The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-02-13
NEW LINCOLN ANECDOTES.
sympathy With a Soldier Who Damned the
Government Washerwomen's Appeals.

~
Government Washerwomen's Appeals.
To the already extensive personal history OF
Abraham Lincoln new anecdotes OF the great
war President are constantly being added by
men who knew him. or who encountered him
for a few moments, and in that brief time got a
fash OF the real nature ofthe man In some char
acteristic act or saying. Such an experience
was that OF Il. VI. ShurtlefI, the artist and illus.
traitor. to whom It happened. during his war
service. to talk 10 Lincoln for a few moments.
At q recent reunion Of the Naval Brigade. Nine
ty-ninth New York Volunteers. Union Coast
Guard. Mr.. Shurtleff told. In an informal way.
OF his conversation with Lincoln. and through
the kindness OF Secretary Corell Of the organ
ization. the matter was brought to THE SUNS
attention. and a reporter saw MIR. ShurtleY at
his studio yesterday. and got the details OF his
meeting with the President as nearly as Mr..
Shurtleff can remember It,
II was late in the summer OF 1852 when Mr..
Shurtleff. then a lieutenant in the Ninety
ninth New York Volunteers. was sent North
from Libby Prison with +OO other Union prls-
oners. the first exchanges OF the war, He was
the first Union officer to be captured in the
war, and he was shot through the body and
arm and then taken prisoner while In charge
OF a scouting party a few days before the first
battle OF Bull Run. The small American flag.
by the way, which the pa rty bore and which
was used by Shurtleff's captors TO bind up his
wounds. was returned to him a few years ago
from New Orleans. Upon being sent North for
exchange Lieut.. Shurtleff found himself in the
curious position OF an officer without n regi-
ment. for the Ninety-ninth had been hurried
South without being mustered in. and the men
were mustered in during Lieut., Shurtleffs
captivity.
my visit to Washington TO see President
Lincoln. 4" said Mr.. Shurtleff yesterday. was In
regard to my being mustered into my regi-
ment. | went to the White House and there
found a great lot Of people OF all kinds waiting
to see the President. In the corridor | fell into
conversation with an officer from Bunalo-I
don't, remember his name II ever knew It
who had been dismissed from the service for
using disloyal language. He felt very bad over
il and explained to me mat he had been
without pay I2r tmbs ohthh ms h ma g ms Tlie was IN
night and talked more than he should have
done hut that any disloyalty was far from his
ihoushis; ha ana were ealled IN to see tue
desk with an open space cut through it. and |
can remember yet how amazingly far out into
the floor his feet stretched: for he was loupg-
ing deep down in his chair, | rember that
what first struck me was the extraordinary
longness ofthe man: then | looked at his face
and saw there the homely force and honesty
and kindliness that shone out OF him. The
officer from Buffalo saw II, too. suppose. tor
he heartened up right away. though he had
been worryinRas to what ne would say. ne Just
spoke right ont aud told Lincoln everything.
and Lincoln looked at him steadily but not un-
kindly as he talked.
~ hadn't had any pay for seven months
said the officer, and nv wife needed the mon
ev. tell you. Mr.. President. she was actually
hungry. | got drunk that night and talked
fool SHY, but | couldn'thav said ANYTHING dis.
loyal. haven't got n disloyal thought or a
disloyal drop Of blood in me-
We'll, said Lincoln. after q little pause. aud
speaking very deliberately. 1t Ia been lighting
food remember he spoke Of Mrs. Lincoln as
AnnI,I presume I'd say something dlsioyal
Then he reached over aud wrote a request that
the officer from Buffalo be restored II his record
was all right, | never heard how that case
came out. What | had to say took only a min
mastering in and for my pay but | never did
mustered in. because / was PVT on a special
furlough soon after. In all. | suppose ] was
with Lincoln fifteen minutes. He said some
thing in his dry way. in answer to a remark
bout his being 50 busy as tothe lueervlsitors
he, ,n9TSdS;v w-,.harwoman come here to 500 mo,
said, and ask me 70 make the soldiers pay
their washing bills. They mean II, too"
"A little later, while ! was stil! in tho, cor
ridor." continued Mr.. Shurtleff "an elderly
woman and her daughter came out after
to Lincoln and the woman went down
in a hear on the floor and rolled there Ike one
in mortaI agony. Her son had been sentenced
10 death as q descrter and she had come 10 beg
the President for his life. but Lincoln would
her nothing except that he would in
vestigate. His investigation showed thar the
culprit was "A mere bov, and the President let
of. saw Lincoln once after that hut had
no talk with him"
4 detachmant from the Ninety.ninth Vol
unteers, while acting ms Coast Guard. rowel
Lincoln from Fort Monroe to the RIP Raps on
q reconnoitring expedition by night. a few days
b. lore the surrender Of Norfolk. The regiment
afterWard became an infantry organization.