The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1883-03-17
DAILGREN DISCOURSES.
The Confederate Brother of a Union Ad-
ImiraI Relates "Reminiscences of
the War.
The Tip of Knife in a Mans Skull a
MementO of u Bloody
Duel

Special Correspondence of the Evening Light.
NEW YORK, March Io.-Are you the gen
tleman who has the tip of a bowie knife in
his skull ?' was asked of tall, Smoothlaced
man of leonine features as he entered the
the office of General Charles ID. Dahlgren,
who quickly laid aside a wooden cap and
military cape. 81 am the gentleman" he
said with dignity, "who rarely talks about his
own affairs" The speaker was General
Dahlgren, who, before the war, was mil
Eonaire planter with splendid seat upon the
Mississippi river. He fought in the Confed-
crate army, while his brother Admiral Dahl
gren, inventor of the Dahlgren gun, fought in
the United States navy. General Dahlgren
was, as young man, the expert accountant
of the band ofthe United States, and cashier
of one of its branches. The war swept away
to New York, and, being lawyer, began TO
practice his profession, uniting with il the
former employment of expert talent that sup
ported him in his younger days. He is now
60 years old, and his tall figure, wrapped in a
military cloak, is a familiar sight on the
Brooklyn ferries. 1t is true, despite the Gen
erals reticence, he carries imbedded in his
skull as the memento of most desperate duel
the tip end of bowie knife which his antago-
mist buried there. Once, when friend asked
him as to the fate Of the other party to the
duel, his eyes filled with tears and he said
solemnly: snow, you are going too far. |
am too busy" he said, learning a living for
my eleven children to tell You anything about
myself. may write book when I am old.
am now workman"
A question about. his brother, Admiral
Dahlgren, aroused him, and he said, Few
men achieved more or got smaller recon-
pense than my brother. Taking junior posi-
ton in the Navy yard at Washington, with
his brain, pencil and portfolio as the only
capital, he evolved his principles of shell and
guns until. he overturned and remodeled the
entire science and system of naval warfare.
From the consequences of his Inventions, the
world has been endeavoring in vain to escape
by building such leviathans as were never
dreamed of in naval architecture 20 years ago,
although many inventors have attempted to
lessen the value of his inventions, have made
elephantine instruments like the Krupp guns,
yet none of them in ease of carriage, celebrity
of handling, certainty of penetration and &C
curacy of aim, have equaled his eleven inch
Dahlgren gun"
"What were your brothers Characters
tics ?''
"To graceful carriage and many accom-
plishments, sir, he added patent mentality,
much humor and a flow of good nature.
These made him a pleasing companion and
was agreeable to no one more than to Pres-
dent Lincoln. The humor ofthe one and wit
of the other blended like congenial colors. /
remember we'll story he told me of Mr..
Lincoln and Secretary Stanton which is illus
trative, think, of the different views held by
them in regard to the settlement of the war.
One day as Mr.. Lincoln and my brother were
about to go to dinner, and while the President
was washing his hands, Secretary Stanton en-
tered, excitedly, with a telegram in his hand
and said Mr.. President | have just re-
ceived dispatch from Portland that axe
Thompson is there waiting to take a steamer
to England, and | want to arrest him. Mr..
Lincoln began to wipe his hands, and said in
long, drawing voice, Better let him slide.
But, Mr.. President said Secretary Stanton,
'this man is one of the chief traitors, was one
of Buchanan's Cabinet, betrayed the country
then, and has fought against us ever since.
He should be punished WELL said the
President, if Jake Thompson is satisfied with
the issue of the war, l am. BETTER let
him s-l-i-d-e.' Such men should be pun
iShed to the full extent of the law said Mr..
Stanton. 'Why, if we don't punish the lead
ers of the rebellian, what shall we say to their
followers p Better let him slide, Stan
ton,' SAID the President, laying aside his
towel. Mr.. Stanton went out annoyed, and
Mr.. Lincoln, turning to my brother, said {:
Dahl, that is one of the things, don't in
tend to allow. When the war is over want
it to stop, and let both sides go to work and
heal the wounds which, heaven knows, are
bad enough; but jogging and pulling at them
is not the best way to heal a sore, and the
old general, turning to his york, said, with a
sigh. "If that policy had been carried out the
wounds would have healed long, long ago."
BRNRDICTUS.