Grant had made it known that he was unwilling to ride in the same carriage as Johnson, as was customary, and Johnson refused to go to the inauguration at all. Despite an effort by Seward to prompt a change of mind, he spent the morning of March 4 finishing last-minute business, and then shortly after noon rode from the White House to the home of a friend.[192][193]

Post-presidency (1869–1875)
Senator Andrew Johnson in 1875 (age 66)
After leaving the presidency, Johnson remained for some weeks in Washington, then returned to Greeneville for the first time in eight years. He was honored with large public celebrations along the way, especially in Tennessee, where cities hostile to him during the war hung out welcome banners. He had arranged to purchase a large farm near Greeneville to live on after his presidency.[194]
Some expected Johnson to run for Governor of Tennessee or for the Senate again, while others thought that he would become a railroad executive.[182] Johnson found Greeneville boring, and his private life was embittered by the suicide of his son Robert in 1869.