Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1908-09-04
Civil War Stories


the United States have been assassi-
mated / remember the incidents asso-
ciated with the assassination of Lin
coin as clearly as those related to the
ASA estimation of Mckinley Whenever
think of Mckinley among the re
sponsive smiling throngs of Buffalo |
think of Lincoln among the soldiers
and the people after the fall of Rich
m0nd
THAT was a period of wild excite
ment, keyed everywhere to a note Of
triumph. For weeks the intense life
OF the North had taken on new phase.
The elimination of Shermans march
to the sea, the presence of the Presi-
dent at Petersburg, all pointed to eli
max fl the drama Of war. The bull
letins from Petersburg that went to
the country as the contest narrowed
down toward the LIST Of April. 1860,
We're signed by A. Lincoln. The tele
graph system then was not what 1t is
now, and news of vital Importance Of
ten came first to Governors or to mill
tary commanders.
II remember one quiet Sunday after
noon in Columbus. Ohio, where there
were no Sunday papers coming from
any quarter and where the two daily
newspaper offices were closed that a
group of distinguished men, including
a Judge of the Supreme Court, bank
er. and members of the Legislature,
walked through the silent corridors Of
the State capitol seeking news at the
Governors office The doors were
closed and they were not opened at
knock or signal, but as the gentlemen
were going out disappointed, they met
bluff old Governor Brough i'll the hall.
'He was imperturbability itself. His
face showed no excitement or emotion.
The Judge asked him if there was any
news from Grant. He looked over the
group quietly, and then said: 1 have a
confidential message from General
Grant. 1 give it to you under pledge
Of secrecy. General Lee has surren-
dered Instantly every member of
that group threw his hat high to the
ceiling, yelled like an Indian, and start
ed at full run for the street. Bare
headed, they went down the walk lead
ing to High street, shouting the conf
Dental message from Grant that Lee
had surrendered In five minutes the
city was in an uproar
THAT night a crowd of thousands
gathered in the vicinity of Capitol
square and stood in the rain while
Governor Brough told them of the
news from the front. He stood near Il
street lamp, the light illuminating his
massive bald head, on the top of which
the rain drops We're pattering and
sDlashing Some one said Put on your
hat, Governor: put Oh your hat. In
his deep round voice he said: L will
not put GA my hat. l stand uncovered
in the presence of the great victory,
and will not put on my hat Standing
on a pile of brick he spoke his speech
to the end and never recovered from
the cold he took that night.
''Then came almost week of such
rejoicing as the country had never eX-
perienced before. This high tide of eX-
ultation swept the people forward to
the 14th Of April when throughout the
North great meetings were held in
churches. in the open air, in public
buildings, all the Unfonists everywhere,
in the army and in civil life, joining in
prayers of thanksgiving and in songs
and hymns of rejoicing. When this tide
had reached its highest, Lincoln was
shot by an assassin and there was Il
quick ebb to the lowest flow.
LAT that time the government and
the military authorities practically
controlled the wires from Washington
The news of the tragedy at Ford's
theater went that night only to the
larger cities. 1t came to the others
and the country at large with the death
of the President early the next morn
throughout the land. 1t was a new
experience. 1t was a terrifying blow,
but it is well to remember that at that
time no one pretended that the assaEsi
nation of the President was not an act
of war. All the engnery of the gov
eminent, all the police power of civil
life. all the energy of the people at
large was turned to the pursuit, cap
ture, and punishment of the conspira-
tors and assassins. When the assassin
was shot and his accomplices captured
the people breathed more freely and
they grieyed as they never had grieved
before.
after the funeral train left Wash
ington the stolid officers acting as
guard of honor and as masters of cere-
monies, who had come many of them
fresh from the greatest battles of his
tory. stood amazed at the acres of peo-
Die that crowded toward the railroads
and concentrated wherever the train
stopped There is in my mind q pic
ture of General Hooker as he strobe
with majestic step at the head of the
funeral procession as it entered the
Capitol square at Columbus. Erect,
a ho