The banner-enterprise., 1883-09-06
Admiral Dahlgren'S Brother.
An Ex-COnfederate General Tells IA Fresh
AnecdOte About Abraham Lincoln.
From the New York SUM-

Are you tne Sentlemnn WHO mas
the tip of a bowie knife in his skull
was asked of tall, smooth faced man
of leonine features, as he entered the
Office of General Charles G. Dahl
gren, at No. "a Pine street, and laid
aside a woOlen cap and a military
cape. II am the gentleman he said
with dignity, "who rarely talks
about his own affairs The speaker
was General Dahlgren, who before
the war was a millionaire planter
with a splendid seat upon the Mis-.
sissippi River. He fought in the Con
federate army, while his brother, Ad-
miral Dahlgren, the inventor of the
Dahlgren gun, fought in the United
States Navy. General Dahlgren was,
as young man, the expert account
ant of the Bank of the United States,
and a cashier of one of its branches
The war swept away his fortune and
left him penniless. He came to New
York, and being lawyer, began to
practice his profession, uniting with
it the employment Of the expert talent
that supported him in his youth. He
isnow G0yearS old, and his tall figure,
wrapped in military cloak, is ia,
miliar sight on the Brooklyn ferries.
1t is true, despite the Generals re
ticence. that he carries imbedded in
his skull, as the memento of most
desperate duel, the tip end Of a bowie
knife which his antagonist buried
there. Once. when a friend asked
General Dahlgren as to the fate of
the other party to the duel his eyes
filed with tears, and he said solemn,
ly: ''Now You are going too far II
am too busy" he said, earning a liv-
ing for my eleven children to tell you
anything about myself. | may write
book when | get old. | am now a
workman, doing my best for my eli
entS.'
A question about his brother, Ad-
miral Dahlgren, aroused him, and he
said: "Few men achieve more or get
a smaller recompense than my broth
er, the Admiral. Taking ajunior po-
sition in the navy yard at Washing
ton, with his brain, pencil and port
folio as his only capital, he evolved
his principles of shells and shell guns
until he overturned and rcmodled the
entire science and system of naval
warelare. From the consequences of
his invention the whole world has
been cndeavoring in vain to escape
by building such leyiathans as were
never dreamed ofin naval architecture
twenty years ago. Although many
inventors have attempted to lessen
the value of his inventions, and have
made elephantine instruments. like
the krupp guns. yet none of them, in
ease of carriage, celebrity of handling,
certainty ofpenetration and accuracy
of aim, have equalled his II inch Dahl |
gren.'
"What was your brothers charac-
teriStcS ,"
"To graceful carriage and many
accomplishments, sir, he added pc.
tent mentality, much humor, and a
flow of good nature. These made him
a pleasing companion, and he was
to no one more than to
President Lincoln. The humor of the
one and wit of the other blended like
colors remember well
story my brother told me of Mr.. Lin
coin and Secretary Stanton, which is
Illustrative, think, of the different
views held 10y 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 entered eycitedly
with telegram in his hand. and said;
"'Mr. President, have just receiy-
ed dispatch from Portland that Jake
is there waiting to take the
steamer to England, and | want to
arrest him Mr.. Lincoln began to
wipe his hands on towel, and said
in a long, drawing voice; Better let
him slide
"'But, Mr. President said Secre.
tary Stanton, 'thiS man is one of the
chief trait0rS-waS one of Buchanan'S
Cabinet. betrayed the country then,
and has fought agnlnSt us ever since.
He should be punished
"W ell, said the President, if
Jake Thompson is satisfied with the
ISSUE of the war | am. Better let
him slide
"'Such men should be punished to
The full extent of the law said Mr.
Stanton. why, if we don't punish
Lhe leaders of the rebellion what shall
we say to their followers! 2
Better let him slide, Stanton
said the President. laying aside his
lowell.
"Mr. Stanton went out, evidently
and Mr.. Lincoln, turning to
my brother, said Dahl, that is one
,f the things don't intend to allow.
When the war is over | want it to
stop, and let both sides 80 to work
md heal the wounds, which, Heaven
Knows, are bad enough; but jogging
md pulling at them is not the best
way to heal a sOre.'"
And the old General, turning to his
work, said with sigh; IF that poll {
" had been carried out the wounds {
would have been healed long, long
Igo.'