New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-13
LINCOLN'S DARK HOUR.
DEFEAT OF THE UNION FORCES ALMOST
TEMPTED HIM TO SUICIDE.

told that, | can remember Startlcu vs. au i.'
details are still vivid in my memory MT 'otdii
ION had been relating to US many lncloehta "
the funny side of Mr.. Lincoln's character. When
suddenly he stopped and, after remaining Snent
for probably a minute. looking in vacant way
at some manuscript lying on the desk before
him, he turned in his chair and SAD: ueu,ie
men. there is nothing that gives me 50 nun t
pain as the opinion that seems prevalent, Juus
ing from the newspapers, that Mr.. lIlncoln was
an habitua joker; that it was an impoSslpillsy
for him to be serious. no mater no" staEc t tho
occasion might be Nothing is further from the
truth His heart big and good ms nature
warm and sunny; hence he naturally looked
at the bright side of events; put no man vi ny
| acquaintance was more serious imam ne "hsn
the surroundings Of the case warranted that lie
should be. / will give you point In instance,
Mr.. Lincoln. during the war, was very sensl-
tive of the criticisms on his Administration by
/ the newspaper press believing 1T 10 be. as ne
asserted, the true voice Of the people me id
urcs Of Mcdowell. Mcclellan, burnside anu
Pope with the Army OF the POTOMAC an" Wv
criticisms made thereon by the newspapers al
most crazed him. Time and again ne woud lree
himself from the Executive Mansion ana serh
| my little office the only place in washington
ne often said where he could be absolutely Tree
from interruption. When he became close.eu
/ with me on these visits Mr. Lincoln would uh-
/ bnsom himself md talk of his cares and woes.
Several times he insisted that he ought 10 re-
sign and thus 1--WE the country an opportunity
| to secure some one better fitted to accomplish
the great task expected Of the President Vt, II
ne did not resign he thought he ought 10 I'M
press upon Congress the propriety Of giving tne
| absolute control Of the Army to some purely
| military man. II was during one OF thrSe n1oouS
! that he conceived the idea of placing Hooker III
! command of the Army Of the Potomac ana OF
vcsting him with such power that IN ms opih-
! ion he could not fail Of success lie had Il
| great idea Of II Doker'S ability as A soldier ana
/ in addition he believed him 10 be an honest man
1 and sincere patriot. He wanted him to night
/ what he intended should be. and what he felt
/ would be- the closing battle Of the war. Ac-
/ cordingly. when Hooker got under way ana the
/ news came that at ChanceilorsviIle ne would
in no
| state Of mental excitement From the time that
/ Hookcrs army began its march until the smoke
Of battle had cleared from the fatal h"ld ~
| Charlottesville he scarcely knc" what II was
It viii bc remembered that tho fight lasted
three days During the first two days IT looked
/ MS 4 Hooker was about to accomplish what 80
J. many generals before him had failed 10 DO, but.
| carly on the third day. the usual alf-hour DIS.
patches began 20 make matters look lark ana
ominous 4 defeat. That whole day Mr. LIN
, coin was miserable. lie ate nothing. and would
see. no one but me. As II grew dark he DIS
patches ceased coming At AL MT Lincoln
would walk from the White flous" to my de-
partmcnt and InXlousy lnquir" for news from
Hooker with the going down of the sun a
cold and drcuchiag rain set in. which lasted
through the night At about ! o'clock Mr.. Lin
coin ceased his visits to my department. and
gave orders At IN" Executive Mansion that NJ
would se. no ono before morning. An hour after
ward A dispatch of Indefinite character was re-
cs!V-d from Hooker and hurried win u To
Mr. Iincoln.s apartments. when | entered |
found him walking the floor ana ms afonIcd
appearance so terrified me that II was with
difficulty that 7 could speak Mr.. Lincoln APP
preached mo Ike man wild with anxiety and
excitement seized the dispatch from my hand,
read u. and his fac" slightly Frightening. re-
marked stanton there Is hope YET Al my
s.ii,itltipn Mr. Lincoln accompanied me to the
. War Department. where he agreed To spend the
NIGHT OF until something definite was heard
from Hooker For i've hours. the longest and
most Wrlrl~omc ~ my life. | waited before
dispatch Announcing the retreat u Hooker was
received When Nh Lincoln read II he threw
M his hands ami reclaimed. My COD stanton
our cauS" is l1Sl We are ruined we ar" ruined,
and such fearful loss II lf"i My Cod this
Is more than can endure II" stood. trembling
VisIbly his face Of a CHASTITY hue. the pcrspira-
! tion standing out I'm big spots on his brow. He
pat his nat and coat and began 10 pac" the
nor For i've ~ NOR" minutes he was silent
and then turning to mo. h" SAID. II am not
about carly 10 morrow. dO not send for mo. nor
allow any ON" 10 disturb me. Defeated again
and SO many II our noble countrymeu killed
What viii the people say
As he finished hc started for the door | was
. alarmed. There was something ind"scrihaDle
about ia" Presidents face and manner that
made mo feel that my chief should not be left
alone. How 10 approach him without creating
suspicion was he thought OF 4 second. Gong
up - him and laying my hand On his shoulder
/ said Mr. President /. too. am feeling that
would rather be- dead than alive. but - 1t manly
is it BRAY. that wc should b. IN, first to sue
cumb? have m idea: You remain here with
me tonight. Ii" down on yordcr lounge. and.
/ by the time you have had a few hours sleep |
will have a vessel at IN" wharf. ana we will go
To- tn" front and see for ourselves the condition
I Of the Army
THE idea Of visiting the Army in person acted
I Ike a tonic. MIR Lincoln instantly adopted the
suggestion. The next morning we left Washing
ton gunboat for Iiookcr's command ON our
return trip Mr.. Lincoln told me that when ne
started To leave the War Department that
evening ne had fully made up his mind to go
Immediately to the Potomac River and there
end his life. "A many poor creature-but none
half miserable AS he At that time-had
done before him