Smyrna times., 1870-01-19
Bloody Charlottesville.

A snort time De1ore his death the late Sec
retary Stanton said it panied him to see the
opinion so prevsle that Mr.. Lincoln was a
habitual joker, and that he was never serious
Mr.. Stanton said it was great errcr and re-
lated the following incident to prove the inius-
tice OF the popular impression:
Mr.. Llncon was very sensitive of the criti-
clsms OF the newspaper press, believing it, az
he asserted, the true voice of the people The
failures of Mcdowell and Mcclellan and Burn.
side and Pope with the Army of the Potomac,
and the accompanying criticisms of the newspa-
perS, had almost erazed him. Time and again
he would free himself from the White House.
and seek Mr. Stantons little Office the only
place in Washington, he often remarked,
where he was free from bores He often talk
ed 10 Mr. Stanton OF resigning, or of pressing
on Congress the prOpriety of giving to military
or naval men the control of the army and navv
1t was during this period that he conceived the
idea OF putting Hooker in command of the
Army of the Potomac and have him make an ef-
fort for success. He had good opinion of
Hooker, thinking him an honest and sincere
patriot and soldier He put him in command.
and did everything in his power to make him
hight what he wanted to make the closing bat
tie OF the war. Accordingly, when Hooker got
under way and news came that at Chancellors.
vile he would make his fight, Mr. Lincoln was
IN the greatest state of mental excitement.
From the time that Hooker began to march
until the smoke of battle had fairly cleared from
the fatal field of Charlottesville, the President
scarcely knew what it was to sleep. 1t will be
remembered that the fight lasted three days.
During the first two days it looked as if Hooker
was about to accomplish what so many had
failed to DO, but early on the third day the
usual halt hour dispatches began to make mat
ters look worse. The whole day Mr. Lincoln
was miserable. He ate nothing, and would see
no one but Mr.. Stanton As it grew dark the
dispatches ceased coming. The President
would walk from the White House to the War
Department and anxiously inquire tor Hooker.
The night was dark and stormy-about as mean
night as was ever experienced in Washing
n. About seven o clock the President ceased
his visits to the War department.
An hour afterward dispatch of an indef-
mite charac, er was received and Mr.. Stanton
hurried with it to the White House. He found
MIR. Lincoln walking the room, and, as he en-
tered, the agonlzlng appearance of the Presi-
dent so terrified the Secretary that it was with
difficulty he could speak. Mr.. Lincoln talked
| to him like wild man, and, seizing the dis
patch from his hand, read it, and simply re
marked: Stanton, there is hope yetp' At
! Mr.. StantOn's solicitation, the President &C
companied him to the War Department. where
they agreed to spend the time together unit
| something ue1ulte was neard from Hooker
For four hours the longest and most wearisome
Of his life, said AIr. Stanton, they waited be
fore the di>patch announcing the retreat OF
Huoker was received. When Mr. Lincoln haC
read it, he threw up his hands and exclaimed
4" My God Stanton, our cause is lost. W.
are ruined We are ruined And such fear
iul loss Of life. My God this is more than
can endure" He stood trembling like leaf
his face of a ghastly hue, the perspir alton rol
ling from his brow. He put on his hat anC
coat, and began pacing the floor. For fv,
minutes he was silent, and then, turning t
Stanton he said: If l am not about earl
to-mo row morning, don't feel alarmed. De
teated again, and so many killed What wi
the people say?" AS he made the remark h
went to open the door to go out. His action
alarmed Mr. Stanton; and he stopped him an
entreateJ him to return, that they might tai
, and act like men. With difficulty he had hir
return, and MIR. Stanton began to try to chez
/, him. He finally got him to assent to retire t
, bed, and leave for the army the next mornin
, which he did. Lincoln afterwards told Nj
Stanton that when he spoke to him about nc
, being alarmed if he was not about next morr
, ing, he had fully made up his mind to go
the Potomac and drown hir:self Mr. Stanto
, said he thought at the time the President col
! templated suicide, and never felt SO frightene
during his lifetime.