The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-02-12
THE GREAT LINCOLN.
Gen. Badeau's Recollections Of
the Martyr President.
ms IS HIS BIRTHDAY.
- yov York Reoe1vod 0i0-Ohaao.
~ Assseks Upon Hin-His Clsse
Deuay Of the War Movements.

"A Assscks Upon Hin-His Cleos
oeuAy Of the War lEevensnts.
liseoln Was born eighty-four years ago
f6uauy. on February II, 1909.
ri 6rst saw Mr.. Lincoln at the New York
fnlemy Of Music. in February. 1851. He
- q his way to Washington City to be
lnoaeurated. Most Of the Southern states
- 6lready seeded, and the whole coun-
~ was in state of intense excitement.
S - Yek had been overwhelmingly OPP
roeDd 20 the Republican candidate, and
vruhdbly three-fourths of the fashionable
oDe Who filled the opera house were his
16lificai enemies. But he was the president
-. and it had been declared that his in
1nxuyation would be resisted by South
Gnn4, and New York meant to be loyal
= ~ Union. Mr. Lincoln had been the
tnfmt Of more than ordinary abuse and
d1I6nle and was personally disliked and
- despised by many in the audience,
~ when he entered the large stage box
2 The right of the grand tier, the entire
- rose while the orchestra played
e1he Star Spangled Banner" was .
pg Democrat then, and had voted for
4 nckinridge. was with party of men
- women bitterly opposed to Republic
nism; but not one of. them dreamed of
b aiming seated. II vas an unusual thing
Gan American audience to rise for any
-, but this antagonist,c, exclusive COM
1 1any stood in honor Of the tall, ungainly
~ box while eli Baiio in Maschero" was
\ l.
dni6cance than We knew. They showed
Hotoniy that New York would subordinate
vo,itics to patriotism. that pride of posi-
5invs nothing in comparison with pride
efccnntxy, but that this PLAIN man Of tho
psopls vould lead the greatest in the land,
cd svm political enemies would follow
Mn n the mighty conflict that was 20
DonI
The Ballo in Maschero, /" too-the opera
s = which the head Of the stSte is assassi-
4 no1ed at q gathering for pieasurei Lin.
ems own fate was foreshadowed in more
e oeyS than one that night in February at
- opera.
i Inext met him at the White House In
AfEtl, 1862. as bearer of dispatches an
1esncing the capture of Fort Pulaski. I
~ served AZ volunteer aid-de-camp with.
He1t rank or pay during the siege and bonn
& nBdment, and carried q letter from Gen.
& 1unter. who commanded the attacking
In, recommending me for . capta;ncy
u II army. Col. John Hay, the presi.
Ntb secretary, procured me an early in
y yisw. before the O'Clock breakfast, and
III vas ushered into the room next
81 the cabinet chamber. Mr.. Lincoln
[ITt kn4OPo thu GpA NTH If hiu
- thrown over the arm of his chair
- the other coiled and twisted in
- extraordinary fashion as if there
tnnore Of it than he knew what to do
I ~. He asked me about the siege and
a)ost, and I told him what he wanted
6mOw, he listening attentively and in
eg5uVting only to extract some Dit of in.
to9nAtien. l said nothing about my APP
llcation until he had heard all he wanted,
tn handed him my papers. He looked
~ them YEARLY. as If he had such
~ 4 was early in the day and he was not
~ exhausted; besides he had been inter-
Uoed in my story. SO he said: 'Well, what
- you want me to dor" in q worried tone
Aat told of his cares ard anxieties and
uede me almost sorry was adding to them.
What do you want me to do% saw
1at must be quick and concise, aud
vUYay Jcpitcus W3ut W Uc Iu6ue u
aptain." He took pen and wrote on
{ ~ recommendations:
r. NJ. Bsdsau be made captain.
A. LINCOLN,
~ handed them back to me. "Show this
? the secretary OF war;" he said. I
thanked him. but he was already occu-
ped With q different paper, and lett the
nom without another word. OF course
g ORDER was obeyed. l went to Mr..
otanton, who received me at once when
= learned that l came from the president;
= sent me to the Acknowledgement. and I
m the war office captain in the regular
army.
! did not see Mr.. Lincoln again until
1arch. 1854 Gen. Grant had just been
PACED in command of all the armies and
vas in Washington City on his way to
culpeper. He spent day or two discuss
ns his plans with the government. and
m Grant remained at the capitol with
him. was then a member OF Grants
INT visit she ever made to the White
1ouse to pay her respects to Mrs. Lincoln
Zone Of her day receptions. 1t was q
saturday afternoon and there was great
eosd. Mr. Lincoln stood by the side of
~ wife, and the visitors bowed first to
Nm. was in my uniform and on clutches
eecause of wound, and he looked at me
giing that he had ever seen me before.
whom Mrs. Grants name was called by
NE officer who announced US, the presi-
oent either did not hear the name or gave
= little attention, and Mrs. Grant would
nave passed on without any more notice
Than any other stranger. But repeated:
An. Gen. Grant. Mr.. President" He in
sanity stopped till his TAFT figure almost
soached Mrs. Grants shoulders, took both
a9 hands in his. and with a pleased and
Yam expression lighting his noble fea-
uiss asked after the general. and turning
0Ars. Lincoln. said: Mrs. Gen. Grant,
~ dear" Then he gave me his hand
sad hnal approving glance. have been
Eeent more than once when Gen. and
~ Grant were revived by European SOW
eignS. descendants of q hundred kings.
~ not one OF them showed . more graz
oous sense OF what was due distinguished
guest than the rail splitter from Illinois.
Aae next time / saw him was under
WY Inherent circumstances. 1t was in
~ summer Of 1864. He had gone down
Wy Point on steamer to visit Gen.
sut out had not announced his COM
l ~ Inc headquarters camp was on q
- o!rn on the bank of the James; the
wass formed three sides OF q square and
fourth overlooked the river. The pres
l sIs landed At tue foot of the bluff and
49, &C nus way up the steep bank entirely
~soe. Grant and one or .wo Of his staff
4 -. seated outside of their tents when .
~. kaunt hrure appeared on the bank
/ ~. IN black and wearing high black
nc."e had not seen such a costume in
-sns, al nobody recognized the
4 Ssnger. We thought him an agent of
s'ahitary commission, or perhaps some
a ask 20 ,a.s