Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-07-22
LINCOLN AT THE FRONT"
An Affecting Inception 60 the Emancipa-
tor by the CoIored Troops.


tor by the Colored Troops.
In his Campaigning With
Grant" in Tho Century, General
Horace Porter gives the following
description of Lincoln's visit to the
front at City Point:
Mr.. Lincoln woro Il very high
black silk hat and Hack trousers
md froCk coat. Like most men who
had been brought up in the west, he
had good command of Il horse, but
1t must be acknowledged that in ap,
pCaranC" hC was not Il worry dashinp
rider. On this occasion by the time
he had reached the troops he was
completely covered with dust, and
tn" black color of his clothes had
changed I" Confederate gray. As 1t
had no straps his trousers gradual.
~ worked up above his ankles and
gay" him the appearance of coun-
try farmer riding into town wearing
his Sunday clothes \ citizen ON
horseback * always an odd sight iii
tho midst ui Il uniformed army, and
the picture presented 10y the prcsi-
dent hOrd,rCl upon the grotcsquc.
However. th" troops were 50 lost III
admiration IF the man that the hu-
mOrDUS aspect did not seem to strike
them. Ia" soldiers rapidly passed
the word along the line that Uncle
Abe had joined them, and cheers
broke forth from all the commands,
AMI enthusiastic shouts and even
words of familiar greeting met him
ON all Si,lr-
After awhile General Grant said,
MIR. pryNilrnt. let us ride on and
sec the cOjor"d troops, who behaved
50 handsomely III Smith $ attack on
the works, III front of Petersburg
last week.
"Oh, ycs," replied Mr. Lincoln.
Il want To take look at those boys.
| rvsd with tho greatest delight the
account given in Mr.. Dana's dis
patch to tn" secretary of war of how
Gallmtly they behaved Ho said
they took i out of tho IL guns cap
tmcd that day. l was opposed on
nearly every sido when l first favor
ed the raising of colored regiments,
but they have proved their efficicn-
Cy, and l am glad they have kept
pace with the white troops in the
recent assaults. When we wanted
every ablehodicd man who could be
spared TO go to the front, and my
opposcrs kept Directing to the ne
grOcs, l used to tell them that at
such times it was just as we'll to he
II little color blind. think, general,
VIC can say of the black boys what
II country fellow, who was an old
time abolitionist in Illinois, said
when he went to ~ thcatcr in Chica.
go and saw Forrest playing Othello.
He was not very well up in Shake,
spearc and didn't know that the
| tragcdiun was Il white man who had
BACKED up for the purpose. After
the play was over the folks who had
invited him to go to the show want
ed to know what he thought of the
actors, and he said, 'Waal, lawn
aside all sectional prejudices and
any partiality l may have for the
race, dcrned if don't think the mig
ger held his own with any on 'em. ~
The western dialect employed il
| this story WAS perfect.
The camp of the colorcd troops OF
tho Eighteenth corps was sooI
reached. and Il scene now occurred
which driirs description. They be
held for the first time tho libcratol
of their racc--the man who by 1
stroke of his pen had struck tn,
| ShacklcS from the limbs of their fcl
low bondsincn and proclaimed liber
ty To the cn>lavrd. Always impress
| siOnable, tho enthusiasm of tn,
| blacks now know no limits. They
| chccred, laughed, cried, sang hymn,
of praise and shouted in their negro
dialect, "I,"l Dress NAUSEA Linkum!
DE Lord save Fadcr Abraham =
DE day Oh jubilee am com,
shuah. They crowded about hin
and fondlCd his horse. Some o
them kissed his hands, whilc other,
ran off, crying, in triumph to thci,
comrades that they had touched hi.
clothes. The president rode will
barred head. The tears had startet
to his eyes, and his voice was SC
broken by emotion that he coult
scarcely articulate the words OF
thanks and congratulation which
he tried to speak to the humble ant
devoted men through whose rank.
he rode. The scene was affecting il
the extreme, and no one could hav,
witnessed it unmOved