Scope and Contents The collection contains the manuscript "The Burial of John Wilkes and Tale of the Lincoln Conspirators as Told by James L. Lucas to Paul S. Lucas." In the manuscript, James Lucas describes the American political scene in the 1850s and the coming of the Civil War. He gives an eyewitness account of Washington, D. C. in the war years, including a detailed description of President Abraham Lincoln. Lucas spent three years with the 12th Veteran Reserve Corps, who served as guards for the...