The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1880-06-12
LINCOLN'S KIND-HEARTEDNESS.
His Kind Interposition in Behalf of the
Soldiers.

y correspondent of the Boston 7raceler
writes: Here is recollection Of Abra
ham Lincoln's kind-heartednesS, which
has never been published, that | am
aware of, but which will not be forgotten
by the Boys in Blue who originally
went to the war enrolled in the old Third
Regiment of Vermont. The command
was stationed for awhile just beyond the
Chain Bridge, in Virginia, opposite Wash
ington (early in the second year of the
rebellion,) and among the privates was
young man of twenty, who had been
found one night asleep at his post of SEN
try. lie was arrested, tried by court
martial, convicted, and ordered to be
shot for this offence. The soldier had
been out on picket duty on the night
previous to that on which he was I'M
luckily caught sleeping at his post, and
thus, by army regulations he was exempt
from being called to perform guard duty
on the occasion referred to. But the
comrade whose turn it was to serve was
sick, and yound P. volunteered in the
others place. and fell into doze from
WEAKNESS.
The adjutant of the regiment knew all
the facts. and he obtained leave for day
and hurried to Washington, where he
waited on President Lincoln, and begged
him to interpose in p behalf. He was
delayed, however, and the next day at
noon, the condemned man was marched
to the field of execution. His grave had
been dug, the regiment had been formed
into Il hollow square, the chaplain had
finished his final prayer, and the file of
soldiers had advanced in front of poor
p, who stood, pale and trembling, be-
side his rude coffin, awaiting their shot,
when an officer upon horse came at a
fierce gallop rushing upon the scene with
reprieve. The announcement was made
in loud voice by the rider, when the
culprit fell to the earth, senseless, as a
wild shout Of JOY rang forth from the
sturdy lungs of his thousand electrified
CoiilpdilioHS III tlllS
The President gave the matter attcn-
ton at his earliest moment of leisure,
but had not reached the case until about
one hour before the time set for the exc
cution. Then, summoning an aid, he de-
spatched him to the scene, ordering a
stay of proceedings, while he telegraphed
Il similar order to army headquarters
which latter message did not reach the
regiment until it would have been too
late but fol the service of the aid. The
young man was afterward fully pardoned
and restored to duty.
Mr.. Lincoln took his carriage the next
morning, and, accompanied by Mrs. Lin
coin, visited the headquarters of the
Third Regiment. While there, he sat
conversing with the commander, and
another soldier had just received a tele-
gram from crmont informing him that
''his house had been burned the night
previous, and his child had been lost in
the flames. He was anxious to obtain Il
furlough to visit his home and afflicted
wife, but army rule would not permit.
lie applied to his company captain, OBJ
tanned Il printed blank, filled it hastily,
and. rushing into Lincoln's presence,
placed this and the dispatch into the
Presidents hands, imploring him to ap-
prove.
"Sign it, exclaimed Mrs. Lincoln, in
an earnest tone, as she read it. And,
hurredly glancing at the two documents,
the kind-hearted Commander-in-C Chief,
with a pencil handed him by his wife.
wrote quickly, 'Approved-A. Lincoln"
and sent the humble soldier on his way
rejoicing. 1t was but few weeks after
ward that the Presidents famous "Gen-
eral Order was published and sent
through the Army of Virginia, putting
stop to the shooting of condemned Union
soldiers without the express sanction
of the Commander-in-C Chief "a humane
act never to be forgotten.