The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-23

Difficulty Experienced by Lincoln in
Having His own Way.
Philadelphia Times.

Philadelphia Times.
We chatted yesterday about the enroll
ment of Confederate prisoners of war in the
United States army. telling how. acting I'M
der the direction of Gen. II. S. Huidekoper,
President Lincoln agreed to accept the
services of a battalion of Confederates con-
fined at Rock Island on the Minnesota from
tier against the blood-thirsting Indians,
against whose attacks a number of regular
army soldiers were being employed who
were much more needed at the Southern
seat of war We had reached that condition
of affairs when President Lincoln having
signed an order authorizing the use of these
rebel prisoners, had. requested Ger raj
Huidekoper to accompany him to the office
of the secretary of war, where, he frankly
stated, he did not expect to be treated in a
manner commensurate with his position. II
you read yesterdays story the sequence will
be clear to you. The President led the way
into the office of the secretary Of war. Let
General HuidekoDer, in his Personal
Notes, tell the remainder of the story.
''The President seemed to know where
to 60 for he went straight to the desk of
Provost Marshal General Fry and told him
what he had done, and asked to have
the matter attended to according to the
intent of the paper. General Fry remoD-
strated. vigorously, telling the President
that Mr.. Stanton, the secretary of war,
had considered the question some time be
fore and had decided against the meas
ire, and that he 0he Presldent) must
withdraw the order; AS we left the room
Mr.. Lincoln remarked on the want Of
Difference shown him, ., evincing some
to the plan required, three weeks later.
Mr.. Lincoln's interference and he Endorsed
the following on the original paper:
THE bearer will present the list of names
contemplated within. The provost marshal
general will please take the proper steps to
have them examined, mustered in and dis
charged from prison, so as to be properly
credited, all according to the. within
Sept. 20, 1864 A. LINCOLN.
tons Office"
General Fry described the scene which
occurred on this occasion in an article he
wrote. entitled Lincoln at His Best" in
these words, which are quoted by General
Huidekoper: - But the secretary of
war refused to have the credits allowed
Then Lincoln went in person to
Stantons Office, and / was called there by
the latter to state the facts in the case. /
reported to the two high officials, as had
previously done to the secretary alone, that
these men belonged to the United States
being prisoners of war: that they could not
be used against the Confederates, that they
had no relation whatever 10 the county to
which ii was proposed they should be cred
ited that all that was necessary toward
enlisting them in our army for Indian serv-
ice was the governments release of them
as prisoners of war; that to give them
bounty and credit them 10 a county which
owed some of its own men for service against
the Confederates would waste money and
deprive the army operating against pow
erful enemy of that number OF men. etc.
stanton said Now, Mr.. President, those
are the facts, and you must see that your
order cannot be executed
Lincoln sat upon sofa with his LEGS