The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-01-19
A Lincoln Welcome.

About 200 recruits-among them the
Nriter-volunteere to ali up the ranks
vi the Seventh New York when 1t re-
sponded to the cali OF President Lincoln
and hurried to the defence OF Washing
ton in April, 1861. One trining Incl
dent of the start placed us in just the
right frame OF mind TO appreciate the
welcome given us by the president on
our arrival at the capital. While we
were marching from the Seventh regi-
iment armory to the dock at the foot OF
Canal street the newsboys came along
the line and cried out lustily: "Extral
JEFF Davis issues letters of marquel
Privateers will sweep the oceani" In
an hour from the time we heard that
startling news we were steaming down
the lower bay in the little propeller,
DAYLIGHT, making for the wide ocean,
without convoy and no cannon aboard,
our only weapons being smooth bore
muskets.
The Seventh regiment, as is we'll
known, took the cars for Baltimore the
day after the rioters, attack on the Sixth
Massachusetts, in the streets of that
city. 1t was turned off the direct route
at Philadelphia and sent around by An
napolis, marching from that point to
Washington, in momentary expectation
of battle. Having had no drill or dis
cipline whatever, our awkward squad
was not considered equal to the emer-
geDcy OF that warlike trip, and 30 we
were tossed about in our little propel-
Ter, the prey Of countless fears, and
made rough voyage down the coast
from New York to Fortress Monroe.
An old timer black wooden gunboat
sailed with us up the Potomac from
that point to Washington.
1t was Sunday morning when we
landed at the navy yard, and there
seemed not soul astir on shore. But
before the gangplank had been let
down we saw two gentlemen alight
from barouche which suddenly whirl-
ed into sight around the corner of q
large building and pulled up on the
dock. A very tall man and q very
short one, in comparison, stood impa-
tiently by while plank was being low
cred especially for them, and the next
moment President Lincoln and Secre-
tary Seward ere elbowing their way
giving each a hearty handshake. A
ocllOuo huu dluOSb ldtuCiIJ CnCduOI
was shown by Lincoln rs he bent slight
ly in taking our hands-we boys who
bad reached the endangered city in
nick o. time. Indeed one hand was not
enough to express his feeling, and
with his left he took each of us by the
elbow and gave hearty pressure. 1t
was the end of "the black week"
We found the regiment quartered
along with the Sixth Massachus It's in
the hall of representatives in the cap
itol. After week there IN anticipa-
ton of attack we made our camp on
Meridian hill, and during our six
weeks stay in that camp do not think
the president once missed our daily
dress parade. In the clear May even
ings the tall form of the president
would follow the lads Thomas and
Willie as they bounded ont of their car
rage, aud the three would make a con-
spiciOus group in front of the parade
ground opposite our line of gray. The
boys were his constant companions
and held hand on either side.
Thomas Lincoln, or Tad, as he was
familiarly called, was given soldierly
bent by these displays. Dressed in full
uniform and thoroughly equipped, al
though but IL years of age at the time,
he afterward appeared in the camps of
the army, and, mounted upon Shet-
land pony, rode beside his father when
reviewing the troops as commander-in-
chief.