Lincoln Reenactment at Old Mission San Juan Capistrano
by Charles Jefferson Thom III
Lincoln at Capistrano
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Although President Abraham Lincoln never visited sleepy San Juan Capistrano, let alone California, one of his final acts as President of the United States of America is in effect up and down the West Coast. In 1769 Father Junipero Serra founded The Presidio for the Alcala Mission; a Mission that was the first of twenty-one that he would later establish all the way up the California Coast. After 1769 these Missions had a long series of owners, from the Spanish Government to the Mexican Government to private landowners and finally to the hands of those who own them today. On March 18th, 1865 President Abraham Lincoln signed a document which returned all twenty-one Missions to the Catholic Church and the state of California. Four weeks later, on April 4th, President Lincoln was shot and killed by John Wilkes Booth during a production of Our American Cousin.
Lincoln at Capistrano
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Every year, in memory of President Lincoln's positive influence on the Californian Missions, the "Jewel of the Missions" in San Juan Capistrano holds an honorary reenactment on Lincoln's birthday. I attended this reenactment and here is what occurred. The reenactment started with a high school fife and drum who, clad in Union uniforms and representing the 24th Michigan, escorted President Lincoln and his wife in a march around the Mission grounds. After hearing such songs as "Frog in a Well" and "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" the proceedings were moved indoors. As the actor playing Lincoln entered, the well-informed audience stood and gave the President three hip-hip-hoorays (as was a customary greeting for the President during those times).
Lincoln at Capistrano
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The actor playing Lincoln then talked briefly about the War, under the pretext that it was March 18th, 1865, and exclaimed that he was quite confident in Union victory and a speedy progression to the War's end. He was then asked to speak briefly about the speech that he had delivered in Gettysburg on November 19th , 1863. Then President proceeded by repeating his famous address but not before exposing the myth that it had by written on an envelope while in route to Gettysburg. Lincoln wrote the original Gettysburg address in his office, in Washington D.C., on his personal stationary. Not wishing to be late for the event, Lincoln boarded a train for Gettysburg one day early, November 18th. Upon his arrival in Gettysburg the President was given accommodation at the Will's House and from there he embarked on a carriage ride over the battlefield. That evening, after returning from the battlefield with a better feeling for his subject, the President went into his room to rewrite his original speech and that is the speech which he would join him in immortal on the following day.
Lincoln at Capistrano
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Diverting his attention from the War the President then addressed the issue concerning the Missions, specifically the Mission of San Juan Capistrano. After dawning his reading glasses and giving the document a second look, President Lincoln signed the document which returned the Missions to the Catholic Church and the State of California. This was an act that actually took place in Washington D.C. but, for the connivance of the reenactment, was moved to San Juan Capistrano on February 12, 2000. Though President Lincoln never visited San Juan Capistrano the city is certainly not without his influence. On April 14th, 1865 Abraham and Mary Lincoln took a carriage trip to Ford's Theatre and during the trip Abraham expressed a desire to visit both the Holy Land and California. Sadly enough, he never got to visit either.
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revised Feb. 12, 2000 by Charles Thom | Civil War
