It falls to my lot to communicate to you the death of our excellent friend Mr Monroe. He died exactly at half past 3 oClock P. M after a lingering illness, but easy death. I have only time to say thus much as this goes by express to overtake the mail which has 2 hours start of the express. My respectful compls to Mrs Madison. I will write more fully tomorrow. What a remarkable coincidence of the deaths of three of our venerable revolationary Patriots & Presidents.
Tench Ringgold to James Madison, 4 July 1831:
A few days later, Tench fulfilled his promise and wrote fully on 7 July 1831 to James Madison:
“I gave you, on the 4th instant, a short account of the death of your old and valued friend Mr Monroe; and now perform the promise, then made, to write to you again before I left this City”
Tench Ringgold, wrote to James Madison to inform him of the death of James Monroe. Ringgold gave his account of Monroe’s passing in the letter as well, where Monroe’s last words have been gathered:
"...he had chills & fever every day, they were however subdued early in June, but the disturbing cough, by which he has been tormented for many years, and which was the cause of his death was too obstinate & deeply seated on his lungs to be removed by human skill.”
Ringgold was a constant bedside companion and “nurse” to Monroe from May 1st of the same year expect for one week.
“On Friday the 1st of July it became evident that speedy dissolution was at hand, and he died (as I have informed you) at 1/2 past three O clock on Monday without a struggle and resigned to his fate in the most perfect possession of his mental faculties.”
In other words: Monroe died on Monday, July 4th, 1831, the fifty-fifth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence at half past three in the afternoon as if it far more likely than his death being so perfectly remembered at half past three in the morning.
Ringgold mentioned the last letter Monroe ever wrote to Madison in which he lamented sincerely that the only thing he regretted about passing soon was not being able to see Madison ever again:
“...he often mentioned you to me; and expressed not only his most affectionate regard, respect, and esteem for you, which it gave him pleasure to say had never for forty years been for one moment interrupted, but his great regret that he should leave this world without having the happiness of once more beholding you, his oldest and most valued friend. Of Mrs. Madison he likewise often spoke with affectionate respect and esteem.”
In his last days, Monroe spoke frequently of the Madisons, Dolley and James both, admitting that James Madison was his dearest and most “valued” friend. Ringgold then mentions the doubt Monroe had that he would ever recover:
“For many weeks before his death, he was convinced it was impossible for him to recover, & he repeatedly exprest the most ardent wish to die; when the event approached he met it, calm and resigned.”
According to Ringgold, the pain Monroe was experiencing in his lungs was so much that he did not want to get better he had the “most ardent wish to die...” and then he met the occasion calmly without any struggle.
A few days later, Madison responded to the letter in the sort little passage:
“Your favor of the 4th. communicating the death of Mr. Monroe, was duly recd. I had been prepared for the event, by information of its certain approach. The time of it was so far happy as it added another to the coincidences before so remarkable & so memorable. You have justly ranked him with the heroes & patriots who have deserved best of their Country: No one knew him better than I did, or had a Sincerer affection for him: or condoles more deeply with those to whom he was most dear.”
In conclusion, Madison responded that “no one knew him better than I did” and nobody was more sincere with affection for him than him.
Me? Sad? Hell yeah.