The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-07-01
LOGAN WAS CONVERTED
What Caused the Great Illinois Soldier to Forget
Party Prejudices.

The attitude of Gen. John A. Logan I
in the exciting days Immediately fol-
lowing the first election of Lincoln and
the outbreak of the civil war has been
the subject of good deal of discus
sion, to which writer for the Illinois
State Register of Springfield, ILL.,, has
Just contributed an interesting chap
ter.
According to "Appleton's Encyclope-
Ola of American Biography" Gen. Lo-
gan was from the first an ardent sup
porter of Lincoln and the Union. 1t
says:
"On the first intimation of coming
trouble from the South he Oogan) de-
clared that in the event of the cleo
ton of Abraham Lincoln he would
shoulder his musket to have him in
augurated."
Further on the encyclopedia says:
I'm July, 1861, during the extra ses-
sion of congress called by President
Lincoln he Logan) left his seat in
congress that he might overtake the
troops that were marching out of
Washington to meet the enemy, and
fought in the ranks of Col. Richard
sons regiment in the battle of Bull
Run"
With both these statements the
writer in the Illinois State Register
takes issue. Describing himself as a
warm friend and admirer of. Gen. Lo-
gan, he AYERS that Logan did not sym
pathize with Lincoln at the start and
was not favorable to the cause of the
Union when the war began.
He further says that while Logan's
patriotism was fired by the roar of
the Bull Run guns, the story that he
left his seat in congress to overtake
and fight in the ranks of the Union ar
my at Bull Run is erroneous. He says:
"The history of Gen. John A. Lo-
gan is family one, and the object of
the writer is to correct that history
with no intent or aim to pluck from
the brow of one of Americas bravest
a single laurel to which he is entitled
or to wrong his memory in the slight
est degree. But the truth, the whole
truth and nothing but the truth, as
the oath goes, is this:
John A. Logan was not favorable
to the Union side when the war of the
rebellion commenced, and those who
claim that he was not only do him but
themselves a great wrong.
con the contrary John A. Logan
denounced the war as a damned Abo-
lition scheme to free the Niger and
went so far in his denunciation of the
Lincoln party, as he termed it, as to
denounce Douglas and many of his
warmest friends in Springfield and at
his home. On the train upon which
Douglas and his wife were going to
Chicago, he declared in the hearing OF
hundreds of people:
douglas has sold out the Demo
cratic party, but I'll be damned If he
can deliver the goods
"He was so enraged at Douglas he
would not go to Douglas room in tbs
American House in Springfield, al
though Douglas implored him by say
ing:
"'John, come up to my room and lei
us talk this thing over
"'Oh, talk the DEVIL said Logan
i've talked with you and been led by
you, until you have led the Democratic
party into ruin! I'll be damned 1
you lead me any more!'
'He would not listen to the speeches
made by Douglas at Bloomington. Pom
tiac and Joliet, at which last place Lo
gan got off the train and Douglas wen
on to Chicago, where he died the Jun
following.
John A. Logan had been elected Il
congress as had old Col Dick Rich
ardson, as everybody called him. Col
Richardson on the day before the bat
tie of Bull Run made up a party 0
six, four to go in a carriage and tw
on horseback, to witness the battle
They arrived near there on the even
ing before the battle and could ge
no place to sleep, until one of tn
party, Col R. E. Goddell of Denver