The Arkansaw traveler., 1882-08-06
Brave Sam. Todd.
Richmond Va. State.

The recent death of that unhappy lady. Mrs Lincoln. has filled the papers with "reminiscences from all quarters of her family. her girlhood. her eourtships. her marriage. her brilliant career Tn the white house. and her melancholy story since that evcntful Good Friday nigh, cf lS6,. The writer has also a brief rcmefnem- brance to recall which may IS well De placed on record. When the var broke out Mrs. Lincoln had TWO brothers. Dr. Todd and Sam. Todd. residing n New Orleans. and in business there D;. Todd was early appointed A surgeon in the con federate army. and. We believe. came io Virginia. Young Sam. Todd was a say and happy youth. no. over thirty. Of s,saG social standing and pleasing address. handsome in person. sery. popular. and in every respect manly fellow. He wa> of course. known a> ne bre,her-la-IsW at the president. or "oid Abe as he was generally called: bat beng m arden, southernef that did na, aifee, hls relations with his friends. la March. iSbe. when BeaureGavd was appointed to the west and sen, out b stop the progress of the federal army under Grant and sherman through Kentucky and Tennessee. he made call upon Louisiana. his natlte state. 10 come te his aid. This Was promptly responded to by several ;hous- and young men oi New Orleans. of ali grades of society who eagerly volunteered. and among the number was xoHns sam. Todd. He enrolled himself n the ..Cres- teering the great battle ei shiloh Was fought. On the day before tha, battle the writer and others gave a dinner 10 some half dozen ot their personal friends sf the Crescent Regialent. Washington Artillery. Seventh Texas. etc. and sam. Todd was one of the i.vori,e guests Io- vial Sam. Todd Who that knew him can ever forget him All soul. all fur and all fire. too. They separated for the march. and the next day were all m ,ht. midst of battle by sunrise. The first day went mertily enough for our side. l, was deiish;fA game of base bail. and. though the battle W,ts fierce. e.desperate and hotly contested. when nig ght came We had scored avsroat victory.
 The nigh. was fearful one. and we slept on the tieid iii the most drcnching rain storm tha; W1s eter experienced. aC- companled by some of the very loude>i thunder which could only be distinguished from the roar of the columblads hfcd al intervals on the sanbaats by the fac; that the firsl was harmless. hu, the latter being loaded. ihcIr shrcking shell and rolling shot causad our fellows often to change the logs selected for thcr pillows
 Betimes on the morning of the -ih we were all up and n inc but rested for while 10 cook breakfast before advancing While engaged over pol of boiling pc tatoes. as somebody else was preparing coffee, surrounded hY many of the staff and correspondents ef iieaaresard army proper the Louisiana and Texas men. q young fellow Tn the uniform of the Gres- cents came up and expressed wish for '.one of them Nurphys when they were done. Turning and recognizing our friend, Todd. We grasped his hand and congratulated hlm upon his good fortune ,n the fight: for although the" Cresccnts were in reserve they had vet participated largely Tn the battle. and II was the lead ing regimen; iIl he elpture of PrcntIss and his men. Is colonel. Marshall !. Smith of Norfolk. receiving his sword but the next nlomcn; a number oi round shot came piunsinS over the tcld IF which we were assembled. one of which overturned our potato pot. and the order was to fall in al on-c. aS the enemy were advancing in force. !; was the new troops of Bueii ard Nelson. and we were a, once hotly engaged. Sam. Todd's regiment was thrown ta the front promptly. soon followed by ours. when almost the first object tha. met u> d. We passed over the field was the liele,> body ot poor sam. Mrs. l.ineoln's brother. with bulle.-holc n his forehead. DsiscR back and still back. our dead we;e all lef; on the dlsas- trous field tor Gran; ,o bury: and among those who shared these srm and hasiy funeral rites there x x m better man or more devoted soldier of the Confedcracy than this gallant young brother of the Lady oi the whi;e house
 In speaking of ihl> even, in the Ist'a. 4 correspondent Il the iisne made thls sad commentary Poor sam. Todd of the Crcseents was lei dead an the field. T,,- ,!c did the led, ef the whsic house think while rejoicin., aver he news of the Aic- toy and celebrating ,. IT d rand ball at the capital, tha; her youngest brother l.ty cold in the embrace of death upon that