The National tribune., 1897-09-23
manner father would on receiving a
long lost son. He said:

manner father would on receiving
long-lost son. He said:
"Mr. Wilson, it affords me great
pleasure to take you by the hand, and |
thank God that your life has been
spared"
He then conducted me forward to
table where several gentlemen sat, to
whom he introduced me, after which he
showed me seat. | was somewhat en-
barraSsed, but | remember that Secre-
taries Seward and Chase we're of the
number. Mr.. Seward, recollect, seemed
to be a serious, thoughtful-looking old
man, who said but very little, but lis
tened attentively to the Others. Mr.
Lincoln sat down near me and mani
tested rs much interest in me as if had
been an old and valued acquaintance.
He congratulated me and my comrades
for the spirit, determination and devo-
ton we had shown, and the good luck
which enabled us to escape. He seemed
perfectly familiar with all the details of
our expedition-the cause of its failure,
and the good results that would have
arisen from lis success. "What pity"
continued the President, "that Gen.
Mitchell did not give you boys one more
day to make your journey in. Had he
done so | have no doubt you would
have succeeded. You all did your duty
bravely and nobly, and have suffered
bitterly for it. The country owes each
survivor debt of gratitude, for which
he should be suitably rewarded"
l told the President that my business
in coming to Washington was to see him
or the Secretary of War, and ask them
to intercede for those of the expedition
who were yet in captivity. He told me
that Commander Crossman's dispatches
had arrived at the War Department,
and that steps had already heen taken
in behalf of the captives by Secretary
Stanton. He said that not another man
of them should be harmed if the power
of the Government could prevent it.
"When you go back to your regiment"
said the President, tell your comrades,
and tell them to send word to the friends
of those men of the expedition now I'M
prisoned, that Secretary Stanton, and
through him the Government, has done,
and is doing, and will continue to
do, all that can be done to have them
treated as regular prisoners of war,
even if measures of retaliation are nee
essary."
In this declaration, as in all things he
said and did, / believe the noble Presi-
dent was sincere, and [ have no doubt
thought as sacredly of his word TO me,
an obscure private soldier, as he would
if given to any influential General or
civil official. OF one thing am certain.
The men were never executed, but were
treated like other prisoners, so far as l
could learn.
PROMISED COMMISSION.
As he shook hands with me, when /
took my leave, Mr.. Lincoln said: 4" Each
member of your expedition shall have
commission, and if the Governor of Ohio
does not give you a commission, Mr..
Wilson, | will give you a Lieutenant's
commission in the Regular Army"
A man was sent with me to the Com
missary- Generals Office, where / secured
passes and transportation for Mark and
myself to go to our regiment, or to stop
in Ohio until we received orders from
the regiment, as we saw proper. We
decided to go right through to the Army
of the Cumberland, as fast as We could,
stopping only in Ohio long enough to
shake hands with our friends and let
them know that we were yet in the
land of the living, and also to get little
money to bear our incidental expenses
on our journey southwark.
We reached our regiment few days
after the battle of Stone River. The
men were camped near Murfreesboro,
and only about 20 miles from Shelby
vile, where we had left them nine
months before. Our old comrades re-