passed a resolution "expressive of its horror and detestation of the atrocious murder of the late Chief Magistrate."

There were other letters of sympathy from Australia. They came from the Polish and Hungarian Refugees in Melbourne dated July 4, 1865; Citizens of the Swiss Republic Residents in New South Wales; Sydney Irish National League, NSW Branch, dated July 22, 1865; and from the mayor of Sydney Municipal Council dated July 17, 1865. Another letter of sympathy came from the town of Geelong in Victoria, addressed to "Mrs. Lincoln, Washington, America" dated August 22, 1865.

Lincoln assassin John Wilkes Booth is also held (by some conspiracy theorist) to have escaped to Australia, on a whaler the Tigris out of New Bedford, coincidentally the Tigris sister vessel the Euphrates had fallen victim to the Confederate raider the Shenandoah. Booth was transported to South Australia, via the former whaling stations at Victor Harbor, or Hog Bay on Kangaroo Island. Booth settled in the Hahndorf region of Adelaide (or possibly Portland in Victoria). Land titled to a Jack Holmes, unionist, was held from 1866 to 1873 a pseudonym from Booths mothers maiden name.