Was Walt Whitman in the war when Lincoln died?

The poem also associates Lincoln with the war's ordinary soldiers, an association that prefigures "Lilacs" and its treatment of Lincoln's death as a metonymy for all the war dead. read more

Walt Whitman. Walter"Walt" Whitman (/ˈhwɪtmən/; May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892) was an American poet, essayist, and journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works. read more

Whitman later worked as a volunteer nurse during the Civil War, writing the collection Drum Taps (1865) in connection to the experiences of war-torn soldiers. Having continued to produce new editions of Leaves of Grass along with original works, Whitman died on March 26, 1892 in Camden, New Jersey. read more

For Whitman, the president joins the ranks of the war dead whose spirits are at rest — unlike the nation that has received a trauma to the system, the dead soldiers are peaceful, not angry or troubled. Whitman never met Lincoln in person, but he saw him, occasionally from close quarters, many times around Washington between 1863 and 1865. read more

Walt Whitman statue at the Walt Whitman Bridge Entrance, 3100 S Broad St, Philadelphia PA The Walt Whitman Bridge, which crosses the Delaware River near his home in Camden, was opened on May 16, 1957. read more

Kindred spirits Abraham Lincoln and Walt Whitman prepared themselves for another bloody year of war as 1863 dawned. read more