Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1910-02-10

EzEzzzzzzz teers, known as the
NSs$Aa b "Bucktail" regiment, Of
MhxE&YNYYSSSAH which / was private. ~
AAs~.,S %sSsz% was detailed as m
bodyguard Of Presi- IN
dent Lincoln and continued in that ca IN
pacity until his assassination In the lM
spring of 1865 During the three years W
of my stay in Washington the most wv
critical period of the nations history. | AIS
saw and heard many things that have WW
never found their way into the public WITT
prints. Some of the bodyguard were h
constantly with the president and his
family, whether at fashionable levees,
receptions to foreign legations or pri-
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-
lions of courtesy 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 IL we had lost the
dearest friend ever had.
During the first two years Of our term of
service the most rigid discipline enforced
Sometimes we would be ordered to 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 come 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 prest
dent
wv TN Ouyiuu To VIC nd
protecting hand of Providence. beloved
chief had escaped the hand of violence. The
back of the confederacy was broken, good
feeling pervaded all Washington and conse-
quently the strict watchfulness that had pre-
vailed grew into laxity. This was the fatal
period, for it at this time that conspira-
cies were Matched and confederates overran
the city, comparatively unmolested The pres
dent 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.
1t was in the summer of 1854, while we
were up at the home, that an incident hap
pened that came very near eliminating in
just such an awful tragedy as followed only
few months later at Ford's theater. 1t 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 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 the 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 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 bear approaching hoofbeats In two or
three minutes the horse came near enough so
that in the dim moonlight l recognized the
rider the belated president. The horse,