The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-01-25
A Messenger From
President Lincoln
By DANIEL TRUMAN

v
the north in Washington l was asked
| to carry message by the president to
New York.
Here is letter." he said, (which
would like you to take TO the governor
of New York, or IL you can't get
through to New York and can go to
Harrisburg deliver 1t TO the governor
of Pennsylvania. l believe there are
more militia ready to come from New
York than anywhere else: therefore
prefer that you should go there. The
letter gives the appalling condition Of
things here, and. coming from me, II
would never do for it to fall into the
hands Of the secessionists. l must
therefore ask you to protect 1t with
your life and If taken by southern
sympathizers destroy 1t if possible"
"Mr. President" said. Il shall car
~ out your order to the best of my
ability"
| succeeded in getting train that
took me TO Baltimore and. not being
known In any way connected with the
government, had no trouble in getting
through the city. II was at Havre de
Grace that | met with danger. The
secessionists had burned the railway
/ bridge over the susquehanna river, and
there was no way of getting across ex-
cept In rowboats.
/ There was secret patrol by seces-
sionists on both shores who made 1t
| their business to see that no one in the
| Interest of the government got across
Pretending to be rabid opponent of
the BLACK Republican government" as
| 1t was then called. walked up and
down the southern bank of the river,
ostensibly watching Cor those who
were on business for the troops trying
to make their way to Washington. See
/ Ing a boat coming, l called upon sew
eral men of the volunteer patrol, say
Ing: Here comes a boat with several
men in It, The one in the stern with
silk hat on looks like a railway Off
cial know and a northern man. He
may be working to open the road.
Let's see"
We met the boat when It landed, and
straightway accused the man ! had
mentioned of being an assistant super
intendent of the railroad. He denied
the charge. but | said / knew him TO
be what | stated and proposed to my
hackers that we take him back and
put him ashore on the northern side.
was so earnest and positive In the
,,,a Nnt oh mo raaAr
to do anything l suggested, and, al
lowing the others TO land, we got into
the boat and pulled for the northern
shore. On arriving there jumped out
and told the others to hold the man till
could find some of "our" patrolmen
to take charge of and investigate him.
ran up the bank, looked about me,
then. as thought saw what / was aft
err, walked rapidly away from the riv-
or. That was the last the boats own
er or the poor fellow had used to gain
safe passage for myself ever saw of
me.
succeeded in getting a train north
ward, reached Philadelphia without
further delay and. going to the general
superintendent of the road and show |
ing him my credentials. secured spe- |
cial locomotive to hurry me TO New /
York Fortunately the governor was |
In that city ON my arrival, and ! lost /
no time in handing him Mr.. Lincoln's
letter
1t was the first intimation he had had |
as to how dangerous was the situation /
ut Washington. Before | left him he
to the governor of Massa-
chusetts, who. he understood. had a
regiment waiting for orders to depart.
Then he got into telegraphic commu-
nication with railroad men to the
southwark where the wires had not
been cut and received their reports as
TO what chance there was for troops to
get through. The next thing he did
was to write reply to the letter j
had borne, charging me to deliver 1t
10 the president.
My main dread on my return was lest
should meet some of the patrolmen |
had fooled on my northward passage
1t Havre de Grace. and so | did. /
hired a man TO row me across and on
learing the southern shore saw one OF
he men | feared walking toward the
loint my boat was making for. hoped
lie wouldn't remember me, but he did.
"See here" he said. "what did you
mean by leaving us as yeu did the 9th
n day? | believe you're a black Re
publican hireling."
Almost before he had got the last
word out of his mouth | raised a heavy
,ane had provided myself with for
UGH an emergency and brought 1t down
70 heavily on his head that he dropped.
/ didn't wait to be Intercepted by |
my one else. hut walked 20 the edge of
ONE timber and when reached 1t ran
Ike a deer.
/ reached Washington without fur
her adventure and was taken in by
be guard. The same evening ! deliv-
red my letter to Mr.. Linciln and II
vas at least relief 70 know that
he terrible position of the capital was
by the governor of north
IN state equipped to push forward
roops. He grasped me by the hand
ordially and thanked me for the effort
had made
Within twenty-four hours the Massa-
husetts regiment arrived and the next III