Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1864-09-21
Lincoln in the Field at Antietam.

| Every body has heard the story of the
shocking and disgusting leviiy of Abraham
Lincoln, when he, the President of the
nation, visited the bloody field of carnage
after the terrible battle OF Antieiam: but
many regarded it as destitute ofsolid foun.
dation, for it was scarcely possible to i'm
agine that any man endowed with the
common feelings of humanity, much less
the President of the United States. aud
Commander-iu-Chief of the Army and Ma
Wy, could act the butfoon and backguard
in full view OF the ghsstly corpses of his
slaughtered countrymen, thousands of
whom lay around, and in the hearing of
their surviving brethren weary and bleed
ing. Neverth eess however credible it
may seem, the story is vsuched for as
true.
Well may the question be asked-will a
majority Of the American people, distin.
guished above all others in the world for
intelligence, practicle good sense, and
deep sympathy for the sutferngs of hu-
manty, select this calous-hearied man
for their Chief Magistrate for another term
of four years. Most assuredly no, a thous-
and times no. Let the rufiian be cast
low, and an honorable, patriotic, Christian
man elevated in his stead. But to the
true version of the story here i. is:
I'VE see that the papers are referring
to the fact that Mr.. Lincoln ordered a
comic song to be sung upon battle field.
We have known the facts about the trans
action for some time, but have reirained
from speaking them. As the newspapers
are now stating some Of the facts We will
give the whole.
"Soon after one OF the most desperate
and sanEuiuary battles, Mr.. Lincoln yisi-
ted the Commanding General and the ar
my. While on his visit, the Commanding
General with his staff took him over the
field in carriage and explained to him
the plan of the battle, and the particular
places where the fight was most fierce
At one point the commanding General
said. here, on this side OF this road, FIVE
hundred OF our brave fellows were killed
and Just on the other side of the road four
hundred more were slain, and right on the
other side of that wall five hundred rebels
were destroyed. We have buried them
where they fell" 81 declare" said the
President, this is getting gloomy. Let
us drive away" After driving few rods
The President said, "thls makes feler
feel gloomy" Jack" Speaking TO a com-
panion) cant you give US something to
cheer US up?" Give us song, and give
us lively one" Thereupon Jack struck
up, as loud as he could bawl, comic ne
gro soRg, which he continued to sing
while they were riding of from the battle
ground, and till they approached a regi-
ment drawn up, when the Commanding
General said, Mr.. President, wouldn't il
be well for your friend to cease his song
tillw have passed this regiment. The
poor fellows have lost more than half of
their numbers They are feeling very
badly, and | should be afraid of the effect
1t may have on them" The President
then asked his companion to stop his sing
ing till they got by that regiment.
We know that this story is Incredible,
that it is impossible that man could be
elected President OF the United States
who could so conduct himself over the
fresh made graves Of the heroic dead
when this story was told US We said that