header image

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside
Weather


 
Calendar
Today in
S.C.V. History
September 18
1962 - Articles of incorporation filed for Golden State Memorial Hospital on Lyons Avenue [story]
Golden State Hospital


Note: Lincoln was mortally wounded the evening of April 14, 1865. He died the following morning, April 15, at 7:22 a.m.

 

abrahamlincoln[Veterans Administration] – One hundred and fifty years ago, on April 14, 1865, just a few days after Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox, President Abraham Lincoln was in the midst of another grueling day. Since the surrender, much needed to be done to finish the war and bring the nation together again. That morning he met with his cabinet and General Grant to discuss what to do about Confederate President Jefferson Davis and other Southern leaders.

Lincoln later joined his wife for lunch and they rode out to the Navy Yard to see three monitor ships that were damaged in the Fort Fisher engagement. He returned that afternoon to more meetings, had dinner with Illinois Governor Oglesby, and met afterwards with several others on congressional matters before leaving for Ford’s Theatre a little after 8 p.m. He and Mrs. Lincoln, accompanied by Clara Harris and Major Henry R. Rathbone, entered Ford’s Theatre to see the performance Our American Cousin around 8:30 p.m. At about 10:13 p.m. actor John Wilkes Booth shot President Lincoln and fled.

By morning, President Lincoln was dead.

Among the things Abraham Lincoln is most remembered for is the Emancipation Proclamation and freeing enslaved people during the war. His legacy, however, permeates many facets of American life and includes authorizing important new Veterans’ benefits that remain with us today. Disability and survivors’ pensions and other benefits were extended to those Veterans who served in volunteer forces, not just regular forces, for the first time. African-Americans were authorized for enlistment with U.S. forces and consequently became eligible for federal veterans benefits for the first time in history. The first national cemeteries were created and their legacy carries on today through the National Cemetery Administration. The first government-provided prosthetics were authorized. The first federal medical and long-term care facility was established specifically for disabled men who served in the volunteer forces—the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers was authorized. The first Veterans preference in hiring law was enacted.

These new benefits were unprecedented and authorized only for Veterans of the U.S. forces at the time. Although they were not enacted as part of one unified bill, collectively they were the first “G.I. Bill,” of sorts, for those who fought in the Civil War.

Lincoln stained glass window

Today’s Veterans Health Administration traces its roots back to within day of Lincoln’s assassination. The first meeting of incorporators for the new National Home, which was approved by President Lincoln on March 3, 1865, was scheduled for April 18, 1865. Lincoln’s death was a shock to the nation, whether friend or foe. Many of the members of the founding board for the National Home were friends, so the meeting was postponed and action on creating the institution was delayed.

In September 1887, the Grand Army of the Republic and the citizens of St. Louis, Missouri, donated a beautiful stained glass window depicting Lincoln holding a document inscribed with President Andrew Jackson’s words, “The Union must and shall be preserved” to the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. It was placed at the Western Branch of the National Home, located in Leavenworth, Kansas, where it remains today.

In addition to Lincoln greatly expanding federal Veterans benefits as never before, a few words spoken by Lincoln during his second inaugural address on March 4, 1865, uttered just five weeks before his death, were adopted by VA as its motto nearly 100 years later in 1959. That spring, VA Administrator Sumner Whittier had two bronze plaques inscribed with the words “to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan,” taken from the last paragraph of Lincoln’s speech, mounted to the front of the Veterans Administration building in Washington, D.C. During the time, women were not permitted to enlist in the military, although numerous women disguised themselves as men and did serve. Women soldiers were unimaginable in 1865 when Lincoln spoke those words. Today, women serve in wide-ranging capacities in all military branches and comprise nearly 15 percent of America’s enlisted military forces. As a result, Lincoln’s quote is now often paraphrased, to reflect the realities of modern society and the expanding roles of women and VA strives to care for all of those who “have born the battle.”

Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

4 Comments

  1. Keith Dill says:

    Bet Obama doesn’t go to the Theatre tonight.

  2. Keith Dill says:

    Bet Obama doesn’t go to the Theatre tonight.

Leave a Comment


SCV NewsBreak
LOCAL NEWS HEADLINES
Wednesday, Sep 18, 2024
Sept. 21: JCI Invites All Veterans to Upcoming Resource Fair
JCI Santa Clarita is proud to announce the upcoming Veteran’s Resource Fair, scheduled to take place on Sept. 21 at William S. Hart Park. 
Tuesday, Sep 17, 2024
Sept. 19: SENSES Pirate Block Party
Get ready to set sail at the Pirates SENSES Block Party, presented by the city of Santa Clarita, Thursday, Sept 19 from 7-10 p.m. on main street in Old Town Newhall.
Tuesday, Sep 17, 2024
Foothill League Football Begins for SCV Teams
Six of the seven Foothill League Varsity football teams begin league play Friday night, Sept. 20.
Keep Up With Our Facebook

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
The Counties of Los Angeles and San Bernardino today announced the opening of multiple joint Local Assistance Centers to assist residents impacted by the Bridge and Line Fires.
L.A., San Bernardino Counties to Open Joint Local Assistance Centers for Residents Impacted by Bridge and Line Fires
Valencia Gynecology Associates, owned by longtime Santa Clarita Valley OB-GYN physician Don Nishiguchi, MD, has joined the Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital network. 
Valencia Gynecology Assoc. Joins Henry Mayo Network
JCI Santa Clarita is proud to announce the upcoming Veteran’s Resource Fair, scheduled to take place on Sept. 21 at William S. Hart Park. 
Sept. 21: JCI Invites All Veterans to Upcoming Resource Fair
A "friendies" field tournament  is being  hosted by the Saugus Instrumental Music program, with support from Valencia High, later this month. 
Sept. 21: All Valley Showcase Comes to Valencia High
Public, member-supported 88.5 FM The SoCal Sound, Southern California’s leading Triple-A (adult album alternative) format radio station has announced the lineup for its inaugural “Year-End Bash” taking place on Saturday, Dec. 7.
Dec. 7: CSUN Owned 88.5-FM The SoCal Sound Announces “Year End Bash” Lineup featuring Ben Gibbard
The Master's University cross-country teams continued their successful 2024 campaigns with strong finishes at the BIOLA Invitational on Friday, Sept. 13 at Craig Regional Park in Fullerton, Calif.
TMU Women Win, Men Place Second at XC Invitational
Sheriff’s Department Announces New Law Enforcement Gang Policy
Sheriff’s Department Announces New Law Enforcement Gang Policy
The biology department at California State University, Northridge has stayed committed to promoting STEM research carried out by K-12 students and teachers in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
CSUN Student Research Journal Celebrates 28 Years of Inspiring Scientific Imagination
Did you know the SCVEDC has an interactive, online tool that provides themed virtual tours of the amazing features the community has to offer? 
Take a Virtual Tour of the Santa Clarita Valley
California Institute of the Arts alum and visionary filmmaker Tim Burton (Film/Video 1979) was honored with the 2,788th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
CalArts Alum Tim Burton Receives Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
1962 - Articles of incorporation filed for Golden State Memorial Hospital on Lyons Avenue [story]
Golden State Hospital
The Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center welcomes back Jim Curry for an evening concert celebrating the music of John Denver on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 5 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom at Bella Vida.
Oct. 5: SCV Senior Center Welcomes Jim Curry ‘Take Me Home’
As part of the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency's ongoing commitment to ensuring local groundwater quality and reliability, the SCV Water recently began construction on a new treatment facility to remove perchlorate and volatile organic compounds at Well 205 in Valencia.
SCV Water Begins New Water Treatment Project in Valencia
Get ready to set sail at the Pirates SENSES Block Party, presented by the city of Santa Clarita, Thursday, Sept 19 from 7-10 p.m. on main street in Old Town Newhall.
Sept. 19: SENSES Pirate Block Party
No. 21 College of the Canyons football team knocked off No. 5 Fullerton College 29-13 on Saturday night behind a stifling defensive effort and five field goals from Luis Rodriguez.
No. 21 Canyons Knocks Off No. 5 Fullerton 29-13
Six of the seven Foothill League Varsity football teams begin league play Friday night, Sept. 20.
Foothill League Football Begins for SCV Teams
The California Institute of the Arts will present the "NAACP Santa Clarita Masquerade Ball", Friday, Oct. 4, 7-11 p.m. at 24700 McBean Parkway, Valencia, CA 91355.
Oct. 4: NAACP Santa Clarita Masquerade Ball at Cal Arts
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is investigating two human cases of a rare parasitic infection, Baylisascaris procyonis, also known as raccoon roundworm.
Public Health Investigating Disease Spread from Animals to Humans
1879 - First official Newhall School building erected near Walnut & Ninth streets [story]
First Newhall School
The city of Santa Clarita is hosting Make A Difference Day on Saturday, Oct. 26 and is looking for enthusiastic residents to volunteer for various projects that benefit local nonprofits, as well as the city.
Oct. 26: Volunteers Needed for Make a Difference Day
Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital and PathPoint announced the graduation of Aiden Land and Andrew Mendence from the Project SEARCH internship program.
Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, PathPoint Celebrate Grad Interns
The William S. Hart Union High School District has announced upcoming community information meetings about Learning Post Academy Independent Study School, Thursday, Sept. 18 and Friday, Sept. 19.
Sept. 18-19: Learning Post Academy Online Information Meetings
The Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees will hold a special meeting Wednesday, Sept. 18, 5 p.m. in open session to interview and appoint a new trustee for Area 5.
Sept. 18: COC Board to Interview, Appoint Area 5 Trustee
The city of Santa Clarita wants to remind residents that volunteer registration is open for the 29th Annual River Rally Cleanup and Environmental Expo scheduled for next Saturday, Sept. 21, from 8 to 11 a.m. at the William S. Hart Pony Baseball and Softball Complex, 23780 Auto Center Drive, Santa Clarita, CA 91355.
Sept. 20: Last Chance to Register for the River Rally
SCVNews.com