The National tribune., 1910-02-24

roll was being sounded. but I couldn't
wake up. until I found myself being
hauled roughly out of nay bunk by Or
iderlg-Sergt Durgin, who stood me on
my feet, shook hne and almost yelled:
Go down that side and pull them out
on the floor. Maybe that VIII wake
them up. for those DIR tmmers CANT do
! it, and there must be something awfuliy
wrong the way they are BEATING 1t.
And there was something, 4i"canny
about it; 1t sounded as,,Ltho the whole
drum corps was engaged, .instcaa of one
drum.
After much shaking and am bounding
them out of bed. TaGp back to my
bunk. and while putting on srry shoes
Company Clerk Giiman came up the
stairs and stood leaning against the
! wall watching the sleepy men getting
dressed. As | passed him at the head
of the stairs ! asked him II he knew
what we were being called out for. He
replied: THEY have shot old Abe"
Thinking he was trying to sell me or
work a gag of some kind, | went on
down and out on the pavement, where
! the company was to form, and took my
place
In the dim starlight I could see the
other companies like shadows or dark
lines forming, and hear the officers in
subdued tones hurrying the men into
| line About the time the line was COM
pIete Capt. came walking along
our front slowly, and l noticed he was
wringing his hands and crying as tho
his heart was breaking. l spoke to him
as he came close to me, and asked him
what was the trouble, when he spoke
in a clear, distinct voice, which could
be heard for the distance of three COM
panies up the line, and told us the Pres
ident had been killed and Secretary
Seward injured so badly they had no
hope of his recovery, and that it was
supposed the entire Cabinet had been
killed.
For full minute it seemed no one
breathed, and then came a sound that
no one could describe. but l can some
times imagine [ hear it yet when alone
in the dark. Imagine, if you can, 700
or 500 men standing in line, with their
guns in their hands, like shadows at
midnight beneath the stars, some cry
ing like children, some groaning, some
trying to control themselves, but their
breathing sounding like the gasp of
some dying creature, others cursing in
low, Smothered tones like hends, and
one could almost imagine he had been
transferred to lower regions among the
lost.
When the first violence of their grief
subsided they began getting angry and
making threats what they would do
when morning came; but when morn
ing came the camp guard had been
doubled and no one allowed to pass eX-
cept in charge of an officer. Strict dis
ciplinc and watchfulness on the part of
the officers until the assassin had been
located and the public informed as to
who il was saved the history of our
country from the disgrace of massa-
ere the like of which had not been seen
| in modern times; for the city and its
envirens were swarming with paroled
Johnny Rebs, unarmed and helpless
and the first thought that came into the
soldiers mind was that. some of them
had done it, and the great majority OF
| them were like Corbett-imagined he
| had an order from the Almighty to kill
them. All that was needed that Satur-
day morning was to turn them loose
Will d. Christy, Corporal, Co. L, 10th
| V. r. c. Creston, Iowa,