Evening star., 1924-02-10

~ HE first tiI.-. 1 came III close
personal contact with President
Lincoln was in the late summer
l. of 1862. A, that lime l was in
y Troop. 11th New York Cavalry. on
duty in the city of Washington. Ours
az called the Bay Horse Troop. Troop
a, known as the Black Horse Troop, had
been assigned as the Presidents body
guard, and was quartered in the White
House grounds some little distance to
the rear of what then was known as
the Executive Mansion.
One warm morning 1 was sent for
by Gen. Halleck's adjutant. Col. Keltcn.
with whom l was acquainted. I report
ed to him at once. saluted. and stood
at attention. After moments silence.
Col. kelton said:
''TiSdaie. you probably have heard
that some important dispatches sent
from the White House on several
recent occasions have fallen into the
hands of Confederate spies. 1t is i'm
poItanr for the President to have at
hand a personal orderly who can be
trusted"
For the second time Col. kelton
paused. fixing me with clear. pene-
trating gaze as if he were following
every thought in my mind. Then he
added:
IT have recommended you for this
responsible duty"
He swung himself into the saddle.
did the same, and we trotted down
toward the White House. There we
dismounted and followed him through
the corridors and to the Presidents
Office. Col. Kelton walked in, while I
stood in the doorway. Across the
room, seated at his desk. was Abraham
Lincoln. A few words of greeting, and
then Col. Keiton presented me to the
President, who stretched forth his hand
without rising from his chair.
Although in the actual presence Of
my con;mander-in-chief, 1 frt no en-
barassment. There was something
Kindly and considerate In the way he
looked at me as he quietly said:
You have been recommended TO me
as my orderly. You seem to be a
bright young man. 1 hope YOU will
fill the bill
After moment ne added. You can
report with Troop a, back of the build
your horse. and will draw your rations
with Troop A g..
When l saw that Mr. Lincoln had 10
more to SAY. ! .:a!uted left the White
House, took my horse and went around
: to- the rear, where i'll the tar-reaching
grounds were the barracks and stables
of 4 Troop. This was commanded by
u Long Island man. Capt. Hand. and
as a matter Of courtesy and common
sense ! paid my respects to him. al
though he knew that 1 was not part of
his command, but was under the per-
sonal orders Of the President.
a S soon as 1 had found a place for
- my mount 1 went back to the
White House and waited for whatever
might turn up. 1t seemed very strange
that out of all the hundreds Of
thousands of men in the Union Army
] should Nave been selected for duty
which was filed with grave RESPONSE
bility.
\ single blunder in carrying dis
patches the loss of a single one
through accident or scheming Of the
enemys spies. might bring terrible
disaster-but the possible danger did
not dismay me. I wondered, though.
what would be thought of my new job
by the old folks who lived around
Ausable Forks. N. Y, in the foot
hills of the Adirondacks, where had
been born In 1843.
There 1 lived until ten years old, |
when we moved to Canton, St Lawrence
county, N. Y. Four years later I quit
school, and went to work, driving
teams principally, until Sumter was
fired on. I was seventeen then, and
Immediately enlisted in Scott's Nine
Hundred, as it was called. Before long
we went to Staten Island for organiza
ton, and then were sent to Washing
ton, where. as already mentioned, the
Black Horse Troop was detailed as Lin
coins bodyguard, and the other troops
were distributed among various units
on duty in and around the city.
There wasn't much opportunity to
follow this train of thought, however,
for soon I was given a dispatch to carry
to the War Department, and. shortly
after finishing this first errand, ! was
sent off with number Of envelopes ad-
dressed to the British minister, the
French, German and other legations,
these being invitations to attend a state
affair at the White House.
There was not much for me to do
IN the next few days. but time did not
hang heavily-of that you may be sure.
We were at the height of the civil war.
Armies were In desperate struggle for
mastery. Everything In the Union
cause centered in that building where
II was my fortune to be stationed, and
the whole overwhelming burden finally
rested on that great man whom it was
my privilege to see and to serve. Com
ing In and out Of the White House were
generals. senators, naval officers, bank
crs who were financing the war, busi-
ness men who were furnishing supplies,
and, Of course, a constant stream Of
seekers after office and other favors.
X * X *
nNE day was just leaving the
~ Presidents office when I saw a
woman out in the corridor who. was
begging the officer on duty to let her
see the President.
"Oh, / must see him" she cried,
while tears gushed down her cheeks.
"My boy-my boy"
l"Yes, I know" said the officer, not
without sympathy. but the President
"My boy-my boy"
~. that sh> suared and I Thought