Abraham Lincoln’s Poignant Letter Apologizing to the Mothers of War

The American Civil War was one of the deadliest conflicts in United States history, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans. But these weren’t lost in a vacuum, they were parts of families, fathers, sons, and brothers. This is best seen in the story of Mrs Bixby, a mother who supposedly has five sons in war. Rather than ignore her suffering, President Abraham Lincoln personally wrote a letter to him in one of his poignant letters.

Letters Showing the Loss of War

The American Civil War was a devastating conflict fought between the Northern states (the Union) and the Confederacy, a collection of Southern States that succeeded the Republic over the issue of slavery. To restore the Union, the United States government declared war on the Confederacy to force them back into the fold. This resulted in a deadly conflict that would go down in history as America’s deadliest war.

At the time, the 16th President was Abraham Lincoln, his leadership was marked with decisive action and brilliant policies, but also kind and understanding leadership. While Lincoln was determined to preserve the union and end slavery, he also wanted to end the suffering of the Americans from this conflict and slavery.

This can be best seen with the widow and mother, Lydia Bixby. At the time of the Civil War, she was living in Boston, Massachusetts, and had lost five sons in the fighting of the Civil War. At least that’s what she claims, but some people have questioned the validity of these claims. Some records show that her sons may have died before the war. Whatever the truth is, there is no doubt that she was suffering and that her family made a significant sacrifice.

One person who recognized this sacrifice was Abraham Lincoln who personally wrote a letter to her, offering his condolences and gratitude for what her family did. It is this nation that helped give Lincoln a much-deserved reputation for compassion and understanding. He was the president of the United States and he made sure to speak and learn about the people he rules.

The letter to Mrs. Bixby has become one of Lincoln’s most famous pieces of correspondence, often cited as a powerful example of presidential empathy and the human cost of war. It reflects the profound losses experienced by many families during the Civil War and Lincoln’s commitment to acknowledging those sacrifices.

Dear Madam,—

I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts, that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle.

I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering to you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save. I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours, to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of Freedom.

Yours, very sincerely and respectfully,

-Abraham Lincoln, Former President of the United States

If you want to create vintage letters with your own or other people’s famous lines, our Vintage Letter service allows you to make and send them here.