Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-07-07
The President at the Fr0nt---The Difficulties
| He EneGantered---W here He Went and
What He Saw.

long, gaunt, bony man, with a queer ADM,
ture of The couacal and the doleful in hi
I countenance, undertook to reach the Gene
ais tent, by scrambling through a hedge 70,
and coming in the back wav alone. he wa
stopped by one of the hostlers, and told I
"keep out of here" The individual in blac
replied that he thought General Grant woul
allow him inside, anG strobe ahead. "You'
| damned soon find out" was yelled in reply
On reaching the guard, he was stopped with
" No sanitary folks allowed inside" Ate
some parleying, the intruder was compeIIe
to give his name, and announced himself +
be Abraham Lincoln, President of the Unite,
States, desiring an interview with Genera
Grant. The guard saluted and allowed hin
to pass. General Grant recognized him as h,
+; stepped under the large ely" in front of hi
tent, rose and shook hands with him cordial
| ly, and then introduced him to such mem
| bers of the staff as were present and unac
quainted. 1t was ascertained that the Presi
dent had just arrived on the City of Bait
more, and was accompanied by his son clad,
Assistant Secretary Of the Navy Fox, Mr.
| Chadwick, proprietor Of Wizards Hotel anc
marine guard. The conversation soon tool
wide free andeasy range until dinner wa
announced. The President was duly seated
ate much as other mortals, managed to wiring
IN three faVorite jokes during the meal, un
der the plea of illustrating the topics discus
Sed, and kept every one on the 9ui yiye fol
others until the party rose.
he was very naturally DESTROYS of riding
to the front, so at 4 o'clock, horses were
| brought up, the President mounted on Gen
Grants thoroughbred, Cincinnatus, the Gen
eral on Egypt, "Tad" on the Generals black
pony, Jeff. Davis, and, accompanied by a
large proportion Of the staff and escort, the
party rode to the headquarters Of General
| Wright commanding the 9Th corps, where
Gen. Meade and staff met them. The loca-
ton commands as good a view of Petersburg
as can yet be obtained from our lines Maps
were brought out and examined, the position
OF the army explained, its future operations
discussed, the steeples and spires of the city
observed, as wei as the dust and smoke
would allow, national airs were played by the
| band, the enemy's works on the opposite side
| OF the Appomattox Inspected and after a
stay Of an hour and half, the party started
on its return to headquarters. On the way
out, many persons recognized the Presidents
phYsIognomy. The news soon spread and on
| the return ride the roads were lined in many
places with weather beaten veterans, anxious
| to catch a glimpse of Old Abe One cavalry
Nj r,
Lincoln shook him by the hand like an old ia
mliar acquaintance, to the infinite admira-
ton of the bystanders.
Perhaps the notable feature of the ride
was the passing Of brigade of negro troops.
The troops were Longing by the roadside,
but seemed to know by instinct who was APP
preaching. They came rushing, and almost, to
the horses feet, by hundreds, yelling, Shout
ing, Hurrrah for the Liberator !" Hurrah
for the President !" and were perfectly wild
with excitement and delight 1t was a spon-
taneOus Outburst of genuine love and affec-
ton for the man they look upon as their ''de-
| liver from bondage" and their wild huzzas
were perfectly deafening The President I'M
| covered as he rode through their ranks and
bowed on every hand to his sable admirers
The cavalcade arrived at headquarters about
| nine o'clock, took tea and chatted a short
time, when the visitors departed to their
| state-rooms on the steamboat.
At seven o'clock in the morning of June
22d Major General Butler and his staff pro-
ceeded on board the Baltimore and exchanged
| congratulations with the Chief Magistrate,
who was accompanied by Mr.. Assistant Sec
rotary Fox, Mr.. Assistant Secretary Charles
A. Dana, General Barnard, "Little Tad" and
his playmate, named Perry The exceeding
cordially that marked the entire interview
between the President and the Major General
commanding was especially noticeable 1t
was frank and zestful and carried the con-
viction that the two eminent men were in
entire concord upon all public and social is
sues. All being on board, and everything
being ready, the Baltimore steamed up the
James river to the fleet, where Admiral Lee
and party were taken on. The party then
proceeded up the river to the monitor Oaon-
daga, near Crows Nest, where the vessel was
boarded and carefully inspected.
The entire party then went ashore, and
mounting horses made grand tour of the
Notifications, the troops throughout cheering
the President and General Butler alternately
All this being over, the party proceeded to
General Buffers marquee, where an elegant
and substantial lunch was supplied, of which
all partook most heartily after the forenoon
fatigue.
Shortly after two o'clock in the afternoon
the President signifed his intention of imme-
diately returning to Washington. Proceed
ing aboard the Greyhound, attended by Gen.
Butler and staff, he joined the Baltimore and
left this scene, after an uncommonly pleasant,
satisfactory and instructive visit.