Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1869-09-03
A True Story of President Lincoln.

A True Story of President Lincoln.
DURING the summer of the most disas-
trous and doubtful year of the late Ameri-
can war, the Colonel of New Hampshire
Regiment lay for some weeks extremely
i'll of camp fever, near Hampton Roads,
in Virginia. Hearing of his critical con-
dition, his wife left her Northern home,
and, after much difficulty, made her way
to his bedside. Her cheerful presence and
careful nursing so far restored him, that
he was in short time able to be trans
ferred to Washington.
In the Potomac River, the steamer in
which the invalid, officer, Colonel Scott,
and his wife had taken passage, was sunk,
in a collision with larger vessel, in the
night time. The crew and nearly all the
soldiers on board were. rescued, or saved
themselves; but amid the horrible confu-
sion of the scene, Colonel Scott became
separated from his wife, and she was lost.
The Colonel was picked up in the water
by the crew of the larger steamer, and
under his direction every effort was made
to discover his wife, or rather her body,
for all hope of finding her alive was soon
abandoned The sad search was fruitless;
it was resumed in the morning, the people
along the shore, humane Confederates,
lending their aid. But the grey, sullen
river refused to give up its dead, and the
young officer, half frantic with grief, was
compelled to go on to Washington. With
in a week, however, he received word
from below that the body of the lady had
been washed on ..shore--that those good
country people, generous foes, had Sc
cured it, cared for it, and were keeping it
for him.
1t happened that just at that time i'm
perative orders were issued from the War
Department, prohibiting all intercourse
with the Peninsula-a necessary precau-
ton against the premature disclosure of
important military plans3 So it was with
some misgivings that Colonel Scott APP
piled to Mr.. Secretary Stanton for leave
to return to Virginia, Oh, his melancholy
duty.
Impossible, Colonel" replied Mr. STAN
ton, firmly; no one can have leave to go
down the river, at this time, on any private
mission whatever. Our present eXigen-
cies demand the most stringent regulations,
and l hope need not say to you that no
merely personal considerations should be
allowed to interfere with great national in
terests. Your case, is sad one but this
is critical, perilous, cruel time THE dead
must bury the dead'"
. The Colonel would have entreated, but
the busy Secretary cut him short with
another !" impossible" from which there
was absolutely no appeal. He went forth
from the presence, and returned to his
hotel, quite overwhelmed.
Fortunately, he was that afternoon
visited by a friend, to whom he told the
story of his unsuccessful application and
sad perplexity, and who Immediately ex-
claimed, "Why not apply to the Presi-
dent ?"
The Colonel had but little hope, but
acknowledging that the plan was worth
trying, drove with his friend to the White
House.
They were too late. 1t was Saturday
evening, and Mr.. Lincoln had gone to
spend Sunday at Soldiers Rest, his sum-
mer retreat. This was but few miles
friend Pre- posed that they should follow
afn ost, Id they went.
'gtsaesc,M as then a popular belief that all
sas ggrsil ,ed, the troubled, and suffering
aGgld 4nIi 4 refuge in Father Abraham's"
cutoff ShU way. Yet there were times
whe-, sov ,rburdened, wearied, tortured,
the patr3l Oh longed to clear that asylum
Of It's foult I'm inmates, to bolt and bar and
douhle-locx it against the world times
when uEo became too hard and perplexing
Tor his gt NAL, honest nature, too serious
and tragic and rascally thing by half.
IrhappGned, unluckily, that the poor
Colonel ard his friend found the President
In one OF his most Respondent and dis
gusted moods. He was in his little private
parlor, alone in the cleaning. He was
lounging loosely in a large rocking chair,
jutting over it in all directions. His Slip
pered feet were exalted, his rough head
was thrown back, his long throat bare-he
was in his shirt-sleeves Yes, dear fastidi-
GUS English reader, it aoas genuine Yankee
abandon, make the most of it!
He turned upon his visitors look Of al
most savage inquiry. There was, indeed,
in his usually pleasant eyes, wild, angry
CLEAN; something like the glare Of a
worried animal at bay.
Colonel Scott proceeded very modestly
to tell his story; but the President in
terrupted him, to say brusquely, go to
Stanton this is has business"
81 haze been to him, Mr.. President, and
he will do nothing for me-"
You have been to him, and got your
answer, and still presume to come to me |
Am to have no rest? no privacy? Must
| be logged to my last Businesses and
worried to death by inches? Mr.. Stanton
has done just right. He knows what he
is about. Your demands are unreasonable,
sir"
But, Mr.. Lincoln, 1 thought you would
feel for me-"
Fed for you! Good God 1 have to
feel for five hundred thousand more un-
fortunate than you. We are at war, sir
don't you know we are at war? Sorrow
is the lot of all; bear your share like a
man and soldier"
81 try to, Mr. President, but it seems
hard. My devoted wife lost her life for
coming to nurse me, in my sickness, and |
cannot even take her body home to my
children"
"Well, she ought not to have come
down to the army. She should have stayed
at home. That is the place for women.
But if they aoiU go tearing about the coun-
try, in such times as these, and running
into all sorts of danger, they must take the
consequences! Not but that I am sorry
for you, Colonel AS for your wife, she's
at rest, and I wish 1 were"
Saying this, the President leaned back
YEARLY in his chair, and closed his eyes,
not noticing, except by slight wave of
his hand, the departure of his visitors.