The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-02-01
LNcoLN's VISIT TO RICHMOND.
Interesting Incident Recalled by a Veteran
of The War.

0f The War.
Springfield .CMass } Republican.
Admiral Porters "reminiscences of Abraham
Lincons visit.to Richmond find eager readers
in the old soldiers of the country and one of them
Capt. AZ. C. Warren of this city--adds pic
turesqne incidentto the,s story. As drawn by Ad-
miral Porter, the scenes of Lincoln's passage
from the wharf at Richmond, where
the gunboat Malvern left them togeth-
er, to General Weitzels headquarters,
in the house vacated two days be,
fore by jeff Davis. are picturesque in
their portrayal of the feelings of the negroes.
1t was hardly to be expected that the whites.
even if Union men, with their more reserved
temperamentS would give way to any SUCH
transports of emotion. But Captain Warren re-
hates an incident which .epitomiSes the JOY and
relief felt by the Union men who had lived at
the South during the war. Captain Warren,
whose gunners had been the first artillerymen
to enter the evacuated city as officer of the day.
was early among the visitors atarece ption which
Mr.. Lincoln held for a couples of hoursn the
parlor of the old Davis House for the soldiers
aud loyal Richmond people The President was
bearing the journey well, though his inevitable
black freck coatapd .istorepipe' hat,were a bit
the worse for travel "A few officers had been
introduced and some of them stood chatting
about the room, Capt. Warren among them.
when Gen. Weitzel came out ,of a rear room
with a tall, lank civilian, gray haired and plain
~ man of prominence. Leading him up to
Mr.. Lincoln the General introduced him as
greatfriend of John Minor Bolts and a Union
man whose loyalty the past few years had cost
him persecution. AS the President turned to
greet the stranger, great throb of emotion
shook the old mans frame, and quickly stepping
forward he flung his arms about Mr. Iincolnls
neck, in the most tragic manner. Thank God,
/ have lived to see this day. he cried The
small audience in uniform, touched at the
sight, watched it with interested eyes,
The old civilian seemed to forget the
place, the President. his attitude and
everything, and the situation was fast becoming
ridiculous. Mr.. Lincoln ever quick to see the
humorous side of anything, interposed With a
kindly smile passing over his angular features
he gently released himself from the grasp of Mr..
Bolts friend. ,remarking. ""About how tall are
you, sirg" The isonnd of his voice lawoke the
old man from his reflections and quickly turned
the current of his thoughts. Recollecting him
self at once, the stranger replied, stating his
height which Lincoln declared to be two inches
less than his own. The old man stepped aside,
evidently quite unconscious of the mingled pa
thos and iumor Of the little scene in which he
had played so'prominent part. Captain War
rem remained in Richmond about ten days
longer, and. returning after a short march
South was mustered out there in June, still
wearing on his sword the kuoU of Grape which
the officers ordered to place there for sixty
days in memory of the martyr President. He
has never taken it off.