Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-10-13

dent Lincoln 10 generals, governors hnu
public men during the civil war, the origin
al copies Of which are preserved with great
care at the war department Among them
was the following:
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WAsHNuroN, y. C., April 2G, 1851
Naio.-G,u,,m Thames. Cbaitruoog1 Tenn"
suspend execution of death sentence of
young Perry Of Wisconsin, condemned for
sleeping on his post, till further ORDERS and
A. LINCOLN.
This despatch must remind many OF the
incident Of The sleeping sentinel, " which,
told in many ways, in prose and poetry,
has touched so many hearts. Tho main
facts of tho incident, as chronicled in the
officials records were, that William
Scott, Vermont boy, a private in the
Third Vermont regiment, was found asleep
on his picket post, near Chain Bridge, early
in the war: that lie was contaminated
aud ordered to be shot; that the sentence
caused great excitement in tho giment
and brigade; that his comrades and
commanding officers petitioned for his
pardon: that the matter was brought to the
attention Of President Lincoln, who favor
~
when Scott was led out as for execution in
tie sight Of the Vermont brigade, an order
from Gen. Mcclellan was read, pardoning
him and restoring him to duty. Scott was
killed seven months after in the engagement
at Lees Mil, Va.
To these Unquestioned facts war CORE
spondents at the time, and historians since,
have aided details which greatly enhance
the interest and pathos of the transaction.
/ Thus it has been stated, and believed, that
| it was the fixed purpose Of the military au-
/ thorities to make an example Of Scott that
he owed his life to Mr.. Lincoln's interven
ton; that the president was so
| fearful that his pardon, granted the
day before the day set for the execu-
ton, would not reach the brigade
headquarters, that he ordered his carriage
and drove thlther FROM Washington to
make sure that Scott was not shot and,t that
when the young Ncrmonter, after months
OF faithful duty, laid down his life on the
banks of Warwick Greek, his last breath
was spent in invoking a blessing on the
good president whose grace had permitted
him to die the death of a soldier, rather
than of military criminal The latest
version of the story is given in Hon J.. L.
Chitteudeu's "Recollectious OF President
Lincoln" Mr.. Chitteuden dsvotes an en-
tire chapter Of his book TO it, aud tells as
of his personal knowledge, how. largely
through his own efforts, the case OF Scott
was brought before President Lincoln and
tho pardon secured. He describes an iu-
terylew between Mr.. Lincoln and Scott, in
the guard house where the latter was con
fined, just before the hour set for the execu-
tion as narrated by scott to a comrado
He tells, az learned from "A Vermont soldier
who was with Scott when he fell at Lee )
Mil, how he thanked and blessed Preside Mt
Lincoln in his last moments. and says that
be ,Chttenden delivered SCOTS dying
message to Mr. Lincoln, who remembered
him we'll, as 'the boy that Badly Smith
wanted to shoot. -
SO clear and positive q narrative, by one
personally knowing to these details, wouI
seem to be enough to set at rest all doubt in
regard TO them. But there sksptics, who
stl assert that much OF the story Is pure
romance; that Scott was never in any dan,
ger Of Icing shot for sleeping on picket
that Mr.. Lincoln's approval OF his pardon
was an entirely perfuuctory act that tn,
headquarters of the army being in Wash
ingtou, there was no need for him to driv
out to Chain Bridge to save SCOTS life
and that in point of fact he did not go Their
on any such errand. Gen. William
Smith, who commanded the Vermont brig
ade at the time, says, we are informed
that there was never any serious intention o
. his part or on the part OF Gen. Mcclellan, q
~ enforcing the sentence of the court martial
- and in fact that the whole proceeding
y court martial, sentence, and parade for ex
ccution, was a solemn farce, intended t
u impress upon tue soldiers the enormity {
10 the crime of sleeping upon picket post
10 but not designed to have any fatal termint
ton.
e Gen. Smith must be allowed to be tn
10 best witness in regard to hi, own intention
- but il it was all farce, it was remarkabl
well carried out Gen. McClellan's ordt
~ of Sept. Sth, 1861, certainly does not bet
80 out that view Of the case. In this he says
10 The president Of the United State- has "a
)t pressed wish that as tins is the first co!
To- dcmuDtion To death ia this army, for tn
y crime, mercy may be extended TO the crimi
l. al. This fact, viewed in connection with Il
~ luCNperlCuCc or the condemned, his preYlul
~ good conduct and general good character, al
n the urgent cntreaties made IN his behalf, ha'
IA determined the major general commanding
grant the pardon SO earnestly prayed 70
y Private William Scott, OF Co X,
,e the Third regiment OF Vermont volunteer
-; viii be released from confinement and retur
III ed to duty.
at The presidents intercesion--he apparen
ly choosing to intercede where he had Il
= right To pardon-was, Gen. Mcclellan say
he the tdci which determined him to pardC
r. Scott Three years later Wa find Mr.. Lii
N coin pcremptorily ordering the suspense
Of and reference 10 himself, of II similar sol
an tonce of sleeping sentinel.
Id We have made some effort to obtain a
of ditional testimony in regard to the accoun
I'll Of Mr.. Lincoln's action in regard
MS the pardon of Scott, and Scot
en- death aud dying words which ha