OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Know your Ohio: Tidbits of Ohio -- Part 44C ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgenwebarchives.org ************************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Darlene E. Kelley http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374 May 8, 2005 ************************************************************************** Historical Collections of Ohio And Then They Went West Know Your Ohio by Darlene E. Kelley Tid Bits - Part 44 C. As written by Corporal Robert W. McBride, company clerk of the Union Light Guard of Ohio. reproduced by S.Kelly. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Part 44 C. Lincoln's Body Guard Personal Recollections ( Continued ) by Robt W. McBride Co., Clerk. " One beautiful spring morning in 1864, as the President returned from his morning visit to the War Department, he found a group of school children playing on the north portico of the White House. The news from the front had evidently been satisfactory and the President was bright and cheerful. He stopped, called the children around him and for several minutes talked pleasantly with them, looked at their books, questioned them about their studies and said pleasant, quaint and humerous things. His manner was not that of condescension, but rather of comradeship. The children crowded round him as if he had been their elder brother. When Mr. Lincoln delivered his second inaugural address, I had the privilege of standing within twenty feet of him. His voice was singularly clear and penetrating, It had a sort of metallic ring. His enunciation was perfect. There was an immense crowd of people surrounding the east front of the Capitol, but it seemed as if his voice would reach the entire audience. It had rained a great deal during the forenoon, and clouds overcast the sky as the presidential party and the Senate came out on the east portico. While the ceremonies were in progress the clouds suddenly parted, and, although it was about midday, Venus was seen clearly shinning in the blue sky. The attention of the immense throng was directed to it. The superstitious ones, and some who were not so superstitious, as they listened to that wonderful address, were impressed with the thought that the appearance of the star might be an omen of the hoped for peace, of which Mr. Lincoln spoke with such wistful pathos. General Lee surrendered to General Grant on the 9th day of April, 1865. The word reached the War Department and was given out on Monday, the 10th day of April. At the time I was on detached duty in the Adjutant-general's office, our rooms being in the Thompson building, on the west side of Seventeenth street, opposite the Corcoran Art Gallery. The day was warm and the windows were open. We heard a shout, following immediately by cheering. We looked from the open window toward the War Department and saw evidence of great excitement. A voice rang out: " Lee has surrendered." I know of no language sufficient to describe the scene that followed. In every direction the shout could be heard, " Lee has surrendered." Men yelled, screamed, shouted, cheered, laughed and wept. No one thought of doing business. A crowd gathered in front of the War Department. A band appeared from somewhere and commenced playing patriotic airs. In response to calls, Secretary Staton, Adjutant General Townsend, Vice President Andrew Johnson, Preston King, Montgomery Blair and others made speeches. That of Andrew Johnson was bitter and vindictive. One expression I can never forget. It was: "And what shall be done with the leaders of the rebel host? I know what I would do if I were President. I would arrest them as traitors; I would try them as traitors, and, by the Eternal, I would hang them as traitors." His manner and his language impressed me the more because of its contrast with the temperate manner and language of President Lincoln. Someone in the crowd shouted: " To the White House!" The crowd surged in that direction and began calling for the President. He appeared at an upper window, just west of the porteco. His appearance was the signal for cheering that continued for many minutes, with shouts of " Speech! Speech! " He raised his hand and the crowd stilled. He said: " My friends, you want a speech, but I can not make one at this time Undue importance might be given to what I have to say. I must take time to think. If you will come here tomorrow evening, I will have something to say to you. There is one piece of music I have always liked. Henceforth it has not seemed the proper thing to use it in the North; but now, by virtue of my prerogative as President ans comander-in-chief of the army and navy, I declare it contraband of war and our lawful prize. I ask the band to play ' Dixie.' Again the crowd went wild, and for probably the first time after the fall of Fort Sumter the tune of " Dixie " was greeted with the cheers fron Union throats. It was evident he was acting on the impulse of the moment when he called upon the band to play the Southern air. The act was significant and characteristic. It illustrated forcibly one of the differences between the character of Mr. Lincoln and that of Andrew Johnson, Mr. Johnson's first thought was of vengeance. Mr. Lincoln's first thought was evidently one of peace and reconciliation, and how best to heal the wounds of war. Thenceforth the North and South were one, and his impulsive acceptance of music of the South was a tender of the olive branch. The next evening the President, according to his promise, made that which proved to be his last public speech. This speech, was doubtless familiar to all, shows that even in that moment of victory, Mr. Lincoln had in mind the smarting wounds of both victor and vanquished, and was already grappling the problem of reconciliation. On Friday night of that week he was shot. Other memories come to me out of those far away years---- memories of Lincoln and of those about him; memories that would long ago have been lost in the ocean of forgetfulness, but for there association of him. Of most of these incidents I speak from personal knowledge and personal recollection. The others I know as soldiers generally come to know the daily happenings within the observation of their comrades as they talk over in their quarters or around their camp fires. Knowledge of facts thus acquired rises above mere hearsay, and in a real sense becomes a part of the common knowledge of all. History tells us of Early's raid of summer of 1864, and of his attack on the defenses of Washington, but the picture as drawn by history lacks in detail. History tells us of the days of anxiety because of the inadequate manning of the cities defenses, the troops having been sent to reinforce Grant in front of Petersburg. But history does not tell how Mr. Lincoln personally visited the fortifications. informed himself as to their defensive condition as to the troops available for resisting an aattck by the gray-clad raiders. Nor does history tell, as the Union Light Guard and others present at the time can tell, of that July day when Early made his attck on Fort Stevens, and of how Mr. Lincoln, improving his first and only opportunity to see a real battle, watched the fghting, standing on the parapet of the Fort, exposed by fire not only of the Confederate skirmishers but of the Confederate sharpshooters who had taken possession of the Blair mansion and fired from its windows until the shells from the fort passing through and exploding in the house sent them scurrying for better shelter. Mr. Lincoln, apparently unmindful of or indifferent to his danger from the enemy's bullets that were sending up little spurts and puffs of dust as they thudded into the embankment on which he stood, paid no heed to the remonstrances of those around, and calmly suggested that he was only taking the chance that thousands of others were taking daily at his command. After an officer standing near him was stricken down, the general officer in immediate command, thoroughly alarmed for Mr. Lincoln's safety, with something of sternness admonished him that his life was too valuable to the country at large to justify such exposre, and notwithstanding Mr. Lincoln was, as President, his commander-in-chief, because of his personal responsibility, he " ordered " him to retire to a position of less danger, which Mr. Lincoln did with obvious reluctance. Memory also recalls some other things in that connection that serve to suggest that the muckrakers of today were welped from their curs that snarled at Lincoln's heels, and that our yellow newspapers can claim no pre-eminence in mendacity over rebel sympathizing papers of 1864. At the very hour when Mr. Lincoln was coolly listening to the hum of Confederate bullets at Fort Stevens, certain of these newspapers were publishing vivid stores telling of his cowardice and of the measures he had taken for his own safety. According to those mendacious disseminators of misinformation, he had shown himself a craven coward, had taken his family and his valuables on board an ironclad which was anchored in the Potomac, with steam up, and had made all preparations for flight in case Early succeeded in capturing the city. While, as I have heretofore said, Mr. Lincoln occasionally spoke to and talked with members of the company, I can speak of one instance where he made use of a story to illustrate his point. This was at the Soldier's Home, when one of the boys, speaking for the company and encouraged Mr. Lincoln's evident interest in their welfare, expressed the belief that the company was of no use there and was needed at the front. Mr. Lincoln perfaced a kindly admonition as to a soldier's duty to obey orders without question, by saying: " You boys remind me of a farmer friend of mine in Illinois, who said he could ever understand why the Lord put the curl in a pig's tail. It never seemed to him to be either useful or ornimental, but he reckoned that the Almighty knew what he was doing when he put it there." During the time when the Union Light Guard was on duty at the White House, Mr. Lincoln's family consisted of himself, Mrs. Lincoln, and his two sons Robert and Thomas -- familiarly known as " Tad." Robert was away most of the time in college, as we were told. Tad, however, was very much in evidence. He was a very bright boy, about eleven or twelve years of age, with a keen sense of humor and brimming with mischief. Because of some defect in his vocal organs, he could not articulate distinctly. That he could on occasion make himself understood, however, was demonstrated at one of our Sunday morning inspections. Tad was present, dressed in the uniform of an officer, and accompanied Captain Bennett during inspection with gravity of a veteran. Inspection over, Captain Bennett took position in front of the company to deliver his usual scolding. Tad stood by his side. The Captain proceeded to criticise sharply the condition of the quarters. He discribed the manner in which they should be kept , they look like " ------- At this point Tad's shrill voice rang out, cmpleting the sentence in a manner more pungent than elegant and quite unprintable. The effect was ludicious. The sterness of the Captain's face relaxed in a broad smile, as he turned on his heel, while the company, regardless of discipline, burst into unrebuked laughter. Sitting quietly on horseback for two hours on a cold night is, to say the least, disagreeable. To afford a little relief for the mounted sentinels at the gates, I , the corporal of the guard was given a whistle which I blew at intervals of half an hour, at which signal the sentinels would change places, one from each gate starting at the signal, meeting and passing in front of the house. As soon as they had taken their new positions the other two would change in like manner. Tad soon noticed this and one evening came to me and asked to see my whistle. I handed it to him, and he turned and ran with it into the house. In a few minutes he appeared at a second story window, opened it and blew the whistle. The men at the gates, supposing the signal was given by me, changed places the usual way. The change was no sooner effected than Tad again blew the whistle, and the men again changed places. He kept this up for at least half an hour, to the bewilderment of the sentinels, who, however,enjoyed the change of program and the additional exercise. Presently Tad emerged from the front door carrying the whistle in one hand and a bowl of something in the other hand, which with a mischievous grin he handed me, evidently a peace offering. The bowl was filled with Roman punch. A State dinner was being given to the representatives of foreign countries, and Tad had levied on the refreshments for my benifit. This was the beginning of my personal acquaintance with Tad Lincoln, as well as with Roman punch. In th summer of 1864, a delegation of the chiefs of the Plains Indians, Sioux, Cheyennes, and Arapahoes, visited Washington. My recollection is that Red Cloud, Spotted Tail, and Crazy Horse were among the number. They were presented to the President one afternoon on the south portico of the White House. Besides the President there were present several members of the Cabinet, a few prominent army officers, and other more or less distinguished personages. Mrs. Lincoln and several other ladies were also present. The chiefs wore their war bonnets and were in full Indian regalia. They looked dignified and picturesque. The papers had published anouncements of the ceremony, and a large crowd of people had gathered in front of the portico to witness it, and to have a good look at live, fighting Indians. Several of the chiefs made short speeches, which were repeated by the interpreter, and Mr. Lincoln responded. I can recall nothing of the speeches except that Mr. Lincoln's was terse and pointed. This was the first time I had heard him make a speech, and I noted the peculiar quality of his voice, especially its clearness and its carrying power. When the ceremony was over the dignity suddenly fell away from the Indians, when several of them came down the steps of the portico and became beggers. Holding out their war bonnets bedecked with eagle feathers, they, through their interpreter, asked for money. I do not remember what was assigned as the reason for this, but I saw many persons throw money into the bonnets. In the autumn of 1864 -- the year of Mr. Lincoln's second election -- the escort was cautioned repeatedly to be extremely vigilent, not only on the trips to and from the Old Soldier's Home, but to be prepared for any disturbance during the night in the vicinity of the Home. The whole company was kept under arms with horses saddled. One beautiful Indian summer night, about 12 o'clock, during the period of intense anxiety, as I was returning across the grounds from a visit to one of our pickets, who had fired at something, I saw a man walking alone and leisurely across the path I was taking, and as I came near him I saw it was Mr. Lincoln. At an earlier hour I would have kept from speaking, but, prompted by anxiety, I said, " Mr. President, isn't it rather risky to be out here at this hour?" He answered, ' Oh, I guess not -- I couldn't rest and thought I'd take a walk.' He was quite a distance outside the line of infantry guards about the house where the family was staying. He turned back after I spoke to him, and I passed on to where the escort was camped. The place where Lieutenant Ashmun met him was forty or fifty rods from the cottage he occupied. I have frequently been asked, where was Mr. Lincoln's escort on the night of the assassination? Why were they not with him and why did not they protect him? The answer is--- because of respect for Mr. Lincoln's wishes. Left to himself, he would have had no guard and no military escort at any time. Spending the greater part of his life in Indiana and Illinois, among people whose Americanism is so intense that submission to the will of the majority is a corollary to their love of country, his faith in his countrymen was such that notwithstanding the South had gone to war because of his election, he could not believe that they would ever resort to political murder. He especially resented any suggestion that there was any such danger while he was mingling with people on social occasions, or while he was visiting the theaters. Mrs. Lincoln did not share in this feeling. Her anxiety was such that in fall of 1864, just after the family had returned for their winter residence at the White House, she privately requested that a detail from the Union Light Guard should each night, without Mr. Lincoln's knowledge, be stationed in the White House. At her request such a detail was made, and for several nights, until her fears were allayed, members of the Union Guard remained in the house all night the reliefs resting on the couches and on the floor. At the time of the funeral the Union Light Guard, together with the company of infantry, attended without arms, as mourners, occupying and almost filling the Blue Room. The two companies marched behind the coffin to the Capitol, and encircled the coffin in the center of the great rotunda, while the final family funeral service was conducted by Rev. Dr. Gurley. The only persons wthin the circle thus formed were the officiating clergy, Robert T. Lincoln, the members of the Cabinet, and a few general officers. It is doubtful if the rotunda will ever again present so impressve a spectacle, or one so deeply touching to the hearts of the Ameican people. Although almost half a century has passed, the memory of that time lingers, and I feel certain that no more sincere mourners gathered around the bier or lamented the death of Abraham Lincoln, that the men who had so long stood guard over him, and who, as I believe, to a man would willingly given their own lives to have saved his. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Tid Bits continued in Part 45.