The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-03-31

WASHINGTON IN APRIL, 1866,
Exciting POst-Bsllum Experiences at the
Fss-gz} Nationa1 Capital.


During the excitement incident to the
surrender OF Gen. Lee, the. perilous neriod
following the assassination of President
Lincoln and the subsequent trial and exc
cution of the .coaspira tors--A1rs. Surratt,
Payne; Arnolk Atzerat, and Of the keeper
| of that Soutlern hell of cruelty, Wirz.
| was ON duty IN Washington, quartered in
the East .Capitoa Barracks, located near
| the Capitol grDands. ...s5 -. ,.,a,,,
When the news of the surrender OF Gen.
Lee was flashed to Washington. the people
became frantic with5 joy. s.TC|erks from the
several Government Departments. from
stores and Offices, some hatless and some
in inkstained office coats, rushed into the
street with Wild excitement. Homes, fac
tories and ewurkahops:w eres deserted. All
the peoplgdef4 Washington seemed to be
out-of-doors filling the mir with shouts of
| JOY and exuAation. military bands were
| hastily summoned, ITO the White House
grounds and to- the Army and Navy
buildings One band. estatione near the
front portieo of the White Hnnse, COM
menced to play the tune of Dixie"
probation were heard and a riot seemed
imminent. AT this moment. President
Lincoln appeared and stepped to the front
of the .portico with ,outstretched arm, COM
| manling silence. With that significant
magnetism which characterized all of his
| utterances, he said. Dixie is one of the
prettiest tunes have ever heard. Dixie
g hoy r,t11 Lat ho
band play Dixie" Lincoln's words
turned the tide Of feeling. The band
played Dixie and the crowd cheered
| Justify.
Five days of joy and continuous cele-
bration and the scene was changed to one
| of deep sorrow and mourning on account
of the cowardly, and dastardly assassina
| ton of our beloved President. Only those
who were in the city ut that time know
how faint were the heartbeats of our Ma
tionai life during that perilous period. Tie
excitement at the Capital was intensified
| by the fact that the extent of the con-
spiracy was unknown. Who was likely to
| be the next victim Of the atrocious plot no
one knew. The suspense at times was in
| describable. Great praise is due to the
| people of Washington at the time, for
their self-control. 1t seemed as If that
| splendid poise that had SO beautifully
| marked the life of their martyred Presi-
| dent had been imbued into the very hearts
Of all who loved him. Gen. Garfeld's men,
| orable address at the Wall Street Exchange
in New York City had much to do with
reassuring the people of the land, when
| he who was to succeed Lincoln in his
martyrdom said Clouds and darkness are
round about Him. His pavilion is the
dark waters and dark clouds Of the skies.
Justice and judgment are the establish
| ment of His throne. Mercy and truth
shall go before His face Fellow citizens,
| God reigns, and the Government at Wash
ington still lives"
April ID, 1886, the day that President
Lincoln died, / was Officer of the Day
| for the Eastern District of Washington.
comprising that part of the city east of
18th Street extending to the Eastern
Navy Yard and Long Bridge were located.
| The residences of the Cabinet officers
were in this district. y The Veteran Re-
serve Corps syas on duty in Washington
at that time b reported for duty at Sip. M,
riding directly dswn Pennsylvania Avenue
to Col. Wisswea's headquarters at 18th
and l streets Col. Wisewell was in COM
mand of the Veteran Reserve Corps Regi-
ments in Washington. The streets were
deserted except for the few whose Curl
| 0sity was anaEsed by hearing the chatter
| of horses heefA Noy5and then a face
pcereO out 0Om unQey the street lamps,
! but the city Aeaned withAl like city of
the dead. .Grief and apprehension entered
every home. The President was, dead,
| and the aewsa Of other assassinatiOns was
dreaded by oil. The night Of the attack
upon PresidsntdL Lincoln guards were sta
toned at the residences OF all Of the Cabicc
| net officers and also to the apartments of
the Vice-President, Andrew johnson, who
lived at the Kirkwood House, Pennsyl-
vania Avenue and 18th Street. In detail
| ing guards for sentinel duty. the residence
of Chief-Justice Salmon p. Chase had
been overlooked, and l was ordered to post
sentinels at his house and confer with him
| as to his pleasure in admitting persons to
his home. Judge Chase resided in an old
fashioned house, corner d and 9th Streets,
and to reach him was escorted through
a lower middle room, to the second story
front room, where the Judge was seated.
Filled with deep grief which pervaded
/ the whole land, hesitated to approach
one whose official position had placed him
so near to the late President. had APP
pretended meeting, even officially, the
Chief Justice of our great country at q
time so serious.
The punishment OF the conspirators III