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Fake Lincoln Photos – Lincoln with the 5th New York Cavalry
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on November 2, 2016
The photograph shown above was purportedly taken by O. Pierre Havens of Ossining, New York in either 1862 or 1863, of the camp of the 5th New York Cavalry. In the center of the picture, seated, is a man wearing a top hat. While many people have concluded that the man is Abraham Lincoln, Stefan Lorant, author of Lincoln, A Picture Story of His Life (page 308), is skeptical.
An enlargement of the center of the picture is shown above. Lorant believes that the casual and informal attitudes of the soldiers in the picture makes it unlikely that it is Lincoln. But if it is not Lincoln, then who is it?
For a more complete discussion of this photograph, see Civil War Talk.
This photo supposedly of Lincoln was taken at the Appomattox Plantation Manor, City Point, VA at Grant’s cabin there BUT Grant never met with Lincoln and hadn’t for a good while. I toured the Manor house and grounds when we lived on the banks of the Appomattox where it joins the James River and know exactly where the original cabin was located, now a replica stands. There are photos in side the Manor house. The grounds are now known at the Appomattox Manor Plantation. I am pretty sure this photo is doctored but I saw this exact photo there several years ago and it also has Lincoln in it.
Here is the info I obtained from a friend who is in the Sons of Confederate Veterans and sharp on the Civil War. He wrote me back:
It was taken at the manor but he never visited Lee, they had not seen each other since the Mexican War until the Appomattox surrender. David Wright, SCV