New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-29
LINCOLN'S FAITH.
A BIT OF HISTORY OF THE HOT DAYS OF
1863

|
! do not propose ~ enter into the vexed ques-
ton of Mr.. Lncons religious theores-as 10
whether ne agnostic, infdel, or otherwise.
technically speaking. leave that dismal
business to those who fancy il, or who were nearer
to him. and saw more of him Tor thought they
did personally But a humble contribution
to the truth of history, l venture to report re-
marksbe conversation of his. which seemed TO
me at the time like glimpse of his secret soul;
and | verify believe that it revealed the man
Abraham Lincoln as he then was, really and prac-
ticallyj and as he would now like best to he known
to the American people and to mankind
| 1t occurred Sunday, July - ls63-the Sun
! day after the battle Of Gettvsbnrg-and happened
on this wise Gettysburg, it will he remembered,
was fought on the Ist I'd and Sd of July. 1865.
In the great battle of July ., Thursday theld by
many to have been the real battle Of Gettysburg,
because of the heavy fighting and tremendous
losses, which took the life out of Lees Army,
General Daniel +. Sickles, Of New.Nori com
handing the Third Corps, had lost leg, and on
the Sunday morning following he arrived in
Washington with mis- leg amputated above the
knee. lie was taken TO private house on Est,
nearly opposite the Ebbtt House, and here on the
first floor | found him, reclining on hospital
stretcher. when | called TO see him, about 3 p.
IN. II was then observation-disclosures on his stan,
and naturally anxious 10 see my chief We had
not been talking long. when the orderly in at
tendance announced the President and mme
diatey afterward Mr.. Lincoln appeared, accom-
panied by Tad" then a lad of perhaps ten or
twelve years. lie stopping at the Soldiers
Home, but, having learned OF General Sickess
arrival in Washington, rode in on horseback, with
a squad Of cavalry escort. lie was clad III
citizens black clothes. with tall silk hat. long
frock coat, and high top-boOts with spurs, and
altogether
With his gaunt gnared hands his unkempt bristlIng
| hair,
| His garb uncOuh. his bearing i'll at ease.
| Aud lack OF all we prize 5 debonair.'
made about as homely and awkward looking
| horseman as ever sech
He greeted Sickles right cordially and tenderly,
though cheerfuly, and it easy to see that they
each held the other in high esteem. They were
| both born politicians they both loved the Union
sincerely and heartily and Sckles had already
shown such high qualities both as statesman and
soldier that Lincoln had been quick to perceive
| his weight and value in the great struggle then
| sha king the Nation Besides. Sickles was war
| Democrat, astute and able, and Mr.. Lincoln was
! by far too shrcwd Republican to pass any OF
| these by in those perilOus war days Greetings
",
ing his prodigious legs soon fell to questioning
| Sickles as to all the phases Of the combat at
Gettysburg lie asked first, of course, as TO Sick
| less own CHASTITY wound-when and how it hap
pened and how lac was getting on,-and then passed
| on to our other great casualties there, and how
| the wounded were being cared for, and finally
! came to the importance and significance of the
! victory, and what Meade proposed to do with IT.
| Sichles recumbent on his stretcher. with a cigar
between his fingers, putting II eisurely. answered
| Mr. Lincoln in detail and discussed the great
battle and It's probable consequences with lucid
ity and ability remarkable in his condition then
-enfeebled and exhausted as he was by the shock
of such wound and amputatOn. Occasionally
| he would vince with pain and call sharply TO his
| orderly 10 wet his fevered stump with icewater;
but he never dropped his cigar nor lost the thread
of his narrative nor overlooked the point of their
discussion. His intellect certainly seemed rs
strong and astute as ever, and in an acquaintance
with him of quarter OF century | never
saw il work more accurately and leenly. lie GER
family got his side of the story of Gettysburg well
| into the Presidents mind and heart that Sunday
| afternoon and this doubtless stood him in good
| stead afterward, when Meade proposed 10 court
martial him for fighting 80 magntcently, If irregu-
| lary on that bloody July >. No." replied Hon
est Old Abe: no, we can't do that Sickles
| may have erred Bat at any rate he fought
superbly, and gave his eg-his life almOSt-for
| the Union! And there is glory enough to go
around for ALL"
When Mr.. Lincolns inquiries seemed ended
General Siclkles, after puff two of his cigar
in silence resumed the conversation substantially
as follows:
Well, Mr.. President. beg pardon, but what
! did you think about Gettysburg? What was your
opinion of things while we campaigning and
fighting up there in Pennsylvania ?"
oh" replied Mr. Lincoln, Il didn't think
much about it, | was not much concerned about
you!"
You were not % rcjoiued Sicllles, if amazed.
Why we heard that you Washington folks were
a good deal excited, and you certainly had good
cause TO he. For IT nip and tuck with us
up there a good deal OF the time"
YES. ] know that And suppose some Of us
were little ratified Indeed, some Of The Cab-
net talked of WashingtOn's being captured, and
ordesad a gunboat two here, and even went
far as to send some Government archives aboard,
and wanted me to go, too but refused. Stanton
and Weles / believe both 'stampeded' some
what. and Seward, reckon too. But | said
No. gentlemen. we are all right, and are going to
win at Gettysburg and we did, right handsomely.
No. General SickIes. had no fears Of Gettys-
burg"
UIy not, Mr. President? How was that
Pretty much everybody down here, we heard, was
more or less panicky.
Yes. / expect, and a good many more than
will own up now. But actually, General SiclIles
| had no fears Of Gettysburg and il you really
want to know will tell you why or course
don't want you and Colonel Rushing here to say
ANYTHING about ths-at least not now People
might laugh il II got out, you know. But the
fact is. in the stress and pinch Of the campaign
there went TO my room, and got down my
knees, and prayed Almighty God for victory az
Gettysburg | told Him that this was His coun-
try, and the war was His war. but that we real ~
couldn't stand another Fredericksburg or ChaDce-