The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1897-05-06
Lincoln at the Front,

Lincoln at the Front,
In his campaigning with Grant, in
the Century, Gen. Horace Porter gives
the following description of Lincoln's
visit to the front at City Point:
Mr.. Lincoln wore 4 very high black
silk hat and black trousers and frock-
coat. Like most men who had been
brought up in the West, he had good
command Of horse, but it must be
acknowledged that in appearance he
was not very dashing rider. On this
occasion, by the time he had reached
the troops, he was completely covered
with dust, and the black color of his
clothes had changed to Confederate
gray. AS he had no straps, his trousers
gradually worked up above his ankles,
and gave him the appearance of coun
his Sunday clothes. A citizen ON horse.
back is always an odd sight in the
midst Of uniformed army, and the
picture presented by the President Dor
dered upon the grotesque. However
the troops were so lost in admiration
Of the man that the humorous aspect
did not seem to strike them. The sol.
diers rapidly passed the word along the
line that "Uncle Abe" had Joined them,
and cheers broke forth from all the
commands, and enthusiastic shouts
and even words of familiar greeting
met him on all sides.
After a while Gen. Grant said: MIR.
President, let us ride on and see tho
cOlOred troops, who behaved so hand
somely in Smiths attack on the works
in front Of Petersburg last week"
"Oh, yes" replied Mr.. Lincoln; 81
want to take n look at those boys. ]
read with the greatest delight the ac;
count given in Mr.. Dana's dispatch to
the Secretary of War of how gallantly
they behaved. He said they took six
out Of the sixteen guns captured that
day. / was opposed on nearly every
side when 1 first favored the raising
of colOred regiments; but they have
proved their efficiency, and | am glad
they have kept pace with the white
troops in the recent assaults. When we
wanted every able-bOdied man who
could be spared to go to the front, and
my Opposers kept Objecting to the ne
grOes, l used to tell them that at such
times it was just as well to be a little
color blind. l think, General, we can
say of the black boys what country
fellow, who was an old-time abolition
ist in Illinois, said when he went to
theater in Chicago and saw Forrest
playing Othello. He was not very we'll
up in Shakespeare, and didn't know that
the tragedian was a white man who
had blacked up for the purpose. After
the play was over the folks who had
invited him to go to the show wanted
to know what he thought of the actors,
and he said: WAL, layin' aside all
sectional prejudices and any partiality
| may have for the race; derned if |
don't think the Niger held bis own
with any on en-" The Western dia-
lect employed in this story was perfect.
The camp of the cOlOred troops of
the Eighteenth Corps was soon reach
ed, and scene now occurred which
defies description. They beheld for the
first time the liberator of their race
the man who by stroke of his pen
had struck the shackles from the limbs
of their fellow-bondsmen and proclaim
ed liberty to the enslayed. Always i'm
pressionable, the enthusiasm of the
blacks now knew no limits. They cheer
ed, laughed, cried, sang hymns of
praise, and shouted in their negro dia-
lect, "God bress Massa Linkumr' "Da
Lord save Fader Abraham DE day
OBJ jubilee am come, shauhv' They
crowded about Elm and fondled his
horse; some of them kissed his hands,
while others ran offcrying in triumph
to their comrades that they had touch.
ed his clothes. The President rode
with barred head; the tears had started
to his eyes, and his voice was so brok-
en- by emotion that he could scarcely
articulate the words of thanks and con-
graduation which he tried to speak to
the humble and devoted men through
whose ranks he rode. The scene was
affecting in the extreme, and no ouf
could have witnessed it unmoved.