New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-06-07


I'm the beginning of May. 1864, Grant moved the
Army of the Potomac across the Rappahannock and
fought the battle of the Wilderness. For two days
we had no authentic news in Washington, and both
Mr. Lincoln and the Secretary of War were very
much troubled about it. That night at ABOUT ~
o'clock was sent for to the War Department. anu
on reaching the Office l found the President ana
the Secretary together ave are greatly disturbed
in mind" said Mr. Lincoln, because Grant mas
been fighting two days and we are not getting any
authentic account of what has happened since ne
novel; We have concluded to send you down
thcre How soon can Won be ready to start II
will be ready" said, in half an hour and VIII eet
of lust rs soon rs a train and an escort can be got
together Mt Alexandria" :" Very good.' SAID the
President. ego then and God bless you" at once
made the necessary preparations and gave ORDERS
for a train from Alexandra to the RappahannocK'
At tho proper time, just before midnight, was
on board the cars in Maryland-ave. which were u
take mo and my horse to Alexandria wheh al
orderly rode up in haste to say that the Secretary
wanted to me at tho War Department Riding
there as fast AZ could found the Presdent stlii
there. Since you went away" said he, nave
been feeling very unhappy about 1t. dom 'iko W
send Won down there We hear that Jeb Stewards
cavalry is riding all over the region, between tho
Ranpahannock AMI the Rapdan. and don't want
before Won can reach Grant" "Mr. Lincoln
sail al have got a frst-rate horse and twenty
cavalrymen are in readiness at Alexandria III we
meet small forceof Stewards people. we can hght;
and if thoy are too many thoy will have to havo
mighty good horses to catch u.s." I" But are you not
concerned about it at all y said he. No. SIT. said
l. don't have any hesitation on my account
Besides, it is getting late aud want to get down
30 the Rappahannock by daylight" All right
said he. off you feel that way. won't keep you
any longer Goodnight and geod-by!'
One side Of this extraordinary character was
illustrated on tho evening Of election day IN Novem-
ber The political struggle had been most intense
aud the interest taken in it both in the White House
AMI in the War Department had been almost pam
full All the power AMI influence of the War
Department, then something enormous from the
vast expenditures and extensive relations of the war.
had been employed to secure the reelection OF Mr..
Lincoln and after the arluOus toll OF the canvass
there was necessarily great suspense OF heart
unUi the result of tbs voting shond be ascertaine
| went over 10 the War Department about hall-past
8 in the evening anl fouud the President and Nr.
Stanton together in the. Secretlrys oica. General
EeSert. who then had charge OF the telegraph
DEPARTMENT of the War O1ce, was coming IN
continually with kilograms containing election
returns Mr. Stanton wouli read thom and tho
them Presently there came lull in the returns.
and Mr. Lincoln called me up TO place by his side
"Dlna" said he, al avo you ever read any OF the
writing, of Petroleum " Nasbyf" "No. sir
SAID " have only looked Mt some of them and they
scanned 70 me funny" "Wel" said Inc, let
me read yol a specimen" AMI. pulling out thin
yellow covered pamphlet from his breast pocket. he
began to read aloul. Mr. Stanton viewed this
proceeding with great impatisnce. as lconld see'
but Mr. Lincoln paid no attention to that. lie
would read page or story. pause 10 con no"
election Telegram aul thsn open tho book again
and 20 aheal with new passage. Finally Mr.
Chase came in and presently Mr.. Whitelaw Red,
and the reading was interrupted. Mr. Stanton
went to tho door and beckOned me into the next
room shall never forget the fire of his indlgna-
ton at what seemed to him disgusting nonsense.
The idea that when the safety of tho Republic was
thus at ISSUE when the control OF an empire was ID
be determined by few figures brought IN by tho
tele graph, the chief the man, most deeply con
cerned not merely for himself but for his country
could turn aside to read such balderdash aud to
lanoh at such fri voous jests was to his mind some
| thing mo- repugnant and damnabe. He could not
nnlefstand apparently. that it was by the relief
which such humor afforded TO the strain of mind
nnder which Lincoln hal so long been living, and to
the natural gloom of melancholy and Responding
teInperament-this Mr.. Lincolns prevailing
character,stic-that the balance and sanity of his
intelligence was maintained and preserved
Another interesting incident occurs 20 me. spy
whom we employed to report to us the proceedings
of the Confederate Government AMI Us agents ana
who passed continually between Richmond and ST.
GATHERINGS. reporting at the War Department upon
the way. had come in from Canada and had put into
my hands an autograph dispatch from MI CIeheht
c. Clay jr., addressed to Mr.. Benlam n. Oh course
| the seal was broken and the paper read lmmed-
| ately. 1t showed unequivocally that the Conlcd-
crate agents IN Canada were making use OF tnat
country a. starting point Tor warike RAIDS wAich
were TO be directed against frontier towns like ST.
| Adams in Vermont Mr.. Stanton thought 1t neces-
| sary that this dispatch should be retained as a
| ground of reclamatons to DO addressed 70 the
| British Goternmcnt 1t was on a Sunday that IT
arrived and lie was confined to his house by cold
At bis directions went over to the President ana
| tary's Office after church At the appointed time he
was there. and read the dispatch TO them; Mr..
Stanton stated the reasons why it should be re-
caned tnr nna o1 to ne SAVING We'll Dana
| observed to them that this was to us very uSefu
| channel of communication and that If we stopped
such dispatch this, 1t was at the risk OF never
| obtaining any more Information throngh that
means. aOh," said the President, | think you can
manage that. Capture the messenger. take tho
dispatch from him by force, put him In prison, and
| then let him escape. If he has made Benjamin and
Clay believe his lies far. he won't have any diff
Guilty in telling them new ones that will answer for
! this case"
This direction was obeyed. The paper sealed
| up again and delivered to it's bearer. General
| Augur, who commanded the District. was directed
to look for Confederate messenger at such place
| on the road south that evening. The man was
arrested, brought to the War Department, searched
| the paper found upon him and Identified, and he
| was committed to the Old Capitol Prison. lie made
his escape about week later. being fired upon by
the guard. A large reward for his capture was
| advertised in various papers East and West, and
| when no reached st. GATHERINGS with his arm in o
| sling. wounded by bullet which had passed
through it, his story believed by Messrs. Clay
| and Jacob Thompson; or. at any rate, If they had
any doubts upon the subject, they were not strong
enough to prevent his carrying their messages
| afterward. 90
Il H. I.nl Il..oI Mr.