The Washington herald., 1915-03-28
LINCOLN TAKES HIS ONLY
PRESIDENTIAL HOLIDAY.
March q.

1 March q.
Fly years ago today President Lin
| coin left Washington by steamer for a
! visit TO the army under Grant. then be-
| fore Petersburg. This was Lincolns first
, and last holiday as President. and it Was
destined TO ASSUME historical Importance
Toy Will" on il h" was to Witness som"
OF the cIpsInE scenes of the war and to
ente. the fallen capital Of the Confcder-
acy.
Gen. Grant. forescsinG the end OF the
great struggle. and doubtless knowing
that the President was bcsrt with Office
seekers at the beginning Of his second
term, had invited Lincoln TO cone down
and visit HIM. expressing the opinion
that il would do him good
The President needed no urging H..
WAS eager to see the war ended and to
be on the ground when Grant began clos
ing in on the forces OF Gen. lee. Taking
with him his wife and Their Young son
, Tad. aged - l." wr,t aboard thc
steamer River Queen and steamed down
the Potomac on the evening Of March %.
He was cue to rca~n City Point the next
evening.
The holida. thus begun. seen in his
tOrICa! retrospect. reveals IN a clear lIgA:
the many-s!ded Lincoln. IT,. j. seen as
the Stern director OF military movements.
intent OF delivering the final blows :" "nG
the great war. tn" lonely siorytell"r
10y the campfire. as II" sympathetic AL
mpsI wonanlv comforter OF tho wounded
in arm hospitals.
In the two weeks o. his STAY at tho
front--he remained until the evening of
April 8. arriving back in Washington the
next dav. tho r7rmora bio date on which
Lee surr"ndered-the President moved
ahout amid martial scenes. and mingled
with nigh officers "f army and navy as
nOdestir' 90 the humblest civilian visitor
I" the army.
His manner certainly DID not suggest
20 the casual observer the Commander-in-
chief Of the military and naval forces of
The United States. He appeared never to
think of himself as such. lis simplicity
was tn" same as when ho was an humble
circuit riding lawyer in Illinois. Tho ap-
preaching end Of the war. ~ which he
had guided the Union through its dark
est per!ls. bringing Il az last to The eve
OF triumph. did not fill him with citation.
In fact. all accounts OF his visi. 10 the
front agree that IN this supreme hO,;r he
was often detected lie could not tri-
umph over men OF his owr b'ood and
country.
Events of LinroIn's Visit.
The historical events Of I..ncoIn.s -laN
At the 'rOnt may here be briefly stated.
They Acre his presenC-. with the army
on March -. the day I..n made his last
SVrtie and temporarily broke Grants ln-
by capturing Fort Steadman: a review OF
the Army OF the James on MARCH =:
conference with Grant and sherman who
made a hurried sea trip from North caro-
lima FOR the purpose or March Is; th"|
be ginnlrE OF Grants movement around
Lees right on March %: the eva ruation
Of Petersburg in the night of April &c.
and LinCOln'S visit 10 the Abandoned
stronghold where he met Grant for an
hour. on April ,. his visit TO Richmond
Oh April !
Between April and the President. at
City Point was in almost hourly receipt
of news from Grants army in it's pur-
suit of Lee Will" almost the first news
he received an his return to Wsshinton
on tho evening Of April Ras a bulletin
announcing Ices surrender.
Cheering the Wounded
It 10 he the 10; OF moro than one
GrIevouslv wounded soldier TO receive
words o. cheer from Lincoln in the
course If the Presidents stay at the
front
ono story will serve to picture Lin
coins hospital visits
Among those In the Ninth Corps hos
pitsl was Maj. Charles IIoughton, OF the
Fourteenth New York Heavy Artillery
who had displayed great gallantry on the
field and had lost leg. Houghton. who
was a youthful and handsome officer. had
just passed through crisis from a sec
ondary hemorrhsge IN the wounded leg
and lay weak and white when the door
opened the surgeon announced THE
President of the United States Lincoln,
his clothing dusty from riding, entered
the ward. STOPPING under the door casing
as he came in.
Near the door Law Maj. William s. !
GreenouGh. of the Eighteenth New
Hampshire Regiment. who has thus de- |
sCribed the ensuing scene:
The President turned A step or twoI
to the right. and tenderly placing his
hand on Houghton's forehead. stood look |,
ing for an instant into his face: then |
bending down TO the low cot-as a mother !
would to her Chid-he kissed Houghton' 5 !
white cheek.
In a voice so tender and so low |
that only my near proximity enabled |
me to hear him, he began to talk to |
him, telling him he had heard all the
story OF his bravery in battle and
his heroic fight for life. Poor Hough- |
ton could only reply with faint smiles (.
and whispers. but Mr.. Lincoln heard. !
and a smile came to his grave face. !
Turning 10 the surgeon. the Presi- /
dent asked to see Houghton's wounds. /
Strengthening up. with 4 deep |
groan. and throwing up his long |
arms, he cried out, oh, this awful, aw-
full war;
Then bending down TO Houghton |
with tears cutting burrows down his |
dust stained checks. he exclaimed !
Poor boy. Poor boy, You must live,
You must"
The ma jor's whispered answer. L
intend to. sir was just audible tAnd |
yearsp. with a tender parting hand
stroke and God bless you. my bow
the President moved on TO the next cot |