Message Found Engraved Inside Of Lincoln’s Pocket Watch
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Message Found Engraved Inside Of Lincoln’s Pocket Watch
A museum has unlocked the mystery of an engraving in one of Abraham Lincoln’s pocket watches.
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WASHINGTON (March 10, 2009)--For nearly 150 years, a story has circulated about a hidden Civil War message engraved inside one of Abraham Lincoln's pocket watches and now we know what it says.

On Tuesday at the National Museum of American History, a watchmaker used tiny tools to open the pocket watch to reveal the message left during repairs in 1861.

The first line says: "April 13, 1861. Fort Sumter was attacked by the rebels on the above date. J. Dillon."

A second line reads: "April 13, 1861. Thank God we have a government. Jonathan Dillon."

Dillon's story circulated among his family and friends, eventually reaching a New York Times reporter.

In a 1906 article in the paper, Dillon said he was moved to engrave a message after the first shots of the Civil War were fired in South Carolina.

Latest Comments

Posted by: SandraB Location: Temple on Mar 11, 2009 at 10:30 AM

WHO was Jonathan Dillon? WHAT does he have to do with Abraham Lincoln? WHERE has this watch been for the last 150 years? WHY did they just now find the inscription? WHEN can we get a complete story?
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