author
Ward Hill Lamon
1828–1893
Best known as Abraham Lincoln’s close friend and self-appointed bodyguard, he brought a larger-than-life presence to the president’s orbit and later wrote vivid memoirs that helped shape Lincoln’s public story. A lawyer, U.S. marshal, and author, he moved through some of the Civil War era’s most dramatic moments.
2 Audiobooks
The Life of Abraham Lincoln, from His Birth to His Inauguration as President
by Ward Hill Lamon
Recollections of Abraham Lincoln, 1847-1865
by Ward Hill Lamon
About the author
Born in 1828 in Virginia, Ward Hill Lamon trained as a lawyer and built his career in Illinois, where he became a friend and political ally of Abraham Lincoln. When Lincoln rose to the presidency, Lamon followed him to Washington and became widely known as a loyal companion and informal protector, remembered for his imposing size as well as his personal devotion.
During the Civil War, he served as U.S. marshal for the District of Columbia. His name is often tied to stories about Lincoln’s safety and daily life, and he remained closely associated with the president’s inner circle even when his role was sometimes unconventional.
After Lincoln’s death, Lamon helped preserve and interpret his friend’s memory through books and recollections, including work on Lincoln’s biography and memoirs of their years together. For readers interested in Lincoln, Lamon is a fascinating figure in his own right: part eyewitness, part storyteller, and a vivid character from nineteenth-century American public life.