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Background
Anna Surratt’s request was heeded. Shortly before President Johnson left office, he authorized that the body of Mrs. Surratt - the first woman executed by the United States government - be removed from the Old Penitentiary and released to her daughter for re-burial in consecrated ground. This he did, apparently, by way of binding the war-torn nation’s wounds. In the last weeks of his presidency, Johnson pardoned Lincoln conspirators Mudd, Arnold, and Spangler, and returned the body of the assassin Booth to his family.
Mary Surratt always claimed to be innocent. Johnson, however, signing her death warrant, declared otherwise: she "kept the nest” he insisted, “that hatched the egg." Neither Mrs. Surratt’s guilt, nor her innocence, has yet been indisputably established.
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Page 1/2
His Excellency
The President of the United States.
The undersigned most earnestly and respectfully addresses Your Excellency on a matter which has been for more than three years to her a source of great affliction. She seeks the privilege of removing the remains of her deceased mother, to have them interred in consecrated ground.
She fondly hopes that Your Excellency will not allow your authority in the premises to expire without granting this request, prompted only by filial love and devotion to the memory of her dear Mother.
ANNA E. SURRATT
81-98
Page 2/2
Anna E. Surratt.
Asks authority to remove
the remains of her deceased
Mother.
___________
A copy sent to the War
Dept. with the following en-
dorsement:
"The Honorable
the Secretary of War will cause
to be delivered to Anna E. Sur-
ratt the remains of her
Mother, Mary E. Surratt, for
the purpose set forth in the
within communication.
"Andrew Johnson.
"Febry [sic] 5th 1869."
