Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1910-02-11

BSSS9&f$ "Bucktail" regiment, of y
HEsT8REVYN%SSE n which private W
UNSATISFACTORY was detailed as m
bodyguard of Presi IN
dent Lincoln and continued in that ca IN
pacity until his assassination in the M
spring of 1865 During the three years WI
of my stay in Washington, the most IU
critical period of the nations history, lM
and heard many things that have NMII
never found their way into the public XVIII
prints Some of the bodyguard were IS
constantly with the president and his NJ
: family, whether at fashionable levees, \
receptions to foreign legations or pri-
vate interviews. At all such functions
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 n part of the household Every
private of the guard received the same atten-
tons of courtesy as the most famous states
diplomat at the capital. We all formed
Il strong personal attachment for the pres
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 to use
traordinary vigilance and to let no one enter
the grounds of the White House without the
proper passes and to be very particular to
who approached the president. Often the or
der would for the guards on duty to
be doubled. 1t 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 brooded harm to the presi-
dent.
Up to 1864, owing to vigilance and the
protecting hand OF Providence, our beloved
chief had escaped the hand of violence. The
back of the confederacy broken, a good
feeling pervaded all Washington and conse-
quently the strict watchfulness that had pre-
vailed grew into laxity This was the fatal
period. for 1t at this time that conspira-
cies were hatched and confederates overran
the city. comparatively unmolested The pres
tdent 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.
It was in the summer of 1864, while we
were up at the home, that an incident hap
pened that came very near eliminating In
Just such an awful tragedy followed only
few months later at Ford's theater. It was
the custom of the president to remain late at
the war department when anything of great
Importance was happening In the army con-
sulting with the secretary of and trans
mitting and receiving dispatches. and after
his work finished he would ride out to
the soldiers home. That summer he had per-
sistently refused escort imagining himself
perfectly
One night about the middle of August l
was doing sentry duty at the large gate
through which entrance was had into the
grounds at the home. The place is situated
about quarter of mile off the Bladensburg
road and is reached by a devious driveway.
About one o'clock heard rifle shot In the
direction of the city and shortly afterward
could hear approaching hoofbeats. In two or
three minutes the horse came near enough so
that In the dim moonlight recognized the
rider as the belated president. The horse, a