Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1906-11-30

had just returned from the Ellsworth
funeral. and said to Sexton that he
was to report in person to the Presi-
dent the next morning by appointment,
and suggested that Sexton go with him
to the White House, and when he saw
the President he would explain the
circumstances and open the way fer
the presentation. The next morning
Coates and Sexton went to the White
! House in the same carriage, taking the
/ framed resolutions with them.
Scores were waiting to see the Pres
ident, but Coates was shown in, and
| Sexton waited in the carriage. After
Coates had made his report to the Pres
ident and answered many questions as
| to Colonel Ellsworth and the funeral
services, he spoke of Sexton and his
mission. Mr.. Lincoln was interested
at once, and asked where Sexton was.
Coates explained that he was waiting
in a carriage, and Mr. Lincoln ordered
him shown up at once.
He received Sexton very cordially
and expressed his regret that there had
been any delay in the presentation Of
the Chicago resolutions. He read them,
holding the frame up before him, and
showing much feeling. Then he walked
about, carrying the frame and holding
it at different places on the wall, ask
| ing the two men where it would APP
pear to best advantage Neither Of
these men ever forgot that picture Of
the President holding the Ellsworth
ton in the question of Ellsworth's
death, and it was recalled thirty seven
years later by another incident.
I'm 1898 1 was again in Washington
| with Colonel Sexton. We were stand
ing in the hotel lobby one evening when
regular army officer came up to us
and asked for Colonel Sexton. When
Sexton turned toward him expectantly,
the officer said he would not introduce
himself, but would relate an incident
which would determine whether he
needed an Introduction or not. There
upon he proceeded to tell the story Of
the presentation Of the Ellsworth reso-
lutions in 1861. He was identified at
once as General Coates, and as the two
talked other stories came out.
"On one occasion Coates called at the
White House, and found Nicolay, the
Presidents secretary, having a time
of it with an elderly lady in rusty
black mourning She explained to the
secretary that she must see the Presi-
dent Her two sons had been killed at
| Big Bethel, and as she was left alone
| in the world she wanted the President
to advise her or help her. AS she had
come to the White House that morn
ing from the old farm she had noticed
thousands of horses and mules branded
q. S. and had been told that all these
belonged to the President. If that was
the case, he could afford to give her
one mule or horse. and she could make
a living peddling garden truck.
I'm fact she had some vegetables in
her basket, which she was sure Mr..
Lincoln would take if he only under
stood the circumstances. Mr.. Nicolay
explained again and again that the
horses and mules did not belong to the
President, but to the government The
old lady contended that President and
government were the same thing. She
had been told that the horses and mules
belonged to the President, and she be.
lieved it, and she would continue to
believe it until the President himself
told her it wasn't true. Mr.. Nicolay
was becoming impatient, but the
thought Of those two dead boys at
Bethel held him to the line of courtesy,
while the waiting Congressman and
others smiled at his evident embarrass-
ment
FINALLY, the Secretary said: All
these distinguished gentlemen are wait
ing to see the President You don't
suppose that, with all these men here
on urgent and important business, that
the President can give time to you?
/ He would said the woman, If he
knew l lost two boys in one battle
The Secretary said, Wait a minute,
went quickly to the Presidents room,
and, coming back, said, The President
will see you In went the woman past
the waiting officers and others and in
five minutes came out triumphant.
'"The President had told her that she
had been hoaxed about the horses that
he owned no horses, as the only ones
he had owned were burned in the fire
at the White House stables few days
before: that if he did own all the
horses marked q. S. he would give
every woman who lost sons in battle
a dozen or more, but as he had no
horses, he could only sympathize with
her in her loss and thank her in the
name of the country for the sacrifice
she had made. The old lady said she
believed every word the President said,
and she was perfectly satisfied about
the mules Chicago Inter Ocean.
Obeyed the Generals Order.
Gen Sherman once possessed an
Irish servant whose forte was asking
10 GYoI 1,<