National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-03-12
A WAR "REMINISCENCES
MAKING A BED FOR MR.. LINCOLN.
Scene the Great President Enjoyed-IngeuuitT Of
'0Id Abe" in Lengthening IL when He
Found It Was Too Short
A Good Story.

True the final and bloody repulse OF the rebels
at Malvern Hill had cheered Us up somewhat. but
it was plain to enlisted men well as officers that
the occupation of Richmond would have to be de-
ferred for long time.
1t was during our first weeks occupation of this
prehistoric spot that enjoyed the first and only
opportunity 1 ever had of seeing President Lin
con who visited the army shortly after its arrival
in order to ascertain its exact condition and de-
eide upon its future movements.
As the writer of this was the orderly of Major
General Sumner, whose guest the President was
during his brief stay, he had more than ordinarily
good advantages for observing his peculiarities,
which, it is needless to say, he improved to the
utmost
! What first impressed me about President Lincoln
vas the excessive awkwardness of his figure and
the fact that his clothes didn't seem 10 fit him
Tall. gaunt and ungainly. he certainly looked like
q railSptter going about in his Sunday suit, or an
| undertaken temporarily out of business. This
latter resemblance was intensified by the melan-
choy character of his features and the coat, vest
and trousers of funeral black i'll which he was
! habituallly attired. The expression of his face
| was an odd mingling of shIewdness, sagacity, and
native kindness: and, despite its sadness, there
continually lurked about the corners of his mouth
| CLEANS of quaint humOr of which none of his
| pictures give the slightest indication.
| Mr.. Lincoln wore what was commonly called a
plug hat, and, although it may have only been of
conventional length, it appeared TO me extraor-
dinarily tall. Although it may well be doubted if
any other species of hat would have better become
him, 1 remember thinking at the time that the
! stoyepipe added greatly to the oddness and gro
tesquerie Of his appearance.
The troops were to be reviewed on the day Of his
arrival, and l remember the General was very
much perplexed as to the character of the Pres
~ tn
kind of charger he would prefer. 1 remember his
answer as plainly as 1T were only yesterday.
| General, said he, "any kind of quiet beast
will do. don't think was cut out for cavalry
man, and am afraid high-spirited war-steed
might prove little too much for me-"
| In the Generals stud was a little sorrel mare
called Bonnie, the soul of gentleness and good
| temper and he at once proposed her for Mr.. Lin
| coins use
"AI right" said the President; 81 guess the
mare will suit me to a T; besides, among horses
that sex is much the easiest to manage. This re-
mark, however" he added, with a sly twinkle in
his eye does not hold good of humanity"
| When Mr. Lincoln was mounted on Bonnie his
| appearance was more peculiar than ever. The lit
| tie mare was not more than fourteen hands high
and so great the length Of the Presidents legs
that once fairly settled in his saddle his feet nearly
| touched the ground. As he ruefully remarked,
| glancing at his extremities, if was only two
inches longer, think I'd get off and walk"
Mounted by his side on a splendid stallion,
prancing and rearing, and surrounded by bril-
| liant staff General Sumner looked like veritable
cavalier of old, while the Chief Magistrate of the
Republic, by comparison, had the appearance Of
| some quiet country parson who, in ambling to
morning service, had fallen among military men
by mistake.
However the enthusiasm of the men for the
| plain looking civilian was tremendous and the
| President was much pleased with the review
Particularly was he delighted with the spirit OF the
troops, which was evidently much better than he
| had expected.
As he rode back he said to the General, glce.
fully, The boys seem as if they were willing to 60
in again Tomorrow sentiment to which thai
| officer asSented.
After our return to camp the President dined
! heartily, and toward evening went away to visi
some other generals.
1t was about eight o'clock and getting darl
| when General Sumner ordered me to send his col
| ored servant to him. This was sprightly contra
| band, whom the men had ehristened St0newall
jackson, but on the present occasion StOneTall be
! lied the promptnesS of his namesake and was n0
| forthcoming.
As it turned out afterward, he had been at
tracted by the playing of the bands of some New
| York regiments about quarter of a mile on oul
right and of course could not leave while there
was horn blowing.
1 saw the General was getting anxious, an(
finally he spoke:
Davis said he, do you know how to make
| bed?"
1 confessed that my experience in that line wa
| somewhat limited.
$50 is mine" said he, but something must b'
done. am expecting the President every mo-
| aJd ha RI AS
cal hasn't turned up suppose we must try and
| prepare his bed ourselves"
! The General had surrendered his own cot for the
| use of the President and we at once proceeded to
| arrange it as best we could. We had hardly
gotten fairly under way when in walked Mr.. Lin
coin.
"Hello, Sumner" said ne, making your bed
This is the first time knew that corps cOmman-
ders acted as their own chambermaids"
The General replied inthe same vein, telling hin
that the cot was for him, and explaining the cir
cumstances under which we had felt obliged TO dc
the work of the derelict Stonewall.
"All right" said the President, good -humoredly
as he took his seat the campstoOl in the corner
ego ahead, don't mind me; I'll merely watch yoI
and take the lesson that il you ever come to the
White House shall be able to reciprocate, should
it prove necessary"
We were getting along nicely and had nearly fin
shed when suddenly an idea seemed to strike the
| General. He glanced furtiyely out of the corner
of his eye at the President and then at the cot
After repeating the operation several times per
ccivcd his meaning.
The awful fact had dawned upon him that there
was a marked discrepancy in the length of thu
cot and the person who was TO occupy it.
In vain did we rearrange the blankets and fd
dle-fadde with the pillows-the result remained
the same. The man was unmistakably longer
than the bed.
Mr.. Lincoln had been watching us closely and
| enjoying the scene intensely. At length he
seemed to take pity on the Generals perplexity
and spoke.
what's the matter?" said he, as a quizieal
smile played over his features, anything wrong
with the bed?"
I'm afraid" said the General, as he wiped th'
perspiration from his brow I'm afraid its ittl'
| short"
"OrT little long," chuckled the President
"but can't you fix it no way?"
II really don't see how returned the General
despondently. "It's very annoying"
We'll, I'll show you,' said Mr.. Lincoln, good
humOredly, as spriuging up he seized two camp
stools and placed them at the foot Of the cot
There, that will give the necessary six or eigh
inches. Just spread the blankets over them and
everything will be all right"
We did so, and the General, radiant with de
light, congratulated Mr.. Lincoln upon his inge
nuity.
"Oh," said the President, mcdestly, it's an ol(
trick of mine. When was a country lawyer, trav
cling on the circuit in Illinois twenty years agt
or more, the beds were uncommonly short, and hat
to be pieced out with whatever was handiest
When Douglas and stumped the State together
had to do the same thing at least half a dozeI
/ times. He (Douglasl was never tired of making
fun Oft, and told me that whenever left home
ought to take my bed along with me. and contin
ued the President, musinSly, "I rather think h
! was right"
On the following night Mr.. Lincoln was no
obliged to use the stools, as we managed &
; nrnnnra q lnngar cot for him: and dOuhilesS III