The following 1922 letter written by Pvt. Daniel Shaner of Co. E reveals his duty at the White House the night Abraham Lincoln was shot. After being honorably discharged from the Roundheads in 1864, Shaner went on to the Veteran Reserve Corps. Shaner ultimately settled in Washington State in the small town of Mossyrock near Mt. St. Helens. He died in 1926 and is buried in Klickitat Cemetery.
(*Note: Thanks to George Branigan for transribing this National Archives letter, a copy of which was provided to him by Pat Vedner, a genealogist studying the Shaner surname. Several words in the letter approaching illegibility were re-read and transcribed by the website author)
March 6, 1922
Comisioner of Pensions Washington
Sir I am a pensioner Granted for wounds Recieved May 12, 1864 at the Battle of Spottsylvania Va I was a member of Co. E. 100 Pa Vet regt of Cap NJ Maxwells Co and Col Daniel Leasures regt Gen A. E. Burnsides 9 Army Corps first Div My Pension started at 6. per month then raised to 8.00 then to 12 and at last to $50.00 My wife and I Can live very well now we are 50 years maryed have raised 6 boys and 6 girls 4 boys are dead to shot and 2 Dead of Disease I was on duty at the White house when a lincoln was asasinated april 14 at 10 oclock at fords theater I was on gard at W. h. Sewards house after his throat was Cut in 1865 I then was in Co A 9 VRC: a regt of all wounded men I have the names of all who Saw Mr Lincoln Die the morn of april 15 1865 at 7.30 oclock I think I have the photograph of the 38 colts revolver which J W Booth used to shoot the President I know a man in oregon at [unreadable ?] who has the Gun I Could mail a photograph of the gun to Put in to the Smithsonian institute at Wash DC. if wanted
yours respectfully
Daniel Shaner
I give Albert Johnson as offered
a member of Congress inWashington DC
cet 125.131
[Stamped with seal of pension office on Mar 11 1922]