The Red Cloud chief., 1910-02-03

spring of 1865. During the three years M
of my stay IN Washington. the most ~
critical period of the nations history, I lM
saw and heard many things that have kJ
never found their way into the public \WH
prints. Some OF the bodyguard were
constantly with the president and his I
family. whether ut fashionable levees
receptions to foreign legations or pri I
vate interviews. At all such functions
we were silent spectators OF all that took
place. We were always treated with the high.
est respect by the Lincoln family. who re
garded us as a part of the household. Every
private OF the guard received the same atten-
items of courtesy as the most famous states
man or diplomat at the capital. We all formed
a strong personal attachment for the presi
dent and when the grand old man laid down
his life In behalf OF the cause that had been
his life work We felt as If we had lost the
dearest friend We ever had.
During the first two years OF our term Of
service the most rigid discipline was enforced.
Sometimes we would be ordered 20 use ex.
traordinary vigilance and to let no one enter
the grounds OF the White House without the
proper passes and to be very particular as to
who approached the president. Often the or
der would com for the guards ON duty To
be doubled. II was seldom that he knew the
direct cause OF these extra precautions. but
we supposed that the officers of the secret
service were in possession of information OF
some plot that broodcd harm to the presi
dent.
Up to 1864. owing TO our vigilance and the
protecting hand OF Providence. our beloved
chief had escaped the hand of violence. The
back of the confcderacy was broken. a good
feeling pervaded all Washington and conse,
quently the strict watchfulncss that had pre-.
vailed grew into laXlty. This was the fatal
period. for II was at this time that conspira.
Giles were hatched and confedcrates overran
the city, comparatively unmolestcd, The pres,
Idont and family spent the summer at the sol.
dier's home. situated about three miles north
OF the city. and thither the bodyguard always
accompanied them,
II was in the sumner Of 1864, while we
we're up nj the home. that an incident hap
pened that came very near eliminating In
Just such nm awful tragedy as followed only Il
few months later at Ford's theater. II was
the custom OF the president to remain late at
the war Department when anything of great
importance was happening ~ the army. con.
sultlng with the secretary OF war and trans
hitting and receiving dispatches, and after
his work was finished he would ride out To
the soldiers home, That summer he had per,
~sistently refused an escort. Imagining himself
perfectly secure,
One night about he middle Of August
was doing sentry duty at the large gate
through which entrance was had into the
grounds at the home. The place Is situated
about a quarter OF a mile on the Biadensburg
road and Is reached by . devious driveway.
About one o'clock heard q rife shot in the
direction of the city and shortly afterward
could hear approaching boofbeats. IN two or
threo minutes the horse came nea, enough so
that in the dim moonlight ] recognized the
rider as the belated president. The horse. =