Evening journal., 1912-12-31
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
How Confederate Sharp
shooters Tried to Kill
President Lincoln
Ry Hanand.

One midsummer afternoon ii 1883 /
visited the field, three or four miles
north OF Washington. where the
sl5irmish took place, In 1864 between
the advance of General Jubal Early's
army and the Federal troops that
were defending Washington Far out
on the Fourteenth street road, and at
point where ID Is Joined by another
road from Washington, a fortihcation
stood. TO constituted one of the more
important dcfenscs Of the city. j.
was a large earthwork and before It
was diamantlcd It must have been a
very strong one. II had been con-
etructed TO that point for the purpose
of defending Washington against the
approach OF the Confederate army
from the north.
There had, however, never been
occasion to make-use Of this work in
resisting attack until the arrival OF
General Early's army. His advance
was stationed in the woods which
surrounded the suburban home Of
Francis =. Blair, the father Of Mont
eomery Blair, who was postmaster
general in Lincoln's cabinet
Tho Union troops were concentrat-
cd at q point OF which. apparently,
this fertilization was a base or ccn-
ter They wore anXiouEly awaiting the
arrival Of the army corps which Gem
eral Grant had hastily sent from the
front on the james for the purpose
Or ropcllinp tho daneorous advance
Of General Earlys army.
I found at the littlo soldiers ccme-
terry. which was located perhaps a
mile north Of the foriincation, an old
soldier who was visiting q comrade
who Was tho keeper OF tho cemetery.
When this soldier realized TINT !
WIS greatly Interested in the tradi-
tons OF tho place he said "Just
over thcrc'--- pointing toward the
Blair homo" was Eariy'a al1irmish
lino ! can eeo the ekirmishers ad-
vancing from tho woods. I was serv-
ing in the Union army right here ]
noticed that several aharpshooters had
climbed those two trees which you
500 OH toward the cant, but did not
observe any smoke or hear any re-
ports which Indicated that they had
bcc1n firing
My position wns near tho fort, co
near That could talk 90 tho sentinel
Suddenly J saw a very tan man. who
worn q iroci coat and tail beaver hat.
with him was an officer I instantly
recognized tho figure OF President
lincoln, although from my position
could not at first see his face He
s'ccd upon tire pararof He fire.
qrcntly pointed toward the distant
wcola SAW him. with a sweep on
his arm Indicate tho way IN which
tie army corps that was expected 70
arrive in Washington in a few hours
would como 90 Che front They did
come on the doublequlcl the next
morning over the sixth street road
Suddenly I heard the peculiar
whiz OF % bullet and then another
looked toward President Lincoln. for
J was enlisted that the sharpshooter8
were trying TO get range of the Pres
ldont who stood upon the parapet OF
Che fort
"A Thought that neither the Presl- |
dent nor the officer by his side was
not aware of the fact that he was
getting I'm the range of the sharp
shooters. or else they were indiler-
emit
"suddonly 7 snw the officer take
Mr. lincoln gently by the arm Tie
was apparently forcing Mr. Lincoln |
7
rorWard told thaD tho President did I
leave tho par0pct NOT q moment TOO |
soon. Tho sharpehooters had got tha /
range. Tho oiiicer heard the zip OF /
the bullets He saw the smoke issu- /
inE from tho branches of that tree /
over there. lie urged President Lin /
coin 10 get out OF danger as soon as
possible, and when he saw that the
President was IN no hurry he took
Lincoln by the arm and / was after
ward told that the officer said 20 the !
President that IF he could not per
suade him to get out Of the range Of /
the sharpshooting he should look upon
Mr Lincoln as a visitor 10 the fort
aud would therefore use his own au-
thorlty TO compel him TO go to a place
OF safety
"I have always been satisfied that
n Mr. Lincoln had not left the para
pct when he did a rifle bullet would
have reached him. If ! was a rich
man 7 should ask the government If
I might pick out some kind OF mon
umont right az that point 7 can take
You TO the place where Lincoln stood"
gladly accepted the mans invita-
tion end in few moments stood
upon the eomewlnat dlapidated relics
of the fortihcation and at the place
Undated by this man as the one en-
which Lincoln was exrosed to the
danger Of the sharpshoters' rifles
Copyright. 1912, by = j Edwards
All rights reservcd)
Tomorrow Mr. Edwards will tell of
"a Scene Worthy OF Reproduction on