The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1897-06-18
A NEW LINCOLN STORY.

"a 4N2Vv o44NSS1N NAN304s
In the beginning Of the war of the re-
bellion, the question of what to do with
stray darkies that came into the camp of
the northern soldiers was considerable
of a puzzle, and it was not until Benz. F.
Butler, the sharp and shrewd lawyer
politician-general, called them Contra
band of war" and confscated them, was
it settled that the runaway slaves were
not to be returned to their owners. Dur
ing these earlier months, one day negro
girl with young child came into the
camp of a northern regiment. The SOL
diers gave her food and afterward she
lay down on the ground to rest with her
child. By and by southern gentleman
accompanied by an officer of the regi-
ment came near. 'That is my girl" he
said, but no sooner did she recognize her
master, than with scream of fear she
grasped her child and ran into the timber
near. The officer ordered the men to go
and look for her, but they either could
not or would not find her, and the south
erner left feeling pretty angry. Unfor-
tunately, through ignorance, the woman
next day came back to the same camp,
probably bewildered in the long line of
camps in that locality. A young soldier
saw her, and plying her, went and ex-
planned to her the danger she was in of
being put under arrest by the officers of
the regiment and returned to her former
owner. The poor, ignorant creature like
many Of her race, seemed to have but lit
tie knowledge of direction, and finally
the soldier went with her to start her on
the way to a safer place. He was sur;
prised in the act by one of the officers
and reported to the colonel. The colonel
ordered him, as punishment, to carry
heavy log up and down beat for sew
eral hours, under the watch of a guard.
The soldier was young but determined,
and absolutely refused to touch the log.
Owing to the sympathy of the other pri-
Yates in the regiment the colonel did not
attempt to force him to obey orders but
had him tried by court-martial for in
subordination and refusal to obey orders.
The sentence of the court-martial was
Three years at Dry Tortugas, a military
prison with a reputation a little better
than the Internal regions.
Meantime a wounded comrade, with
arm in sling, got a furlough. He went to
Washington; he wrote letter detailing
the circumstances of the ori ginal cause of
his friends trial and sentence. Then
with the letter handy in his pocket, he at
tended a public reception at the White
House. Lincoln was sitting down greet
ing in turn the people in the long pro-
cession as it filed before him. But when
the crippled soldier came, Lincoln rose
and grasped his other hand with marked
cordiality, though it was the hand of a
stranger and a private. Reaching hastily
in ispocket the soldier placed the letter
in the presidents hand and remarked.
please read this Mr.. President when
you have time.''
Next day Mr.. Lincoln called for the
records and sentence of the court-mar-
tial, and pinning the soldiers letter to
the other documents, wrote across them,
'If the original facts are as stated in this
letter, release the prisoner and let him
return to duty" ".
That pardoned private rose to distinc-
ton, he held a high commission, but his
highest rank was bestowed on him by
the soldiers ofhis own command Eight
ing Jack Mullen" and last week, as senior
vice commander of the National Depart
ment of the Grand Army ofthe Republic,
with the help of an artificial leg and a
crutch, he stood on the platform at Cas-
selton and gave his comrades grand
speech full Of fraternity, charity and 10y
ality. General Mullen is now citizen
of Wabasha, MINI.
"A