Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-02-13
LINCOLN AND AND THE SLEEP.
ING SENTINEL"

INC SENTINEL"
Mr.. l.. r. Cattenden, who was
register o. tbs ,reas, ~ fram ,G1
TO 1865 and personal friend OF
Abraham Linco II, now for tho first
Tine te Is in full the story of Lin
co n and the sleep ng sentinel" Char
per ald Brothers., which has Nth
to been known only in its bare out
line. He speaks as one having au-
thority, and with justice, for he bore
an important share in the episode.
1t was on a dark Sept mber morn
ing in 1861, he Informs us. that he
was waited on at his Washington Of
fee by party of soldiers They be-
longed to the Third Vermont Ragi-
ment, then stationed at the Chain
Bridge, some three miles above
georgetown. One OF their number.
youth of twenty-one hod IA len
asleep at his post as sentinel. A
hardy boy, not as yet Injured % mil
Itary life, he had found it impossi-
be to keep awake for two nights in
'ccession. He had been found by
The relief sound asleep, he had been
convicted by a court martial and sen
fenced TO be shot.
w tn tears in their eyes, his com
radeJ pleaded with Mr.. Chittendon
% use his influence and save the
boys life.
He's as good a boy as there is
in the army" said their leader.
and he is not TO blame" Scott
had never before been up all nigh,
Il his fe. He had been ALI beat
out by his first experience. The
second night he had succumbed to
heer exhaustion.
Mr.. Chittenden's heart was touch
ed. He determined TO put young
scott IN personal touch with Presi.
dent Lincoln. BY using all influ-
ence he succeeded.
This Is how Scott himself told tn
story of the interview:
The president was the kindest
men l had ever seen. / knew him
It once by a Lincoln medal | haC
.ong worn. / was scared at first
Tor had never before talked with
great man. But Mr.. Lincoln was
% easy with me, so gentle, that ]
Don forgot my fright He. asked me
all about the people at home. the
ne ghDors, the farm and where |
vent to school, and who my schoor.
mates were. Then he a Sed me
about mother, and how she looked
md l was glad / could take her
photograph from my bosom and
show it to him. He said how thank.
'ul | ought to be that my mother
still lived, and how, If he was in
my place, he would try to make
ler a proud mother and never cause
her a sorrow or a tear. | can not
remember it an, but every word was
20 kind.
lie had sa nothing yet about
hat dreadful next morning.
thought it must be that he was so
Kind hearted that he didn't like to
speak of 1T. But why did he say so
much about my mother, and nv not
causing her a sorrow or a tear. when
knew that l must die the next
morning. But 1 supposed that was
something that would have tn go nm
explained, and so | determined to
brace up and tell m that 1 did not
feel bit guilty, and ak him
wouldn't he fix II 60 that the firing
party would not be from our reg
meat That was going to be the
hardest of ALTO die by the hands
Of my comrades.
Just as / was going to ask him
MS favor he stood up, and he says
TO me: My boy, stand up her and
ook me n the face. I did as he
oade me. Ny boy he said. Won
are not going to De shot tomorrow
believe you when you tell mo that
you could not Keep awake. am
going to trust you and send Won
back TO your regiment. But have
been put 70 a great deal of trouble
IN your account / have had 10
some up here from washington
when have got a great deal to do,
ma what I want to know IS how
are you going to pay my blI?'
mere was q big lum I'm nv
.hroat. could scarcey speak !
had expected to die. YOU see and
got kind OF used to thinking that
way TO have &c all changed in .
m.nutet' But got It crowded down
and managed 10 cay.
j am sratefuI SIR. Lincoln I
nope ] am as grateful a. ever a man
can Do ~ you for saving my life