Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-02-12
Plots Against Lincoln.

About The middle of August. 1862.
Company X. of the lO5th pennsylva-
iha Volunteers. known as the buck
TAIL Regiment, of which was q pri-
fate, was detailed as bodyguard of
President Lincoln. and continued in
that capacity until his assassination
IN the spring of 1865. During the
three years of my stay in washing
| ION. the most critical period of the
nations history. saw and heard
many things that have never found
their way into the public prints. SOME
OF the bodyguard were constantly
with the President and his family.
whether ut fashionable leyees. rcccp-
| tons to foreign legations or private
| interviews. At all such functions we
were silent spectators of all that took
place. We were always treated with
the highest respect by the Lincoln
family. who regarded lis as part of
the household. Every private OF the
guard received tho same attentions Of
courtesy as the mos, famous states
man or diplomat at the Capital. We
all formed n strong personal attach
ment for the President. and when tho
| grand old man laid down his life in
behalf of the cause that had been his
lifework We felt MS ii we had lost
the dearest friend We ever had.
During the first two years of orr
term OF service the most rigid discip-
line WAS enforced. SoMetilnee we
wonll he ordered To use extraordinary
vigilance, and to let no one enter the
grounds of the Whlto House without
the proper passes. ana to he very
particular as to who approached the
President often the order would
come for the guards cn duty to be
doubled. It was seldom that we knew
tho direct cause of these extra pre-
cautions: but We supposed that the
officers of the secret service were in
possession OF information oil some
plot that brooded harm to the Pres
dent.
Up to 1864. owing to our vigilance
and the protecting hand of Provi-
dence, our beloved chief had escaped
the hand of violence. The hack Of
the Confederacy was broken, n good
feeling pervaded all Washington. and
cons euuently tile strict watchfulness
that had prevailed grew into laXity.
This was the fatal period. for ii was
at this time that conspiracies We're
Matched. and Confederates overran
tho city, comparatively unmolested.
The President and family spent the
summer at the Soldiers Home, situ-
ated about three miles north of the
city: and thither the bodyguard al
ways accompanied them.
a Bullet THROUGH His Hat.
II was In the summer of 1861. while
we were up at the home. that an in
cident happened that came very near
eliminating in just such an awful
tragedy MS followed only few
months later ut Ford's Theater. II
was the custom of the President 10
remain late nj the war department
when anything of great Importance
was happening in the army, consult
ing with the secretary of war and
transmitting and receiving des-
patches; and after his work was I'm
ished. he would ride out to the Sol
diers' Home. That summer he had
persistently refused an escort. imag-
ming himself perfectly secure.
One night about the middle OF
August was doing sentry duty al
the large gate through which entrance
was had into the grounds at the home.
The place is situated about a quarter
OF n mile on the Bladenburg road,
and Is reached by devious drive
way. About one O'Clock ] heard n
rife shot I'm the direction OF the city,
and shortly afterward could hear APP
proaching hoofbeats. In two or three
minutes the horse came near enough
I'm, MOONLIGHT
cognized the rider as the belated
President The horse. very sprit-
ed one. belonging TO Lamon, the mar
shall of the District oil Columbia, was
Mr.. Lincoln's favorite saddle animal
and when he was in the White House
stables he always chose him.
AS horse and rider approached the
gate. noticed that the President was
bareheaded. After had assisted MN
in checking his steed. the President
said to me:
"He came pretty near getting away
with me. didn't he? He took the rlt
in his teeth before could draw the
rains?"
then asked him where his hat
was. and he replied that somebody
had fired gun off down Mt the foot
of the hill which scared his morse,
and the lurch of the animal ,onpled
his hat on led the horse to the col.
tope. where he dismonnted and went
Thinking the proceeding little
strange n corporal and started IN
the direction from which the report
Of the gun had been heard. to m
yestigate. When we came TO inc
Mace where the driveway meets the
main road we found the Presidents