The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-07
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
The Story Of His Talks with Private Sol
der During the Dark Days of the War.

What purpose to tell about is something con-
corning President Lincoln. And anything about
Mr. Lincoln, take it for granted, will he read
with interest, even though it be not over impor-
tant in its character 1t was the darkest day of
the war. The Union army had been repulsed at
Bull Run for the second time The Federals
were the retreat towards Washington, with
the exultant enemy following close behind them
Fortifcations were being thrown up at Arlington
Heights, and some of the frightened Washing
tonians imagined every new sound to be that of
the tread of the enemy on the Long Bridge. In
alarm kilograms were sent everywhere for the
forwarding of the embryotic regiments form
ing in the different States. In twenty-four
hours raw recruits came focking into the capital
with every train. Men who had never shot a
gun; men who could not wait for proper-szed
clothing, with the long legs of their trousers
and the long sleeves of their blouses rolled up
on their ankles and wrists; men without dis
cipline or drill, motley assemblage of farmers
boys and dry goods clerks, newly arrived immi-
grants and men with gray heads-all thrown to
the front with precipitancy that took their
breaths, dashed in a twinkling, as it were, from
home fresides to the scene of the carnival of
blood and mutilation. In the midst of despair
did the citizen soldiers" of the country fly to
the rescue of the affrightened administration.
] was of those raw recruits. Our regi-
ment the Thirteenth New Jersey, was under
command of Colonel Carman, who, with the ex-
ception of a short campaign, had come fresh
from an entry clerks desk in a New York store,
almost as inexperienced as the rest of the officers
who had never drawn a sword or soldiers who
had never loaded musket.
We left Camp Frelinghuysen, Newark, on a
hot Sunday afternoon, and arrived in Washing
ton before daylight about the last day of August.
After breakfast the first taste of salt
horse" that the most had ever tried to masticate,
the word had got around somehow that we
would not go across the river till 9 o'clock.
With some others | succeeded in getting leave to
visit The Capitol, for it the first time any of
us had ever been in Washington 1t was beau
tiful bright morning, and not later that or
halfpast o'clock when arrived at the
building where the laws are made for which we
had come to fight l remember it as we'll as if it
we're yesterday. We were in the rotunda look
ing at the pictures that have since become so
common on the backs of the national bank bills,
when some one gently touched me on the
shoulder. turned and one look took my breath
away in establishment 1t was none other than
President Lincoln.
had never seen him before, but there could
be no mistake in the recognition of one whose
portrait was so familiar. There he stood, tall
and lank, in suit of deep black, wearing
beaver hat, alone and unattended. His face was
pale and it looked pinched and worried. 1t was
the countenance of one who had not slept any
that night The first thought after the surprise
of seeing him at all was of his being there at
that early hour in the morning This fact illus
trates the anxiety that prevailed in Washington
on that dark day better than anything else 1
might write
1.-THE PRESIDENT" stammered hardly know
ing what to say.
Eyes, my boy" said he, taking my hand and
shaking it warmly, while grave smile went
across his face; ives, my boy the President of a
have come just in time. You are from New Jer
sey, are you notP
Eyes, sir.
''The Thirteenth New Jersey" he added in
Eyes, sir, 1 replied, surprised that he should
know even the number of the regiment.
Who is you colonel" he asked.
Colonel Carrnan, sir" | answered
"Oh, yes, l remember" said the President.
How he remembered don't know.
'How strong is your regiment"
about eight hundred believe, sir"
"Are there any more troops on the wayl'
eyes, sir, lots of them; but l could not say
how many"
''You don't know where they are from, sup
poser
mo sir Ireplied ''but Iheard some of them
calling each other Hoosiers' and Suckers
so suppose those are from Indiana and Illinois,
The President laughed. Then l saw ! had
made some sort of a bunder 1t did not strike
me at the time that the President himself was
from Illinois. In fact was so demoralized at
the idea Of talking to the Chief Magistrate of
this big country that hardly knew what | said.
Considering was boy of less than eighteen, l
have often thought since that acquitted my
self with tolerable degree of credit.
Mr.. Lincoln then asked my occupation, name
and residence, and taking out tablet he made
an entry. What that was l never knew, of
course The President then took nv hand and
shake There on
four of my comrades standing around at the
time and growing little bold, | said
Mr.. President, beg your pardon, sir, but
here are some more Jersey boys, and 1 guess
they would feel honored to shake hands with
you also"
oh did not intend to omit that said the
President Every soldier is my friend and my
brother We are all soldiers now in a common
cause. God bless you all" And he shook them
all by the hand and walked briskly out We
followed him to the top of the then unfinished
great stairway, down which he went and walked
over towards the old Capitol Prison. Such is the
innate alteration of greatness and power that
the President had captivated and captured every
one of There not one in the little squad
that from that moment would not have laid down
his life for cour try governed by such an unas-
Stunning ruler. 1t may be imagined what heroes
we were when we related our adventure on our
return to the barracks We had to repeat the
conversation to the officers and men time and
time again. 1t was my first talk with real live
President of the United States and for the first
time in my life | experienced satisfaction that
lived under a Democratic form of government
But we were kept too busy to think great deal
more about it at the time. We were hurried
over TO Arlington Heights, and then came the
long and weary march up through Maryland, till
we scaled the steep sides of South Mountain,
and, for the first time tasted the real horrors
and real glories of war. Them on the 18th of
September, we were hurled into bloody Ante
TAM and witnessed that awful days carnage
Oh, the sights could tell of that day, that ter
rible day, when we lost our brave Captain Irish
at the head of Company X. But that is not my
purpose now.
Some months after that there was a grand re
view of the army near Harper's Ferry. A review
is the soldiers bugbear, but this time it was to
be of more than ordinary Importance, for the re-
4 viewing officer was none less than the President