The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-08-16
LINCoLN's DARK HOUR.

| Tempted Him to Suicide.
| One story in particular Secretary
Stanton told that, / can remember,
startled us, and it's details are still vivid
in my memory. Mr.. Stanton had been
relating to us many incidents of the
funny side of Mr.. Lincoln's character,
when suddenly he stopped, and, after
remaining silent for probably minute
looking in a vacant way at some man.
uscript lying on a desk before MIN, he
turned in his chair and said: Gentle
| men, there is nothing that gives me so
much pain as the opinion that seems
prevalent judging from the neWspa-
pers, that Mr.. Lincoln was an habitual
joker; that it was an impossiblity for
him to be serious, no matter how grave
the occasion might be. Nothing is fur
Their from the truth. His heart was big
and good, his nature warm and sunny;
hence he naturally looked at the bright
side of events; but no man OF my ac-
| quaintance was more serious than ne
when the surroundings of the case war
| ranted that he should be. 1 Will give
| you a point in instance.
"Mr. Lincoln, during the war, was
| very sensitive of the criticisms on his
| administration by the newspaper press,
| believing it to be, as he asserted, the
true voice Of the people. The failures
Of Mcdowell, Mcclellan, Burnside and
Pope with the Army of the Potomac
and the criticisms made thereon by the
newspapers almost crazed him. Time
and again he would free himself from
| the executive mansion and seek my lit
| tie office, the only place in Washington,
| he often said, where he could be abso-
lutely free from interruption. When he
| became closeted with me on these visits
| Mr.. Lincoln would unbosom himself and
| talk of his cares and woes. Several
times he insisted that he ought to re-
| sign, and thus give the country an OPP
portullity to secure some one better fit
ted to accomplish the great task expect
ed of the president. Or, If he did not re-
sign, he thought he ought to impress
upon congress the propriety of giving
the absolute control of the army to
some purely military man. 1t was dur
ing one of these moods that he con-
ceived the idea of placing Hooker in
command Of the Army of the Potomac
and of vesting him with such power
that, in his opinion, he could not fail of
success. He had a great idea of Hook
er's ability as a soldier, and in addition
he believed him to be an honest man
and a sincere patriot. He wanted him
to fight what he intended should be, and
what he felt would be, the closing bat
tie of the war. Accordingly, when
Hooker got under way and the news
hot of he
make his fight, Mr.. Lincoln was in the
greatest state of mental excitement.
From the time that Hooker's army be-
gan its march until the smoke of battle
had cleared from the fatal field of
Charlottesville he scarcely knew what
it was to sleep.
at will be remembered that the fight
lasted three days. During the first two
days it looked as if Hooker was about
to accomplish what so many generals
before him had failed to do; but, early
on the third day. the usual half-hour
dispatches began to make matters look
dark and ominous of defeat. That
whole day Mr. Lincoln was miserable.
He ate nothing, and would see no one
but me. AS it grew dark the dispatch
es ceased coming at all. Mr. Lincoln
would walk from the White House to
my department and anxiously inquire
for news from Hooker. With the going
down of the sun a cold and drenching
rain set in, which lasted through the
night. At about seven o'clock Mr.. Lin
coin ceased his visits to my department,
and gave orders at the executive man
sion that he would see no one before
1.
patch of indefinite character was re-
eeived from Hooker, and I hurried with
it to Mr. Lincoln's apartments. When
I entered I found him walking the floor,
and his agonized appearance so terri
fed me that it was with difficulty that
/ could speak. Mr.. Lincoln approached
me like a man wild with anxiety and
excitement, seized the dispatch from my
hand, read it, and, his face slightly
frightening, remarked: Stanton there
is hope yeti AT my solicitation Mr.. |
Lincoln accompanied me to the war de-
partment, where he agreed to spend the |
night, or until something definite was |
heard from Hooker. For five hours, the |
longest and most wearisome of my life, |
/ waited before "a dispatch announcing
the retreat of Hooker was received. |
When Mr.. Lincoln read it he threw up
his hands and exclaimed: My God!
Stanton, our cause is lost! We are ru-
ined-we are ruined; and such a fearful
loss Of life My God! this is more than
can endure!' He stood, trembling
visibly, his face of a CHASTITY hue, the
standing out in big spots
on his brow He put on his hat and |
coat and began to pace the' floor. For
five or more minutes he was silent and |
then, turning to me, he said IF ] am
not about early tomorrow, do not send
for me, nor allow any one to disturb
me. Defeated again, and SO many of
our noble countrymen killed. What
will the people say?'
GAS he finished he started for the
door. I was alarmed. There was some-
thing indescribable about the presidents
face and manner that made me feel that
my chief should not be left alone. How
to approach him without creating sus-
picion was the thought of a second.
Going up to him and laying my hand
on his shoulder. I said: Mr.. Presi-
T1 a y