The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-01-30
SOLDIERS BUDGET.
Lincoln at Fortress Monroe.

is Colonel LeGrand b. Cannon, an
honor TO West Point and a distin-
guished officer during the late war.
He wears his eighty years with vigor,
grace and dignity and makes old age
an envy rather than regret.
Seated in his study in New York
city or in beautiful Burlington, Yer
mont, Colonel Cannon tells such cries
of the war as make younger generations
ashamed at not having lived in those
stirring times and helped to make such
wondrous history. Colonel Cannon
acted as aid de camp to General Wool
during his occupation of Fortress Mon.
roe, and, to his glory be it said, was the
first TO suggest and utilize negroes as
fighters. Nobody believed that they
could handle gun and face fire until
Colonel Cannon proved their now I'M
questioned bravery.
" Alb, what man was Lincoln" ex-
claimed the genial colonel with tears in
his eyes and voice few days ago. 81
have known just two men in my life to
whom / bow down: Daniel Webster
and Abraham Lincoln. Intellectually,
Webster was a giant; Lincoln was
giant all over. He was an enigma, and,
at first, did not understand his stories
and his Jokes. | could not make them
harmonize with the gravity of the situa-
ton and the awful responsibilities of
the COMMANDMENT. chief; but when l
saw his great human heart, l loved him
as have loved no man. To me he is
the greatest character this country has
ever produced. The jokes were foil"
"Colonel Cannon, Lincoln's face, as
painted by William M. Hunt - who
must have appreciated the soul within
that gaunt, angular body-is the sad
dest ever gazed upon"
81 think you are right. What times
those were at Fortress Monroe. l re-
member in May, 1862, Lincoln and
Stanton came from Washington, and
wer, quartered in the fort. l gave up
my room to the president, and slept
outside on a cot. He was very fond of
reading, and one day said, i suppose
you've no such thing as Shakespeare.
1t would be as difficult to find here as a
Bible
con the contrary, Mr.. President l
replied, you can have bolh.' General
Wool was great lover of Shakespeare.
At night after work was over, Wool
would bring out his Shakespeare and
spout like stage-struck schOolboy. So
l quickly placed before Lincoln the
coveted treasure, whereupon he said,
you've been working hard all day
Sit down and rest Of course l obeyed
orders. was surprised at the intelli-
gence with which Lincoln read aloud
some of his favorite passages. First,
he turned to Macbeth; then to king
Lear; lastly TO Queen Constance's ap-
peal to King John on the death of her
son. Visibly moved by this appeal,
Lincoln exclaimed, 'Cannonl Did you
ever feel that you were near dear
friend who had passed away and yet
realized that this feeling was nothing
but dream?' Was this not remark.
able question?
eyes, Mr.. President, have was
my answer. THAT is my feeling
toward my boy Willie,' murmured the
big-hearted man, who laid his tired
head on his arms upon the table in
front of him and sobbed like a child.
When the spasm of weeping ceased,
Lincoln rose, saying, Let us go and
sit on the ramparts. followed him,
. and not anothec word did he utter about
the little boy 80 recently taken from
him, nor did he ever again refer to this
LUZ huNlbS ohOWh hO LILO hOoi
once, Lincoln seemed to trust me, and
often afterward asked me to sit with
him on the ramparts, when he did the
talking"
"What an experience, Colonel, anc
{ what privilege! Were you present a
, the capture of Norfolk"
mot exactly, but what memories
3 that event revivesl General Woo
| ind hot ha uan1I tol-
> Norfolk We had had nothing bus de
feat so far, and Wool thought it wa
time for victory on our side. Blu
I Norfolk is well defended on all sides,
1 argued. The enemy is sixteen thou
sand strong, while we can only muster
an attacking force of ten thousand
&C. That makes no difference replied
Wool.
: Cox Why not?'
t. IS" Because | know the man in com
8 mand. He's been under me and he
sure to run. Moreover, he knows thai
l never wet my feet
"' Suppose you get beaten?"
GO It's not a supposable CASE
Firm in his opinion, General Woo
told Lincoln to remain at Fortress
: Monroe and he would make him pres
ent of Norfolk. l was excessively dis
} turbed by Wool's determination, as h
\ made no preparation for defeat. De
feat meant destruction. What's th
matter with you?' asked Lincoln ant
Stanton when we three were alone
You look ill.,
:. 81 vowed 1 wasn't. Then some
. things wrong. What is it?' FINAL,
they wormed out of me my fears, ad
hitting that the expression of them wa
an act of characterization.
+" What's to be done?'
Nothing but. 10 relieve Genera
n Wool of his command
, Lincoln did not dare to do this, an
all of US endured an agony of mind n
tongue can tell or pen describe. OF
went Wool at night with his forces
and all the next day we heard nothing
was left in charge of the fortress an
watched for signs of news from tn
ramparts - nothing but occasions
smoke, When night grew ap4ce / PEI