Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-04

Again we are spectators and partici.
pants I'm the great struggle for national
life. | am carried back TO the national
capital during the most gloomy period
OF the civil war. following the disas-
trous campaign Of the Army Of Virginia
under General Pope. whom | had ac-
.companicd as army t~olcgraphcr from the
Rapidau to Bull Run. Just forty years
ago, Thursday, Abraham Lincoln immor-
talized himself 10y ]appending his name
10 the historic Proclamation Of enamel
patton. For four months preceding that
day had opportunity to study the sad,
furrowed face of the martyred president
every day, being stationed in the old
War department building that stood
within one hundred yards Of the White
House. and whence the president con
Quoted his war correspondence by tele-
graph with his generals in the field and
the war governors at the various state
capitals. 1t will be regarded as singular,
almost incomprchensible, that through
out the entire four years of the war in
which vast armies were murshalCd ana
Unanswered, the commandments of
the army and navy could not be reached
by wire in the White House, but was
Obliged to make daily and almost hourly
calls i'm the library room Of the Wal de
partment, which had been converted into
Il military telegraph office.
,,.y- tI,. ,.r,,y,,,. ,,,n,,r4,,g 90 tI,
wal preserved by me is Il diary record
ing my experiences in the United States
military telegraph corps. The introduc-
tory was the following sad refrain:
written between 1880 and midnight, De-
cember 81, 1922.
Another year, ere many minutes pass,
VIII close it's history mournfully. alas!
Joys which it brought compared with the
sorrow
VIII make us feel glad it closes tomorrow.
What are the changes Of eighteen sixty
two,
I ask myself. and find It is too true,
That man is dust, to dust he will return
And leave behind perhaps a few to mourn.
The graves are filled by patriotic sons,
The tears are shed by wives and little ones.
What treasures spent could purchase all
the blood
From those who love them? When will it
end, o God!
Then let us pray that eighteen sixty-three
May once more bless this land of liberty
With peaceful homes, all strife may cease,
And crown our efforts with a blessed peace.
The advent of the New Year is her
aided by a yearning for the cessation of
the war and the restoration of peace:
January /, 1S63-war Department, Wash
ington. The clock has barely struck -. An
other year commenced, and with it perhaps
a new era for liberty; but what will be
changed? Mysterious future. A blessing
to all hides from our view the end-our
destiny. l the year in the War
department. May | end 1t in a peaceful
home or peaceful circle of friends, discuss
ing the past.
The story of New Years day and the
incidents of the presidents levee are
briefly recited in the diary as follows:
The day is clear and cold. The presi-
dent called at the War department office
at his usual hour-about $50 a. m. l took
a stroll through the streets at II a. M;
considerable hustle, but not half as much
as Christmas day. The great feature OF the
day was the presidents levee-oficers OF
the army, headed by General Halleck, met
at the War department; navy officers,
headed by Rear Admiral Foote, at the Navy
department. Many army officers appeared
in full dress uniform. Captains and lieu
tenants sported gilt e~paulets and cooked
hats, while major generals only wore plain
shoulder straps. The navy officers were the
finer looking body. They invariably dis
played full gala dress, cooked hats, epau-
let's, swords and fashy uniforms. Army
and navy officers passed the Enclosure to
the White House, while a considerable
crowd was gathered outside the gates,
While these officers were entering the
White House the foreign ministers, diplo-
mats and cabinet officers were coming out
and entered superb carriages driven by
llveried coachmen. Each foreign minister
appeared in the full court dress of his ma
tion. Soon the army and navy officers hled
out.
At IL the gates were opened for the CT
villains. l tried to wedge my way through
the grounds. The crowd was dense and
mixed. Men and women OF all classes-old
ladies. young ladies, babies and children
were jammed together and held at bay by
a squad of soldiers with fixed bayonets
The metropolitan police were inside tht
building. Finally l got in. The president
looked rather cheerful. His whiskers were
trimmed within about an inch OF his face
He stood in the center of the East room
and shook hands with everyone. AS
passed he remarked to me, "How-do-you'
do-sir?" To a lady just ahead Of me, whC
carried an infant, How is the baby?" Mrs
Lincoln was not present, probably on &C
count of her being In mourning.
New Years receptions at the White
House in more recent times in some re
spects afford n picturesque contrast will
the memorable levee of 1863. There was
no martial muisc by the relocated Ma
rine band-the musical marines were on
in the open fighting the rebels. There
were no tropical plants and flowers anC
no gorgeous decorations. The flags werI
in active demand on the firing line. Their,
were no cabinet officers in line, the cab
met officers were detained on active dut,
at their respective departments. Abra
ham Lincoln stood alone in that largu
reception room, undergoing the tryini
ordeal Of three mortal hours of hand