The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-02-08
ANECDOTES OF THE A

ANECDOTES OF THE WAR.
Interesting Ecco!lections of scott,
Lee, lincoln and stanton.
sion ire Cincinnati Conn rcial Gazette.
Ex-A1jatantG IN. e D. Townsend now
on the retired list, was one of the most
active and trusted officers at Washing
ton during the war. His position placed
him in almost daily contact with the
president, the eeneral-in-chief, when in
Washington, and the secretary of war.
and he Saw how the rulers of The couu-
TRY labored With weishty, problems be-
fore reaching official decisions. His new
book, anecdotes of the Civil War in
the United states.' just published by
70. Appleton 4 Co., hos many historical
as well as entertaining qualities. The
general writes these recoilections in a
quiet, pleasant vein, and with evident
CLOSE attention to facts. The
book is not made up of scranpy II
dotes, but 10 rather a recital ofimportant
state proceedings and events in Wash
angton, with incidents attending them
~ Is ardlysnceessary to. say that Gen.
Townsend does not violate any conf
dences. He has many interesting things
TO say of buchanan, Lincoln, Scott, Nc.
Clellan, Halleck, Stanton and scores of
others prominent in the war.
In Il e fail of 1861 he was one ola party
OF twelve or fourteen who dined Nth
President Buchanan at the Soldiers
lone. Conversation turned on the
probable secession otthc southern States.
MIR. Buchanan sud little until Massa-
chusetis was mentioned, when he re-
marked, with considerable warmth: 81
wish Ma~ssachnsetts would secede; she is
practically already out Of the Union by
her action in the fugitive slave
matter.' Gen. Townsend does not
give much space to Buchanan, though
acknowledging isktndiy social impulses
The untiinching loyalty and high.minded
patriotism of Gen. Winfield Scott were
perfectly we'll known to Gen. Townsend
who was on Scott's staff until The vener-
able soldier was succeeded by Mcclellan
Gen. ToWnsendf was present when Col.
Robt. 4. Lee had his final inierviewwith
Scott, April 80 1861, Scott had written
to Lee tfst lie wished to see him
When Lee came in twrites Townsend),
l was alone in the room with Gen. Scott.
and the door, to the aides room was
close. quietly arose, keeping my eye
on the general. for 1t seemed probable
he might wish to be alone with Lee.
He. however, secretly mentioned me
to keep my seat, and | sat down with.
out Lee having Il chance to notice that I
had rizen. The Gener | having invited
Lee to be seated, the following CONVERSE
ton, as nearly as | can remember. took
place:
Gen. Scott. You are at present on
laaya 1f nhgapca Col Lap
Col. Lee. Yes, General, l am staying
with my family at Arlington.
Gen. Scott. These are times when
everyloficer in the United States should
fully determine what course he will
pursue,a and frankly declare it. No one
should continue in Government employ
without being actively engaged. mo re-
Spouse from Lee.l
Gen. Scott lsee,ng evidently that Lee
showed no disposition to declare him
selfloyai, or even in doubt. l suppose
you will 90 with the rest. If you pur-
pose to resign, it is proper you should
do SO at once: your present atti tude is
an eQuivocal one.
Lee. General, the property be-
longing to my children, ali they possess,
lies in Virginia They will be ruined ii
they do notg with tier State. l can
not raise my hand agains. my children.
Gen. Scott then siguited that he had
nothing further to say, and Col. Lee
withdrew. The next day. April 90, 1861,
he rendered his resignation, and it was
accepted the 25tl. Gen. Scott made no
remark .nppn sthe snbjsct, but he's was
evidently much .grieved at thus parting
with man or whom he had been Just
ly proni,2 and for whom he had
cherished the highest personal regard.
Ii WIS probably .naar. the III day as
the Interview With.G Gen. Scott, that the
following incident, related TO me by the
late Col. Sliras, occurred. Shiras was
in the office Of Adjt. Gen. L. Thomas
whep.Col. Lee came in there. Standing
pn the s~ile,ofthe table opposite where
Thomas was sitting, Lee said: Gen.
Thomas, an told you have said l was
b traitor" Thomas arose and looking
Aimin the eye, replied: III have said
so; doTyou wish to Know OF what au-
thori.y2h EYES," said Lee. "Well, on
the authority of Gen. Scott" Lee nut
tered, .sT~ilereInustg be some mistake"
and left the Dor
Gen.. Townsend saw much Of Mr..
Lincoln, and gives n number of the
by the wal President. IAN old friend
of Mr.. Lincoln was c%onversing with the
President at a time during the war
when things looked very dark. On
taking hisyleaye he asked the President
what lie should sAytoS their friend 8 in
Kentucky what cheerilg news he tould
give him. Mr.. Lincoln replied: "That
reminds me Of 81 man who prided him
self greatly on his game of chess, hay-
ing seldom been beaten He heard of
a machine called the automaton chess
player. which was beating every one
who played against it. So he vent to
try his skill with the machine. He lost
the first game, SO with the second and
the third Then rising in establishment
from his seat. he walked around the
machine, andlooked at is q few minutes.
Then stopping and pointing at it he ex-
claimed. "rhere is a man in there"
Tell my friends" said Mr.. Lincoln,
drawing himself up TO his full height,
s.thetuis aAman In there
Gen. Townsend's "reminiscences of
Secretaty Stanton are, quite extended.
The following are quotations; "Mr
s anton entered upon the duties of
Secretary Of War itha due appreciation
If their difficulties and responsibilities,
He y g beet by persons who had axes
to grind and some of them we're not
scrupIuous as to the meRrs of gaining
their end. He found that a determined
win would often alone enable him to
surmount obstacles in the way Of the
emilio service. This, added to the nery-
aus i~rrltability which infallibly attends
,yerwork, sometimes made him arbit-
rary and offensive in his manners. But