The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-02-12

I
Rather Abraham, - 'sMassa Lincoln -
and the president uncovered and rode
bare headed among his colored soldiers
In Virginia
After this Mr.. Lincoln often visited
General Grant. He always slept and US
uaiIy took his meals on his steamer, but
passed many hours at the headquarters,
sometimes joining the group around the
camp fire, sometimes sitting with Grant
IN his tent, or riding along the lines with
MIN; sometimes remaining in camp and
reading dispatches as they came in from
the different armies. He was very accessi-
bic TO the staff officers at such times,
ready to talk with any Of them, making
minute inquiries in regard to military
matters, aud even discussing political af-
fairs on occasions, but never committing
himself unwisely. never saying d word
that he could afterwards have wished I'M
said. No man could be more cautious or
more reticent when he chose.
At one time he remained several weeks,
and got to feel that knew good deal
about the character of his mind. His
penetration, the broadness of his views,
the sagaclty as well as the wonderful
fairness of his judgment amounted to in
tellectnality; while his Astounding chart
ty, his humility, tempered by certain
dlgnlfied consciousness of his position
and the Importance of his decisions, his
-heartedness, his kindness to the
humble were remarkable. He never
spoke harshly even of the enemy; he was
merciful to criminals and deserters. He
was indeed in his own almost divine
words, full of "charity for all, with
malice towards none.'' And when l
thought that this man was the butt of
every vulgar whiting north and south.
that the enemy had christened him the
"baboon,' and millions of northerners
and Europeans maligned and affected to
despise HMM spite OF myself / was re-
viled, reviled not again, and when
buffeted and spit upon yet permitted him
self to be called King CT the Jews
''Yet he was, as everyone knows,
plain man, sometimes a coarse one. His
language often betrayed his origin, his
manner was never artiicially polished,
though it rose into sublime dignity in
emergencies; but this was from the in
nate superiority of his nature, not the
acquired grace OF society. His jokes
offended the taste of many who admitted
his greatness, and his awkward bearing
was the counterpart of one phase familiar
to his ugly features. But through the
mask of plainness the great soul shone out
at times, the great mind perhaps more
rarely, the great heart always.
''Up to this period l had not formed an
exalted opinion of Mr.. Lincoln's ability,
but when | saw him in this undress of his
character, in this familiar, every day sort
of intimacy, hearing him discuss the
greatest affairs with Grant for hours and
chatting with lieutenant by turns; when
I saw him receive Sherman and Sheridan
and Meade as well as Grant as their mas
ter, meeting Seward and Stanton and
other cabinet ministers, who sometimes
attended him; men themselves OF incon-
testible mark; senators, too, and foreign
ministers-and showing himself easily
the superior of them all, not only in sta
ton, but in that indefnable something
that bespeaks innate authority recog-
nized the fitness of this western lawyer to
sit in the chair of Washington in an emer-
gency greater than Washington ever knew.
He was at City Point when Grant finally
moved his armies out in that campaign
which ended in the capture of Richmond
and the surrender of Lee. | remember
being present when Grant handed him
the orders he prepared for Meade and
Sheridan and Ord; and heard his inquir-
les as to the meaning OF this phrase or the
object of that movement. He offered no
suggestion, far less order, leaving every
military matter absolutely to the COM
mander of his armies. But his comments
were terse and showed a keen apprecia-
ton of the situation. On the morning of
for the front. He and his staff went by
the military railroad that led to Meade's
headquarters, and the president accom-
panied us to the station. His son Robert
Lincoln, a young man of q. was of the
company, a captain on Grants staff. Mr..
Lincoln shook hands not only with his
son and General Grant, but with the other
officers. ''God bless you, gentlemen. -
he said as the train moved away; 'syou
have my best wishes for your success and
safety. all of you" l shall never forget
the sad. grave face, full of kindness, but
vet weighed down by responsibility look
ing out at us yearniugly and fading away
in the distance as we went on to end the
war.
He did not return to Washington, but
remained on his steamer to be near the
armies, and was at City Point when he
received the news of the victory of Five
Forks. In two days more Petersburg was
captured and Grant sent him an invita-
ton to come out by the railroad and ex-
anime the prize. They met in the porch
of house in the captured town, before
which the armies had lain for nearly a
year. The troops were moving, news was
coming every few moments from one
CORPS or another, secessionist women and
negroes stared at them from the streets
or the neighboring houses; and there the
happy president and the successful gen
eral sat for more than hour discussing
the wonderful present and its effect upon
the future. How little they dreamed what
that Immediate future would reveali
Soon arrived dispatches that made it
necessary for Grant in person to start in
pursuit of Lee, and mounting our horses
we bade the president goodby. He rose
to salute us as we turned towards Apo
mattox, and it was at this suspicious mo-
ment took nv last look at A braham Lin
coin, wrapped in tine very halo of victory.
Before the month was past he had joined
the great company of heroes and martyrs
who died for country and freedom.
ADAM BADEAU.