Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1901-02-21
ANECDOTES OF LINCOLN
Veteran Newspaper Mans In
teresting "reminiscences.
SOME WARTIME EXPERIENCES.


ment-Lnst Moments of Lincoln De-
scribed by a Witness.
An old newspaper man in Washing
ton recalled recently for the Washing
ton Times the following "reminiscences
of his experience in Washington dur
ing the war:
'My work was principally at the
White House." said this gentleman,
"and l had many opportunities for
studying the character Of the great
war president While Mr.. Lincoln
was generally courteous to newspaper
correspondents, l do not know that he
gave to any of us his entire confidence.
Whenever he did impart any item Of
news, especially relating to events of
the war, he was extremely cautious in
his narrative, so that the exact facts
might be stated to the public AS
case in point: On one occasion an i'm
portant telegram was received at the
war department announcing a great
Union victory, but for some reason un-
explained at the time the secretary
was not disposed to communicate the
particulars. Failing thus to obtain the
required amount of information at the
war department, several of the CORE
spondents, myself among the number,
fastened to the White House in order
to secure the facts from the president
himself. The cabinet meeting had just
adjourned, and several of the men,
bers were leaving the presidents room
as we came in. We had no sooner sent
in our cards to him than we heard him
calling to us to walk in, walk in,' and
when we had done so, Take Seats he
added. Before we had time to announce
the object Of our visit he remarked: 4
know what you have come for. You
want to hear more about the good
news. l know you do. You gentlemen
are keen Of scent and always wide
awake One Of us replied: you have
hit the matter precisely, Mr.. President.
That's exactly what we want-the
news
Mr.. Lincoln was more than ordina-
rliy cheerful. AS we had recently suf-
fered a defeat in battle this latest intel
ligence of which he was in possession
evidently gave him much comfort. He
was happy. Leaning back in his chair
and stretching his legs on the table, he
took up small piece of paper memo
randa, saying at the same time, I've
already told this story half a dozen
times, but I'll tell it again, as you
haven't heard IT, Then he prefaced
his narrative with few explanatory
remarks in order that we might all
clearly understand it. He next alluded
to what the telegram said and made his
comments. being very careful in sepa-
rating the announcement contained in
the dispatch from his own conclusions.
We reporters meanwhile, as is our GUS
tom, noted the words. and we got
thoroughly good story Gentlemen
said the president in conclusion, that's
all there is about it. The public will be
glad to hear it. One Of us said, We
shall be very happy. Mr.. President, to
give the good news that direction
And without any unnecessary delay
the correspondents among us fastened
to the telegraph office to flash over the
wires the cheerful Intelligence.
''At the time v1cksburg was invested
President Lincoln naturally felt intense
interest in the situation. During both
day and night he frequently visited the
war department to hear the latest news
and to send questions by telegraph to
the most accessible commander nearest
to the scene of important operations
This seeking after information was the
last thing he did before retiring to bed
l called on him on one occasion to as
certain the latest news concerning
Vicksburg. 4 have nothing new said
about affairs. l can't sleep tonight
without hearing something. Come, go
with me to the war department. Per-
haps Stanton has something So we
went there. We had no sooner ascend
ed to the second story than messen-
ger Of the telegraph office in the build
ing handed the president dispatch,
dated from somewhere in the south
west and reading as follows: "A report
has reached here that our troops at
Vicksburg have been defeated and our
sI1..>a.S,nd'
"Mr. Lincoln read the telegram by
the very uncertain light in one of the
corridors of the building. He was ex-
tremely nervous. His hands and legs
shook violently. His face. as | could
see, was CHASTITY. He again read the
telegram, to fully satisfy himself of
its purport. Turning to me he repeateS
in faltering accents the substance "
the telegram. Bad news. bad news
he added, in evident distress. articulat-
ing slowly and with mournful en-
phasis. Then he said very earnestly,
Don't say anything about this-don't
mention it, Mr. President ! replied,
allow me to say one word We'll,
SIR The dispatch you have received
mentions that the communication of
disaster is founded on mere report. 1t
does not come from an army officer
or from any known responsible party.
1t Is given as rumor. probably uttered
by some deserter as an excuse for