Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-02-06
GLIMPSES OF LINCOLN
Tributes to the Martyr Presidents Character and Lead
ership-How He Pardoned Soldier.

so determined to brace up and tell him
that did not feel bit guilty and ask
him wouldn't he fix IL SO that the firing
party would not be from our regiment
That was going to be the hardest of all
to die by tho hands of my comrades.
Just as / was going to ask him this
favor he stood up. and he says 80 rae.
MY boy. stand up here and look me in
the face" I did as he babe me. NY
boy" ne said. you are not going to he
shot tomorrow. ! believe you when YOU
| tell me that you could not keep awake.
i am going to trust you and send YOU
back to your regiment. But have been
put to a great deal OF trouble on your ac-
count. have had to come up here from
Washington when have cot great deal
to do. and what I want TO know is how
you are going to pay my bill"
There was a big lump in my throat 1
could scarcely speak. l had expected to
die. you see and had kind of got used to
thinking that way. TO have it all changed
in a minute But I got il crowded down
and managed to say:
II am grateful. Mr.. Lincoln. I hope l
am as grateful as ever man can be to
you for saving my life. But ii comes upon
) me sudden and unexpected like. / didn't
lay OUT for 1t at all But there is some
way for me to pay you. and | viii find II
out after q little. There is the bounty in
! row some money on the mortgage of the
! farm. There was my pay, which was
| something. and if he would wait until pay
! day l was sure the boys would help. so
l thought we could make it up IL it WASH t
more thar $500 or 5000
'But it is , great deal more than that"
| he said.
Then said 1 didn't just see how. but 1
was sure 1 would find some way-if j
: lived.
Then. Mr.. Lincoln put his hands on my
! shoulders and looked into my face as II
/ he was sorr and said: My boy my bill
Is very large one Your friends cannot
pay It. nor your bounty. nor the farm
nor all your comrades. There IS only one
man in all the world who can pay 1t, and
his name is William Scott. II from this
day William Scott does his duty. so that
II l were there when he comes to die. ha
could look me in the face he does now
and say. I have kept my promise. and
have done my duty as soldier then my
debt will be paid Will you make that
promise and try to keep it?'
Scott did promise and did keep his
promise He soon earned the reputa-
ticn of being the bravest man In his
| regiment, the faithfulest and the kind
est. If any man were needed for the
most exposed service. Scott was al
ways eager TO he called upon If any
other man we're In trouble. Scott was
his good Samaritan. If any soldier
were SICK. Scott was his willing nurse
He was ready to volunteer for any
fXtra service or labor. Nevertheless
he steadily refused promotion. saying
that he had done nothin. to deserve IT
The end came in March. 1862. neal
Yorktown. The federal forces We're or
one side of the James river, the Con
fcderate on the other General Nc
Clellan had ordered General Smith (,
assault and capture the works on ts'
south bank. The Confederates. how
ever, were too strongly intrenched
They drove their assailants back across
the river. Scott was almost the frs
TO reach the south kunk.f the first III