The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-03-26
MIR. Lincoln and the Rebel.

When Mr.. Lincoln made his well
known visit to the army about Rich
mond and Petersburg, and finally to
Richmond ITSELF he took q day to visit
the Depot Field Hospital at City Point.
ANY one who has been at City Point,
and seen that vast hospital will under
stand the Kindness of heart of Mr.. Lin
coin, and III" great task he had before
him in attempting to go through every
ward and tent. and shake hands with
every woun.ied hero. The infantry and
cavalry hospitals together covered sew
entv acres, aud 5000 is moderate es-
innate of the number of patients at that
time.
With unfailing patience, and with q
look of sincere sympathy for the men
that went straight to their hearts, Mr.
Lincoln went through tent after tent,
taking each ones hand with hearty
shake and kind word. From tent to
tent the news of his coming went be-
fore him, and stewards and ward-masters
flew about with great zeal smoothing
the beds, picking up the stray papers,
cleaning away the bottles, ETC., etc, in
their wards, so tina. everything might
look tidy when the President came.
Even the sickest and the worst wounded,
cheered up a little at the thought OF
their great visitor, manifesting a sudden
interest in the neatncss of their perso-
nal appearance, and a eager expectation
Of his coming.
We, who leaned on the hospital fence
that day, and watched that tall form
STOPPING to enter thoselow-doored tents
of suffering, shall not soon forget the
scene. There was n simplicity, y self
forgctfnlness, cordial sympathy in his
manner that at once converted every
one to whom he spoke into a personal
friend.
The especial incident however, which
calls out this note, is this:
In one of the tents was a bright
young fellow about seventeen years old
who had been wounded in the leg while
fighting on the rebel side, taken prison
er, and brought to that hospital for the
care which the United States gave with
ont partiality to wounded men whether
they were friends or foes. His leg had
been amputated, and he was lying upon
his bed, just beginning those slow
weeks of suffering and inactivity that
must drag by before he would be able
to move about again, or hear from home
or friends.
lie too heard that Mr.. Lincoln was
coming, but showed no interest in the
fact. The men about him were busy,
making the tent seem neat and cheer
full; he lay upon his pillow with closed
eyes, no doubt thinking ola home, a
mother, sister, beyond those two lines
of fowning works from which he had
been brought in. Mr.. Linooln's visit
was nothing to him; he knew of him
only through the Southern papers as a
monster of hideous physical and moral
deformity. 1t would be interesting to
look at such person as mere matter
of curiosity, but he could have nothing
to say to him, branded as he was as a
rebel by the very gray cap and jacket
that hung at his head. Perhaps even,
he would stop to taunt him with his
treason.
At last Mr. Lincoln reached that tent,
and parting the loose canvas that made
the door, bowed his towering head and
stepped in. A buzz Of gladness instant
ly passed from man to man, and every
hand was out-stretched to press that
strong hand that belonged to the man
who had earned among them the title
of "The Soldiers Friend.' No! not
every hand! one hand lay still, or
quietly played with the sheet, while
the two dark eyes keenly watched that
the President might be.
ir,1 bnr re In
passed quickly from cot to cot, shaking
hands with each man, and saying kind
words to ALL
When he reached the bed of the
young rebel, he hesitatcd a moment, for
no nand was out-stretched, and the face, |
instead of being warm, with enthusiast
tic interest, was cold and harsh, and sad |
and halfaverted. 1t needed but a
glance at the gray cap and jacket to
show Mr.. Lincoln the whole state of |
the case. Without an instant's further |
hesitation, he stepped close up to the
boy, took his hand cordially in his own,
and with warm pressure and his own
sweet, half-sad smile, and look of
respectful sympathy in his deep eyes,
said simply: ON y boy, 1 hope we
shall agree better some day" and pass
ed on. The young fellow had made up
his mind to far different treatment,
looked up at the retreating President
with too much amazement to be even
gratifed. Then, as the full force and
meaning of the scene came slowly home
to him, he lay thoughtfully few mo-
ments, and at last turned his face to his
pillow and sobbed like child. He
whose spirit had not been broken by
wounds, OF capture, or amputation, had
been conquered by kindness. When
he turned his face again to his COM
panions in suffering, they saw in it the
traces of the victory, and all his sub
sequent behavior showed how thorough
ly that little incident had changed him.
rf, JOJTJS NAPOLEON -Vic+or H,oo o,,.. |