St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-09-04
The Death of Lincoln.
A CHAPLAIN's EXPLOITATION TO THE
ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.

The surrender was over. Lees army
had ceased to be. That solid and gilt
tering phalanX which had engaged all
our energies through four years of
mortal struggle had vanished rs into
, air. The arms that had poured such
storms of death upon us had been laid
at our feet. The flags that marked the
path of that stubborn valOr which gave
to Il false cause a glory not its own had
been laid forever down. The men
whose word of honor given never to
strike again at the old flag had changed
them from enemies to fellow country
men, had scattered on their hOmeward
way, near or far, and left the field des-
olate. The very object of cur existence
was gone.
So 1t was no longer with senses and
mind alert, but in IL pensive or listless
mood, that we set ont through rain and
mud to retrace our fields and marshes,
to return to the constitutional authori-
ties our insignia of war, and to resume
the n.~,eful work cf citizens.
days march ttAll us to Farmville.
Virginia. 1t was Sunday, ut about
noon, that we entered beautiful grove
in the suburbs for camp. The sun
had now come out, and soft air and
brilliant light lay on the scene. 1t was
Il Sabbath peace. The old First di-
vision, swart and worn and torn as its
battle-hags, betook itself to rest.
Headquarters had been taken in the
yard of an old mansion of the better
class. Here, toward evening, fine
German band came over from one of
the brigades, kindly offering to play us
| nf hni oh hnx
in the midst of bright and Joyous
, strain, when there came galloping up
the old familiar figure the mudsplash-
ed, keen-eyed cavalryman messenger.
1t was no uncommon thing to receive
II military telegram, but something in
the look of the messenger made me
step apart from the company rs | took
this. read, as | remember, thus:
Washington, April Is, 1865 The
president died this morning, Wilkes
Booth the assassin. Secretary Seward
, dangerously wounded. The rest of the
cabinet, General Grant, and other high
officers of the government included in
the plot of destruction.
The first thought was of our soldiers.
; They, for every reason, must be held in
hand.
"rell the brigade commanders to put
, Il double guard on their camps imme-
diately, and not allow Il man to leave
This was the first word spoken. At a
sign to the band they gently withdrew
: The army could be trusted well to beaT
4 any blow but this. Their love for the
president was something marvellous
After each great success or reverse he
had been accustomed to come out and
: see them. That honest, homely face
showing how heavily he bore the terri
, bic burden that had come upon him
of settling the ''irrepressible conflict
which for Il century had to be managed
= by compromises that look of infinite
| sadness in the eyes that rested on those
, Ihen as the only instruments will
which to fulfil his task, but yet shrunB
> from the sacrifice, had taken strange
7 hold of the soldiers hearts. Now the
I cOwardly, brutal blow, when his words
, of gentleness were still warm as breatl
of the returning spring, must stir then
to the deepest. 1t would take but lit
tie to rouse them to frenzy of blinC
= revenge. And right before them lay {;
@ city-an inviting and easy prey t.
vengeance. Large quantities of good.
V had been stored here, it is said, many
IL citizens had gathered there for safety
= against the marauders of demOralize(
q country Il young ladies' seminary, W.
,f are told, served especially as sort o
sanctuary i'll those troubled times.
How could we be sure that tht
It change of a century had made men diff
k terent from what they were when Till,
q, at Mag'ieburg, Cromwell at Wexford
. or Wellington at San Sebastian, ha'
Z been pOwerless to restrain dire passion
n excited by far less cause2
= How could we be sure that lessons
l and thoughts of home, and the disci
> pline and habits of the field, would b
s. sufficient to hold within bounds of pa
e tience, men who saw that most limo
ir cent and best beloved the stricken vic
"a tim of Internal outrage? | knew III,
l. men-long- suffering and selt-cOntrOll
~ ed but what if now this blackes
20 crime should fire their hearts to instan
e, and eXterminating war
re But heavier responsibility, perhaps
was in waiting for us. Strange fore
bOdings pressed upon the mind.
III seemed Us if the darkest things wer
a yet to come as if now that men {
re honor had given up the fight, it ha
=, fallen to baser hands as if victory
magnanimity and charity were all t
" avail nothing before the sullen treacl
he cries that luI kcd i'll the capital.
er As | was pacing the ground wrappe
IN i'll anxious thoughts, the lady of til
, hOuse-there were never any men ;
i' hOme-came ont to ask what had haI
TO pened that disturbed us so deeply.
". ..It Is some bad news for the south
If | said.
ais it Lee or Davis ?" she asked,
q look of pain pinching her features.
sd at is Lincoln
to The face frightened instantly, wit
e. an expression of pleasure she could M
.. conceal.
'' "1ou have lost your best frien
Iy madam" was the only thing to say.
or All being now secure in camp, N
rn the news prudently broken to the me
-, instinct and habit turned to the sup
rior officers. Even the cOmpanionsh
III of these experienced men would
re some relief and perhaps there mig
DIS be counsel to be taken now, as in
If many dark and bOding hour befor
= My thought was anticipated. Th
y sight so often dear to my eyes-Charl
TN Griffin riding up-was never more we
ee, come than now. He was our cor
as commander. We brought together
- few tried and trusted spirits to discu
III the situation. We did not pretend
ce, be men of influence, but we knew ,
ny, were likely, if anything happened,
rs. be men of action. So we had a rig
to forecast events. All we knew y
rs of the situation at Washington W
what the brief telegram had told. B
ON that looked dark enough. The upsl
Lhe of our conference was expressed
!, words that | can even now remembel