Evening journal., 1915-03-29
New News Of Yesterday
How Lincoln Rewarded a
Private Soldier
By Holland.

II all the journals or diaries which
were kept by Union soldiers at the
time of the Civil War could be collect
ed and, after reasonable editing pub
lished. thore would he in that way
a large body of interesting informa-
ton made public. some of which
would throw sidelights upon the per-
sonal character Of various leaders
either civil or military, of that time
| was reminded of this when hcarlng
recently of an anecdote which hal
some circulation among members Of
the Grand Army of the Republic. #
seems that a private. John G. Albec
who served i'm one of the Massachu.
setts regiments at the time of the Ci-
vii War. deemed some Of his exper~
fences worthy of being permanently
recorded in commonplace book
which he kept Among other anoc-
dotes WHICH ho wrote was ono which
relates to President Lincoln.
The regiment of which Mr.. Albce
was n member was cncampcd near
Baltimore in the early fall of 1861.
The spot chosen for the encampmcnt
was a we'll waicred and yet thoroughly
dry field arounU which had been built
g stone wall reaching up 10 about tho
height of a mans shoulder. There
was only one entrance to the en-
campment and in front of this en-
trance the colonel Of the reeiment
placed guard. usually consisting OF
two soldiers. These guards were
commanded to admit no one unless
the countersign were given
One day President Lincoln, accom-
panied by an officer, drove in an open
carriage TO the encampment. evident
H. with the purpose OF visiting il. The
officer ordered the guards TO admit the
carriage. but they refused to do SO
/ unless the countersgn were given
/ The officer was angry and said TO the
guards: "rhe gentleman in the car
/ riage is President Lincoln and he Il
! commander in-chief of the army You
must admit him."
! The guards were greatly embarrass
ed and said they could not admit any
: one unless the countersign we're given
So they held the President outside o
! the encampment. The President
seemed to be amused, but the officer
was greatly annoyed. At last he asker
the guards if they would summon tn,
corporal of the guard. This was don'
and the corporal was told that th'
President was waiting outside for ad
mission. The officer Of the day wal
summoned end he ordered the pstan
admission CT the President.
Just after the Presidents carriag'
entered the camp sround. Prosiden
Lincoln asked the driver to stop
minute, When the carriage came {,
a halt the President called 10 thi
guard who had been most percmptoI-
IN his refusal TO admit him and saii
to him: I'D like to have you give M
your name. the name Of your regimen
and company"
This was done and the guard wa
fearful lest some punishment woul'
he inflicted upon him. After a few
days nothing being heard about tn
incident. the anxiety OF the guard
who was Private Albee-was cnded
In about a week. however. hc receive,
commission as second lieutenanl
which came direct from the presidcn
through the War Department TO him
Then he knew that II was i'm THU
way that President Lincoln had rec
ognized his faithfulness even undo
the most embarrassing circumstances
Copyright 1915 hy T. J. Edwards
All rights rcsorvcdl