New-York tribune., 1918-06-30

Bring Message Thai
Stifened Morale N
North for Final Con
fict |
gesting that my statement to M |
paper be so full as to disclose 10 th |
public the general situation.
Nothing now was the matter x;a
me. l was neither tired. hungry
nor sleepy. Standing by the opera
tor at Union Mills I dictated In
half-column dispatch which appeared
in The Tribune on the morning d
Saturday, May z, 1864. Mr.. lin
coin, with his characteristic though
fulness for the public interests, a,
ranged for the transfer to the Al
sociated Press Of a short summar
OF the news, and thus the anxieh
of the whole country was set d
ease.
A locomotive was sent down fc|
me and about 2 o'clock in the mors
ing | reached the White Houss
where the President had gathersl
his official family to meet me. Ash
stepped into the room where the,I /
were seated my glance caught IL
quick CLEAN of surprise and o.
prehension in Mr.. Lincoln's eye, and
was awakened to sense of m
disreputable appearance. My hair
was dishevelled, my shabby old coat
was dusty and wrinkled, my panta-
looms, much too long, were folded
back at the bottom and gathered
about my ankles with pieces of cot |
ton twine, and my coarse shoes wer
coated three or four layers thict
with the sacred soil" of Virginia.
had met, perhaps, every one Of thi
company at public functions or d
private interviews, but not one d
them recognized me in this garb. Al
my glance swept around the grouy
IL rested on the genial countenann
Of particular friend, Mr.. Welle
of Hartford, Conn.,, the Honorabk
Secretary of the Navy. AS / at
vanced and accosted him he ideE
titled me by my voice. He then pre-.
sented me, with much embarrassing
formality, to the others.
A Personal Word
For the President
A half hour or more was spent IN
description of the movements OF the
troops, and in explanation, from
large map on the wall, Of the stu
alton at the time when left. Ther,
as the company was dispsrsink
turned to Mr.. Lincoln and SAID:
"Mr. President, / have persona'
word for you"
The others withdraw and m
closed the door and advanced towsn
me. AS he stood there ! reslllee
as never before how tall he was
looked up into his impassive facs
ready to deliver Grants message
He took a short, quick step towan
me, and, STOPPING to bring his guf
level with mine, whispered, in tons
cf intense, impatient interest, WEN
is it,"
was so moved that / could ham
ly stammer:: General Grant told =
to tell you, from him, that, whsk
ever happens, there is to be no tsr
ing back"
The vision that opened throa
those wonderful eyes from 3 sls
soul glowing with a newly kIna'
hope is the likeness Of Mr.. Lineog
that ! still hold in my memory, @e
ever shall. And that hope was nss
er to be extinguished. Others -
turned back" Every other chs
had. But there had come an g
Of that fatal folly.
Mr.. Lincoln put his great, strels
arms about me and, carried away
the exuberance Of his gladness, =
printed a kiss upon my fcrens
We sat down again; and then !
closed to him, as could not 90
cept in the light of that pledss
the great commander, all the g
heartening details of that dreae'
day in the Wilderness. But g.
assure him that the Army g !
Potomac, in all its history. vas
er in such hopeful spirit -
they discovered, at the close
day of disappointment, tAat
were not to ssturn bach"