Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-06-25

preston of his sympathy we talked
about the battle. I said:
MIR. Lincoln, we heard at Gettys-
burg that here at the capital you
We're all so anxious about the result
of the battle that government Off
cials packed up and got ready to
leave at short notice, with the official
archives"
Yes, he said, "some precautions
were prudently taken, but was
sure of our success at Gettysburg"
why were you so confident" 1
asked. 1.-The army of the Potomac
had suffered many reverses."
There was pause. The President
seemed in deep meditation. His pale
face was lighted up by an expression
I had not observed before. He said:
when Lee crossed the Potomac
and entered Pennsylvania, followed
by our army, I felt that the crisis
had come. 1 knew that defeat in
great battle on northern soil involved
the loss of Washington, to be fol-
lowed perhaps, by the intervention
of England and France in favor of
the Southern Confederacy. / went to
my room and got down on my knees
in prayer
II felt 1 must put all my trust in
Almighty God. He gave our people
the best country ever given to man.
He alone could save it from destruc-
ton. I prayed that he would not let
the nation perish. I asked him to help
us and give us victory now.
Il was sure my prayer was an
swered. I knew that God was on our
side. I had no misgiving about the
result at Gettysburg"
When Mr.. Lincoln rose to leave he
took my hand and said:
"Sickles, I am told, as you have
been told, perhaps, that your condi-
ton is serious. l am in a prophetic
mood today. You will get well''
Seeing LOngstreet Home In Atlanta.
Although it was General Long
streets command that attacked me
in the peach orchard, and caused me
to go through the rest of my life on
crutches, the general and myself be-
came warm friends after the war
We attended many celebrations to-
gether. he with one arm and 1 with
one leg.
One of our liveliest experiences was
at a celebration of st. Patrick's day
in Atlanta, when, must confess, we
had been supplied lavishly with hot
Irish whiskey punch in pitchers.
When I was called on to make a
speech I did the best 1 could, consid-
ering the whiskey punch. 1 agreed
to make speech if Longstreet would
sing 1.-The -Spangled Banner"
which he did to the accompaniment
of great shouting.
Soon after midnight We started
home, but our carriage could not be
found and we managed to walk to
my hotel, I on crutches. When we
got there, I said:
"Longstreet, you are quite deaf; it
is very late; 1 cannot allow you to
go home alone"
He replied, "All right, if you feel
| like escorting me l would be very
glad
So I walked to his hotel with him,
! and when we got there he said,
"Sickles, you are on crutches; it is
very dark; I can't allow you to walk
back to your hotel alone. I will es-
cort you there"
So Longstreet escorted me to my
hotel, and when we got there 1 said
"Longstreet, you are quite deaf your
hotel is a good way from here; the
streets are dark; will escort you
| home"
He said. "All right; come along
We will cross the bloody chasm' once
more"
So I walked home with him, ant
when we got there Longstreet said
Look here, Sickles, you are g
stranger in Atlanta; you don't know
the streets as well as I do; I can
allow you to go home alone"
He went again with me to my hotel
and when we arrived there he said
Now, Sickles. think we had bet
ter stop this see-saw business. Yot
go to bed and I will go home
Thus we separated at last, goint
to bed in my hotel and he going bacl
to his hotel, bringing to an end tn
most agreeable march through Geor
gia" that I ever made.