Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1897-04-24
FEANKED FOB THEM.
A Soldiers Story Of President
Lincoln and Boys in Blue.

Let this go. A. LINCOLN
Unless it has been destroyed
there is in home in Fond du Lac
county, Wis.,, a soldier letter in an
envelope bearing the above words,
signed by the great war presi.
dent.
Frank King was Lamartine boy,
fresh from the farm, and character
our whole company took to kindly
from the first.
When the army was camped in
Virginia, near Washington, the win
ter Of 1861 2, it was common prac-
tice with the soldiers, when they
got pass, TO visit the city to buy
package of envelopes and call at
the capitol, send in for their senator
or representative and get him to
frank them.
One of our boys came back to
camp in high feather. He had two
packages of envelopes-one franked
by Senator james r. Doolittle, now
a Chicago lawyer, the other by the
late Senator T. o. Howe, who sue
ceeded Captain James as postmas.
ter-general in President Arthur's
cabinet. For 20 years senator's and
members have been giving a good
deal of their time to helping the
soldiers with their pension claims.
II they have done it as willingly
and pleasantly as they used to frank
envelopes for the boys, they must
be pretty nearly angels.
"You fellows, there, are making a
big blast over getting couple of
senator's to frank your envelopes, :,
said Frank King. "Just you wait
till you see me come back from
Washington with the presidents
name on some letter covers
Within few days Frank King
and Harry Dunn, who for years af-
ter the war was a Chicago business
man, went to the city. They called
at the White House. 1t was easier
to see the president then than it is
now. At certain hours of the day
a soldier could reach the chief exec
utive with fully as much ease as a
senator can in these latter years.
King was the ringleader. APP
preaching the guard, he SAID "We
want to see Mr.. Lincoln. Please
stand aside and let US pass"
who are you, and what is your
business p
"You tell old Abe we have charge
of regiment over on Arlington
Heights, and want to see him on an
important matter. He'll let us in
"Where are your shoulder
straps ~
"We came over in our every day
clothes. Come, we are in hurry.
Let US go in and see Mr.. Lincoln"
The parley had attracted the at
tention of the president. The door
swung open and the good-nat ured
chief OF the nation smiled upon the
cheeky young fellows aud babe them
step right in.
What can 1 do for you, my
men 2"
"Mr. Lincoln, | want you to frank
these envelopes" said King.
Better get your congressman tc
do that"
"I'd much rather have you do it
Mr.. Lincoln. The folks at home
would like to see your name on my
letters
"Ill fix one of them. Take tht
rest to your congressman. Who il
he?"
81 don't know
"Where is your home z"
"Lamartine, Fond du Lac county
Wis"
"That is my friend Scott Sloan /
district. You go to Mr.. Sloan. Fl,
will fix the rest of them.n
The president shook hands will
the two privates, asked them to b.
brave soldiers and wished them
safe return to their western homes.
Frank couldn't make his terminate
believe that the president had writ
ten; "Let this go. A. Lincoln.
But the next day he wrote lette
to his father. The name of LincolI
was personally examined by all o
the neighbors.
In January, 1854, our regimen
wasin Washington on the way home
having re.enlisted--sveteranized i,
as they called it. In company wit
| two ntharR / went To the Whit