Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1869-09-23
A True storyof President Lin
coin,

disastrous and doubtful year OF tn'
civil war, the Colonel Of n New
Hampshire regiment lay for somt
weeks extremely i'll Of camp fever
near Hampton Roads in Virginia
Hearing of his critical condition
his wife left her Northern home,
and, after much difficulty, made hel
way to mis- bedside Her cheerful
presence and careful nursing so fai
restored him that he was in a short
time able to be transferred to Wash.
ington.
In the Potomac river, the steam
er in which the invalid officer, Col
Scott, and his wife had taken pas
sage, 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
confusion of the scene, Col. Scott
become 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 ftuitless it was re-
sumed in the morning, the people
along the shore, human Confeder-
ates, lending their aid. But the
gray, sullen river refused to give up
its dead, and the young officer, half
frantic with grief, was compelled to
go on to Washington. Within a
week, however, he received word
from below that the body Of the la
dy had been washed ashore-that
those good country people, gener-
Gus foes, had secured it, cared for
it, and were keeping it for him.
1t happened that just at that time
imperative orders were issued from
the War Department, prohibiting
all interc ourse with the peninsula
a necessary precaution against the
premature disclosure of important
military plans. SO it was with
some misgivings that Col. Scott APP
piled to Secretary Stanton for leave
to return to Virginia, on his melan-
choly duty.
"Impossible, Colonel" replied
Mr.. Stanton, firmly; "no one can
go down the river at this time, on
any private mission whatever
Our present exigencies 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 interests. Your case
is a sad one; but this is a critical,
perilous, cruel time. The dead
must bury the dead. -
The colonel would have entreat-
ed, but the busy Secretary cut him
short with another "impossible, !"
from which there was absolutely no
appeal. He went forth from his
presence, and returned to his hotel,
quite overwhelmed.
Fortunately, he was that after
noon visited by friend, to whom
he told the story of his unsuccess-
ful application and sad perplexity,
and who Immediately exclaimed;
"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 Sat
urday evening, and Mr.. Lincoln had
gone to spend Sunday at Soldiers
Rest, his summer retreat. This was
but few miles from town, and the
colonel's indomitable friend pro-
posed that they should follow him
out, and they went.
There was then popular belief
that all the wronged, the troubled,
and suffering could find a refuge in
"Father Abraham's" capacious bo-
soma belief that was not far out
Of the way. Yet there were times
when, overburdened, wearied, tor
tured, the patriarch longed to clear
that asylum Of its forlorn inmates,
to bolt and bar and double-lock it
against the world; times when life
became too hard and perplexing for
his genial, honest nature, too seri,
GUS and tragic and rascally a thing
by half.
It happened, unluckily, that the
poor colonel and his friend found
the President in one of his most
despondent and disguised moods
He was in his little private parlor,
alone in the cleaning.
lie wus lounging loosely in a
large rocking-c chair, jutting over it
in all directions. His slippered feet
we're exalted, his rough head was
thrown back, his long throat bare
he was in his shirt sleeves ! 1t
was genuine Yankee abandon
make the most Of it!
He turned upon his visitors a
look of almost savage inquiry
There was, indeed, in his usually
pleasanteyes, wild, angry gleam-
a something like the glare Of a wor-
ried animal at bay.
Col. Scott proceeded very mod
estly to tell his story; but the
President interrupted, to say
brusquely, "Go to Stanton; this Is
his business.
81 have been to him, Mr.. Presi-
dent, and he will do dothing tor
me-"