The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-08-06
Soldiers &uoeet.
Abraham Lincoln In Camp.

In recent address at Portland,
Maine, General Thomas gave these
"reminiscences of President Lincoln:
" First the morning bugles and lies
began to twitter like thousand birds
in a forest. Little dark blue dots or
specks began to move and consolidate
into companies, and then these began
to melt into large lines with the regi-
mental colors flying and field and staff
on horseback. Then these began to
rendezvous into brigades, bands began
to sound and the noise of bugles, flies
and drums to cease, just as the artillery
succeeds musketry in battle. Then
the two corps of this Army of the
James, the Twenty-fourth and Twenty
fifth, each stretched out their two
miles apiece of line, and began to play
into columns on their right hanks.
The cavalry comes prancing up, and the
field artillery thunders out at a gallop
and takes its appointed place. AT ten
A. VI. the president appears, General
Weitzel riding on his left l had COM
mand of the First Division, Twenty
fifth Corps that day, and the first to be
reviewed; and as the president halted
to receive the salute his eyes lighted
for the first time on that uniformed
mass of freedmen and his rugged face
was Illuminated by smile, the like of
which for benignity l had never seen.
President Lincoln, as we know, was
one of those who saw visions and
dreamed dreams,' and / have always
believed, such was the light of his
countenaDce, that he had prophetic
vision that very day that all his love
and labor for the slave was not to be in
vain. He managed his horse well and
sat at ease upon him, but rode loosely,
carelessly, letting his legs sway and
his arms flop up and down. He had
evidently ridden a good deal and never
given thought as to how he rode or
looked. His wonderful appearance of
length struck me forcibly. He was
only two and a half inches taller than
General Weitzel, who was thin even
to neagerness, and yet somehow
Weitzel looked actually stubby in COM
parison. Add to his loose way of rid
ing that his tall hat had settled down
| behind almost on to his neck, and
showed his forehead and a tuft of hair
like a zouave, and that his trousers had
worked up nearly to the tops of his
stockings and that he wore low cut
shoes, and you can appreciate Captain
! Bob Lincoln's remark after the cere.
mony was through, as his father APP
preached a group of which Admiral
Porter was the center. 1t was Well
father doesn't handsome much, does
hep There had been a shade of cold.
ness between Generals Ord and Weitzel
of which l am convinced Lincoln had
heard nothing. AS we three-the
president, General Weitzel and my.
self-rode along the line of my division
Mr.. Lincoln made some remark about
General Ord, who was very eccentric
Weitzel answered, as it seemed to me
who knew the feelings, with just 6
shadow of reserve. Lincoln looked al
him just one instant with glance al
once quizzical and penetrating, and
then, breaking out into smile, said
Ord is good fellow, but his names
spelled wrong How should it be
spelled, Mr.. President?' sO-d-d, ha-ha
ha,' said the president, and putting ou
his long elbow, much as another mar
would put out a whole arm, he gave
Weitzel poke in the ribs. Presiden
Lincoln had undergone, l feel sure, {
great change in manner and character
istics since he first took the reins o.
power and used to run over to Genera
Sam Sturgis' tent (Sam Sturgis was the
best story-teller in the army and after
sitting down and telling his story wou,
pat Sturgis affectionately on the knee
with Now, Sam, can you beat that?
He was most unpretentious and hearty
There was nothing in one way abou
his manner of manner. He cracked
his jokes here and there, but never one
that could not be repeated TO ladies
and it was noticed, after he had gone
that, kind, unpretentious and unre
strained as his manner was, there wa
that in it which had effectually pre-
vented any officer with whom he cam
in contact, and there were among then
men of sublime assurance, from assum
ing the same freedom of manner.n