Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-09-03
A True Story OF President Lincoln.

DURING tho summer Of the most disas-
trous and doubtful year of the late Ameri.
can war, the Colonel Of a New Hampshire
Regiment lay for some weeks extremely
i'll of camp fever, near Hampton Ronds,
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 tar restored him, that
he was in short time able 10 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 n 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 fruitlcss !;
1t was resumed in the morning, the people
along the shore, humane ConGcderates,
lending their aid. But the grey, sullen
river refused to give up Ats dead, and the
young officer, half frantic with grief, was
compelled to go on TO Washington. With
In week, however, he received word
from below that the body of the Indy had
been washed on :shoro-that those good
country people, generous foes, had sc.
cured it, cared for il, and were Keeping Il
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-
tion against the premature disclosure Of
Important military plans. So 1t was with
some misgivings that Colonel Scott ap-
Piled to Mr.. Secretary Stanton for leave
to return TO Virginia, on his melancholy
duty.
"lmpossiblc, Colonel" replied Mr. Stan.
ton, firmly; mo one can have leave 10 20
down the river, at this time, on any private
mission whatever Our present exigcn,
cies demand the most stringent regulations,
and hope need not say to you that no
merely personal considerations should be
allowed TO interfere with great national in.
tcrests, 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. lie went forth
irom the presence, and returned to his
hotel quite overwhelmed.
Fortunately, he was that afternoon
visited by 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 hone, but
acknowledging that the plan was worth
trying, drove with bis friend to the White
House.
They were too late. IL was Saturday
evening, and Mr.. Lincoln had gone 10
spend bunday at Soldiers Rest, his sum.
mer retreat This was but Q few miles
IRON town, and the Colonefs indomitablo
friend proposed that they should follow
him out, and they went.
There was then n popular belief that all
the wronged, the troubled, and suffering
coukl knd a refuge in Father AhrahansN
capacious bosom belief that was not far
out of the way. Yet there were times
when, oyerburdened, wearied, tortured.
the patriarch longcd so clear that asylum
of Its forlorn inmates, to bolt and bar and
douhle.lock 1t against the world; times
when life became too hard and perplexing
for his genial, honest nature, too serious
and tragic and rsscally thing by half
IL happened, unluckily, that the poor
Colonel and his friend found the President
in one oi his most despondent and dis.
gusted nloods. lie was in his little private
Parlor, alone in the cleaning, lie was
iounglng loosely IN a large rocking chair,
Jutung over II IN all directionS Ills slip.
pered feet were exalted, his rough head
was thrown back, his long throat bare-he
Was IN his shirt'sleeyes Yes, dear fasti,li,
Gus English reader II aoas genuine Yankee
eoGndon, make the most OF i'll