From Lincoln to Putrajaya | The Postcard That Crossed 163 Years

Hello, friends and fellow history wanderers!

Welcome back to another episode of "What did the postman bring today?"

For most people, checking the mailbox is a mundane chore. You walk out to the gate, open the metal box, and usually find disappointment. Maybe it is a bill you forgot to pay. Maybe it is a flyer for a pizza promotion or a brochure for a loan shark. It is rarely exciting.

But for me, the mailbox is a portal. It is a gateway to the rest of the world.

I have a daily ritual. Every evening, I check my postbox with a little bit of hope. And on December 5th, 2025, that hope turned into pure joy. It was a "Jackpot Day." Not one, not two, but four postcards arrived at the same time! Two came all the way from Germany, one from the sunny state of California, and one very special card arrived from Bay City, Michigan, USA.

While all of them were beautiful, the one from Michigan stopped me in my tracks. It wasn't just a pretty picture of a sunset or a cat. It was a black-and-white photograph that felt heavy with history.

The moment I held it, I wasn't in Malaysia anymore. I was transported back to October 1862. I was looking at a moment that changed the world.

Antietam, 1862

Let’s look closely at the image on the front of the postcard.

The caption tells us this was taken at Antietam, Maryland, on October 3, 1862. If you are a history buff, the name "Antietam" will send a shiver down your spine. This wasn't just a random camping trip. This photo was taken shortly after the Battle of Antietam, which remains the single bloodiest day in American history.

Imagine the smell of gunpowder in the air. Imagine the muddy ground. In just 24 hours, over 23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded, or went missing. That is the population of a small town, wiped out in one day.

Standing amidst this tragedy are three men. They are not smiling. They are not posing for "likes." They are trying to figure out how to save a broken nation.

Abraham Lincoln

The central figure is unmistakable. That is Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States.

Even without his famous "stovepipe" top hat, Lincoln was a giant of a man. He stood at 6 feet 4 inches (193 cm). In the 1860s, the average American man was much shorter, maybe around 5 feet 7 inches. So, Lincoln literally towered over everyone he met.

In this photo, his height emphasizes his loneliness. He looks isolated, even when surrounded by his team. He carries the weight of the entire Civil War on his shoulders. He was there to visit the troops, to boost morale, and to make difficult decisions that would lead to the Emancipation Proclamation, the document that would eventually end slavery.

He wasn't just a politician; he was a father figure to a nation that was fighting with itself.

The Spy | Allan Pinkerton

Now, look to the right of Lincoln (on our left). There is a man wearing a bowler hat and a checkered vest. He has his hand tucked inside his coat, looking very much like Napoleon Bonaparte.

This is Allan Pinkerton.

If that name sounds familiar, it is because he is a legend. He is the founder of the famous Pinkerton National Detective Agency. Before the FBI, before the CIA, and before the Secret Service, there was Pinkerton.

Pinkerton was a Scottish immigrant who started out making barrels, but he had a talent for solving crimes. During the Civil War, he became the head of the Union Intelligence Service.

He was the "Spymaster." He organized networks of spies to sneak into the Southern states to count enemy guns and map their forts. He famously foiled an assassination plot against Lincoln in Baltimore before the war even started. In this photo, he isn't just standing there; he is guarding the President. He is the "Eye" of the government.

The General | John McClernand

On the other side of Lincoln stands Major General John McClernand.

History is full of difficult personalities, and McClernand was one of them. He was what we call a "political general", a politician who became a soldier. He was brave, yes, but he was also ambitious, loud and often argued with other generals because he wanted more glory and credit.

Why is he in the photo? It shows Lincoln’s genius. Lincoln knew he had to work with people he didn't necessarily like to achieve a bigger goal. He had to manage big egos like McClernand and paranoid spies like Pinkerton to win the war.

The Malaysian Connection | Understanding the "Federation"

At this point, you might be wondering, "Okay Canonrider, this is a great American story. But what does it have to do with us in Malaysia?"

Actually, the connection is stronger than you think. The American Civil War was fought over the concept of a "Union" or a "Federation." Lincoln was fighting to keep different states together under one flag.

Malaysia is also a Federation (Persekutuan). We are a family of 13 states (like Johor, Kelantan, Selangor, Sarawak, etc.) and 3 Federal Territories. Just like the US, we have individual states that came together to form one nation.

However, Malaysia has a unique twist that makes us special in the eyes of the world. We have a system that no other country practices.

The Rotating Monarchy (Sistem Raja Berperlembagaan) In the US, they elect a President every 4 years. In Malaysia, we have 9 Malay Rulers (Sultans). But who gets to be the "King of Malaysia"?

We take turns! We have a unique institution called the Conference of Rulers (Majlis Raja-Raja). Every 5 years, the 9 Sultans meet and vote among themselves to decide who will be the next Yang di-Pertuan Agong (The Supreme Head of the Federation).

It is a symbol of fairness and unity. No single state holds power forever.

The Separation of Power Just like Lincoln had to balance power, we also have a clear separation of roles:

1.  The Head of State (The King/Sultan):

• At the national level, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the symbol of Islam and Malay customs. He is the umbrella that protects the people.
• At the state level, the Sultan (or Yang di-Pertua Negeri) protects the state's identity.

2.  The Head of Government (The Executive):

• This is the person who runs the country daily. At the national level, we have the Prime Minister. Currently, our Prime Minister is Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He manages the economy, foreign policy and national development.
• At the state level, we have the Menteri Besar (or Chief Minister). He acts like a "Mini Prime Minister" for his specific state, managing local land and resources.

So, when I look at Lincoln standing in that tent, I see the struggle to keep a Federation together. It reminds me to appreciate the peace and stability we have in our own Federation here in Malaysia.

The Stamps | A Tale of Two Eras

Now, let's flip the postcard over.

For a philatelist (stamp collector) like me, the back of the card is just as exciting as the front! The sender used two historically significant stamps.

A blend of two eras: the Adolph S. Ochs stamp (a journalism icon) and the Jimmy Carter stamp (an icon of peace).

1. Adolph S. Ochs (13 cents) This stamp features a serious-looking man named Adolph S. Ochs. He was the owner of The New York Times for nearly 40 years. He is the legend who coined the phrase; "All the News That's Fit to Print." In today’s world of TikTok and viral fake news, Ochs reminds us of the value of journalistic integrity and truth.

2. Jimmy Carter (Forever USA) The second stamp features former President Jimmy Carter. I love this choice because it offers a beautiful contrast to Lincoln.

• Lincoln (on the front) was a President forced to fight a war to save the country.
• Carter (on the stamp) is known as the "Peacemaker." After his presidency, he didn't retire to play golf. He picked up a hammer and built houses for the poor with Habitat for Humanity. He spent his life fighting diseases and negotiating peace treaties.

It is a poetic balance on a single envelope: War and Peace, History and Humanity.

The Storyteller | Craig from Michigan

Finally, none of this would be possible without the sender, Craig.

Craig’s handwriting is incredibly neat. He’s a history teacher who just retired after 29 years of teaching!

First of all, can we appreciate his handwriting? It is neat, legible and beautiful. It is exactly what you would expect from a teacher!

Craig is a U.S. History teacher who recently retired after 29 years in the classroom. Just pause and think about that number. 29 years. That is nearly three decades of shaping young minds. Think of how many thousands of students have sat in his class, listening to him explain the Civil War, the Great Depression, or the Moon Landing. Teachers like Craig are the unsung heroes of society. They keep our history alive.

But Craig isn't spending his retirement sitting on a rocking chair. He wrote; 

To celebrate my retirement, my husband and I are going on a cruise next week that starts in Lisbon, Portugal + ends 10 days later in the Canary Islands. There are stops in Spain, Morocco + Madeira."

What a way to celebrate! From the classrooms of Michigan to the historic streets of Lisbon and the exotic markets of Morocco, Craig is now living the history he used to teach. He is trading his textbooks for a passport.

Final Thoughts

This is the magic of Postcrossing.    

If I hadn't opened my mailbox on December 5th, I would have just had a normal Friday. But because of this card:

• I learned about the "Spymaster" Pinkerton.
• I reflected on the beauty of Malaysia’s rotating monarchy.
• I felt the joy of a dedicated teacher embarking on a dream vacation.

History isn't just about dead people in black-and-white photos. It is a continuous story that connects us all... from a muddy battlefield in 1862 Maryland to a mailbox in 2025 Putrajaya.

To Craig...Thank you for the lesson, and I hope you are enjoying the Atlantic breeze. To my readers; Go check your mailbox today. You never know if a time machine is waiting for you.

Until next time, keep exploring!