The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-04-02
HE SERVED STANTON.
Louis Koerth Tells About the Famous
War Secretary.

W ar 0cCTSthGys
An attempt by Secretary of War
Stanton to cook an Irish stew while
holding the war department Office
against the removal order of President
Andrew Johnson is only one of many
anecdotes related by Louis Koerth. at
present a Waterman in the department,
but at the period mentioned the great
war secretary's bodyguard.
On February 2l, 1863 President john
son appointed General Lorenzo Thomas
secretary of war ad interim, but the
power of removal having been taken
by the tenure of Office act from the
president Mr.. Stanton refused to resign
or to vacate the office of secretary.
He camped in the office, determined to
hold it until the result of the impeach-
nent proceedings against the president
which were then pending in the senate
should be determined. For sixty days
Mr.. Stanton held the fort" and during
that period his faithful bodyguard, ex-
Sergeant Louis Koerth, then in the
/ United States general service. assigned
to the war department, kept him COM
pany
on the day in which Mr.. stanton re-
ceived the official notification Of his re-
mOval by the president he made i'm
mediate preparations for siege. He
dispatched Sergeant KOerth to Mrs.
that lady refused to send them. insist
ing that the secretary should come
home and give up the office
Mr.. Stanton smiled on receiving her
message. and simply said
Koerth, go to your own house and
bring blankets, pillows and such cook
ing utensils as we may need"
The Irish stew was the first effort of
the secretary and his bodyguard
Koerth. being a German, needed in
structIons In the mysteries of preparing
the savOry stew, and the secretary
named the various ingredients, which he
( ordered the sergeant TO pllrp6aSa
Both men had spent a busy and
4 labOTiously exciting day and both were
tired out when the pot was put on the
fire to cook the stew. The consequence
was that the great war secretary and
his bodyguard fell asleep. The secre-
tary was the first to be awakened by
the smell of the burning stew.
"Koerth, Koerthl wake up. man."
shouted Mr.. Stanton, the stew is burn
ingi"
Koerth sprang to his feet. but, alas.
| too late to save Mr. StantOn's Irish
stew. 1t was burned and smoking
while the pot was a glowing red. Rue
fully the secretary rolled himself up in
his blankets on the sofa and went to
sleep for the night, supperless-
Louis Koerth, who in point of con-
tinuous service is probably the oldest
employee of the war department, served,
until wounded in the civil war, in the
Seventh Missouri cavalry He was
transferred, on partially recovering
Reserve corps, in which he rose to the
rank of sergeant. The barracks of the
corps were then where the stables OF
the executive mansion are now located.
On the evening of the assassination OF
President Lincoln, Sergeant koerth
was at FOrd's theater. In speaking of
the memorable event, of that evening
to a Post reporter. the sergeant said;
AT first I thought the shot and the
excitement on the stage was in the
play. but on realizing the nature of the
trouble 1 arose and rushed out of the
theater and double-quiclSed to our bar
racks Immediately ordered an
escort of thirty-fVe men-aU present
on dutv-and at their head I marched
for Secretary Stanton's residence
Here we remained on duty all night.
while the city was in wild state OF
excitement Word of the attempt to
murder Secretary Seward reached US,
and I informed Mr.. Stanton He order
! ed me to keep guard on his residence
under my immediate command until
/ further orders We remained with Mr..
stanton until he removed to the Sol
diers' Home for the summer and early
fall. I took thirty men to the home
and did regular guard duty over ms
person and residence. In November
we came back to the city, and then the
secretary had me promoted property
clerk and personal bodyguard-
"I had numerous personal adventures
while fulfilling this double duty until
/ the siege in the office. Wherever the
secretary went 7 was behind him a few
pa ces He visited at night Speaker Col
fax Senator Hooper, Zach Chandler
and numerous other high Dersonages
AS he passed along Newspaper Row,
the correspondents would recognize him
and some of them would exclaim aud
iblv enough for me to hear them.
..There goes old bulldog" The secre-
/ tary was generally held to be stern,
cold and hard-hearted- but I knew him
to be the kindest-hearted of men, He
only pretended to be harsh. Under
meath. his heart beat symDathetically
with everybody that was right
Nights during the year 1854 '65,
when I was on guard as sergeant OF the
I Veteran Reserve corps, when the wind
howled and the rain came down. ne
would walk his room wringing his
i hands and his face wearing a look Of
pain Then when he could stand the
strain no longer he would oDen the
door and call me in, exclaiming:
oh. Koerth. are you not happy that
you are not in the field in this dreadfn
Storm
Il would usually answer, Yes. Mr..
Secretary. but had my share of it
Then he would start off wringing his
hands and muttering:
90 Oh, my brave. poor soldiers. what
terrible sufferings you are enduringl' .
Mr.. Kcerth tells many stories of night
adventures while personally escorting
the secretary to and fro from the resi-