Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1882-08-25
MRS. LINCOLN,s BROTHER.

Richmond (Va) State.
When the war broke out Mrs. Lincoln
had two brothers. DR.. Todd and Sam
Todd, residing in New Orleans and in
business there. DR.. Todd was early
appointed n surgeon in the confederate
army, and, we believe, came &c Vir-
ginia. Young Sam Todd was IA gay
and happy youth, not over 20, of good
social standing and pleasing address,
handsome in person, very popular, and
in every respect n manly fellow. He
was, of course, known rs the brother
in-law of the president. or 'Old Abe
rs he was generally called; but being
an ardent southerner that did not affect
his relations with his friends. In March,
1862, when Beauregard was appointed
to the west and sent out to stay the
progress of the federal army under
Grant and Sherman through Kentucky
and Tennessee, he made n call upon
Louisiana, his native state, to come
to his aid. This was promptly
responded TO by several thousand
young men of New Orleans, of all
grades of society, who eagerly volun-
teered. and among the number was
young Sam Todd. He enrolled him
self in the Crescent regiment. A month
after volunteering the great battle of
Shiloh was fought. On the day before
that battle was fought the writer and
others gave "a dinner to some half
dozen of their personal friends of the
Crescent regiment. Washington ar
tillery, 9TH Texas, etc, and Sam Todd
was II of the favorite guests. Jovial
Sann Tn1If \Vhn that Era,r him, non
cver forget him? All soul, all fun, and
all fire, too! They separated for the
march, and the next day were all in
the midst of battle by sunrise. 1t was
Il delightful game of baseball, and,
though the battle was fierce, desperate,
and hotly contested, when night came
we had scored a great victory.
That night was Il fearful one, and we
slept on the field in the most drenching
rain-storm that was ever experienced,
accompanied by some of the very loud
est thunder, which could only be dis
tinguished from the oar of the column
biads fired at intervals on the gun
boats by the fact that the first was
harmless, but the latter being loaded
their shrieking shell and rolling shot,
caused our fellows often 10 change the
log selected for their pillows.
Betimes on the morning of the 9TH we
were all up and in line, but rested for
n while TO cook breakfast before adj
vancing. While engaged over a pot of
boiling potatoes, while somebody else
was preparing coffee, surrounded by
many of the staff and the correspon-
dents of Beauregard's army proper,
the Louisiana and Texas men, a young
fellow in the uniform of the Crescents
came up and expressed n wish for zone
of them murphys when they were
done" Turning and recognizing our
friend Todd, we grasped his hand and
congratulated him upon his good for
tune in the fight; for although the
Crescents were in reserve they had yet
participated largely in the battle, and
it YVES Tie leading regiment in the cap
ture of Prentiss and his men, its colonel,
Mashal j. Smith, of Norfolk, receiving
his sword; but the next moment n num-
Der of round shot came plunging over
the field i'm which we were assembled,
one of which overturned our potato-pot,
and the order was to fall in at once, az
the enemy was advancing in force. 1t
was the new troops of Buell. and Mel
son, and we were at once holly engaged.
Sam Todd's regiment was thrown to
the front promptly, soon followed by
ours, when almost the first object that
met us as we passed over the field was
the lifeless body of poor Sam, Mrs.
Lincoln's brother, with a bullet hole in
his forehead! Driven back and still
back, our dead were all left on the dis
astrous field for Grant to bury; and
among those who shared those CHASTITY
funeral rites there was no better man