Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-05-24
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
a Hitherto Unpublished Ansedots Of the
Late President.

New anecdotes Of President Lincoln
are sufficiently rare, but here Is one, says
the New York Wopld, which Ia authentic
and characteristic, whether we consider
naiyete NfAtie goodness Of heart or the
When Colonel Mulligan's Chicago regi-
meut lay In camp away down South, Que
OF the prlvates, call him Barney D.,
in a moment of passion and intoxication
stabbed and terubly mangled a comrade
Barney was one Of the hard characters
of the command, and II was a matter Of
no surprise when the court-martlal sen
tenced him for this last and graveet OF
his many offences to be shot, and liked
the day Of his execution. Meanwhile, 70
the surprise Of every one including the
surgeons, the wounded man began 10 re-
cover and was soon pronounced out OF
danger.
Pablic opinion took the usual turn. II
was thought a pity, after all, 10 shoot q
doe young fellew, such as Barney was In
his better momepts besides, he was one
of the boys, had been born like them In
Chicago, grown up With then, enlisted
with them, and fought with them. A
movement looking TO a petition forthe cul.
prit's pardon was set on foot, In which
none Joined more heartily than the
woun led man, and the camp, which, bui
Yesterday, was for lynching Barney, nov
Ioiued to save his life. But the Genera
commanding had approved the finding o
the court martial, and only the fresiden
could Interfere, and the regiment was en-
eamped away from the. telegraph lines
So that, though the necshsArY document
, had been forwarded, backed by stronI
recommendations, there were grave douht
!, IL the mereiful message which Mr.. Lin
/ coin was almost certainly 10 send woull
reach the camp In time. An expires
was sent to the nearest telegraph station
! thirty mlles away, TO carry The messag
Z with all haste-and all waited i'm
patiently.
The night before the fatal day arrives
! Barney was TO be shot at sunrise mel
day. No reprleve had arrived, and n
4 lHctantly the adjutant prepared the NJ
J cessary orders, detailed the firing part,
: arranged for the parade. The nigl
n wore on. II is safe 10 say that mot q
!. eve was closed in the camp, and evel
4 ear was strained for hoof-beats from Il
\ East. Past midnight, one, two, thr,
y o'clock. There were movements In Il
y grey Eastern sky the brilliant Southel
a stars paled 1t was almost dawn.
N Suddenly q faint sound was heard,
n OF shout away to the east. The exell
y fmenl became electric. Men rushed fro
N their tents, half dressed, and gathered
~ anxious groups, The officers were hard
~ less excited, aud mingled with thel
~ Then in rapid succession were hea
~ challenge and reply as the advanci
- party passed sentry after sentry, then {
~ tramp and splash OF hoofs, and at la
" burst into view the long-iooked for M
"a senger, covered with mud from head
foot, wan aud worn out, his horse pa
nA ing aud travel-stalned aud bruised,
IN they had ridden thirty miles since m
m. night along roads that were sluiees
IA mud and water. The rider held his v
Ia straight to the ColoDel's tent and del
"a cred his telegram. 1t read thus;
WAsHIEoToN, -, 1856
Nv CoLoNHL MULlIeAE III you have
a shot Barney D. yet-don'i.
in A. LINooLB
nd They hadn't, and they didn't.