Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-02-06

tho victorious army. when Lincoln
was assassinated. ut was the day
after the surrender Of Lees Army at
lAppomattox." he recollects. his eyes
kindling at the action his minds eye
visions. Our army was marching up
| the right bank Of the Neuse river. in
North Carolina. saw In the dis
| lance q man on horseback. riding
splendid horse-riding like midland
as he approached the head of our col
| umn it was plainly to be seen that he
must have been riding hard. for his
horses tanks were white with foam.
| his eyes flashed fire. AS he neared
| our front the rider shouted at the top
OF his voice. Lees whole army has
! surrendered"
Every marching soldier behind
gun voiced the gladness of his heart.
| OF march was about ten miles long.
and could almost hear the last shout
of joy away down to the end of the
| line. That officer was Lieut. Riggs.
on the staff of Gen. Schofield. the
| commander Of our army corps. We
were all tired of war, and that was
the gladdest day that army ever saw.
We had fought the good fight. we had
kept the faith. we knew that the war
was nearing it's end, that we could
again go to our homes and clasp
again the angels of our own firesides.
And what terrible change from
universal JOY to the deepest gloom
following this gala day. On the 5th
or April, 1865. after we had reached
the environs of Raleigh. ! saddled up
my horse to ride into the city. l had
to pass through the camps of about
$4,000 soldiers. Camps are always
noisy. There arc always some SOL
diers with cheerful voices. They were
all cheerful then because they were
seeing the end of the war. But that
the graves | met a staff officer and
inquired: Why this silence in the
camps" He replied: President Lin
coin mas been assassinated.' There
was universal mourning in the army"
Representative Sherwood says he is
, slao mat so many monuments have
been reared to Lincoln's memory. He
refers to those in the National Capt.
tai. He had just stood in silent tribute
before Winnie Reams marble statue
OF Lincoln, in the plain clothes of an
american citizen. under the Capitol
dome. He made another station to
Borglum's representation of the face
OF Lincoln, double heroic size. He
mentioned the full-Iength figure of
Lincoln in marble. the gift by volun-
1 n.r offerings of the people of the
District. which until recently stood
in front of the courthouse. He made
trip to Lincoln Park. to contemplate
"a true-to-life' as he saw the figure
of Lincoln in bronze in the act of
unshack1ing a slave.
I'VE have builded splendid temple
to Lincoln on the banks of the Po-
tomac," said Representative Sher-
wood. THAT is all right. but monu-
ments and temples and statues have
no emotions. no human sympathy. no
voice. Lincoln's old Kentucky home.
that crude log cabin where he spelled
out his first books by the firelight-
the log cabin where he was horn-has
and will speak with an uplifting voice
to the generations. awaking the
young men to service for country.
There is the silent monito- teaching
a vital lesson in patriotism. There
is symbol OF hope and cheer to every
boy struggling against poverty for
an honorable career.
'"The story of Lincoln's humble log
cabin home establishes a mecca where
all the children of the nation can
gather and take courage in the story
of man. born in a rude log cabin.
who learned to read books at night.
in the silent woods, by the light Of
pineknot fire. and who became the
guiding hHrd on one of the greatest
epochS of all history"