Uncle Eb was to meet me at the jersey City depot.
Before going I, with others who had been complimented for
bravery, went to see the president. There were some twenty of us
summoned to meet him that day. It was warm and the great
Lincoln sat in his shirt-sleeves at a desk in the middle of his big
office. He wore a pair of brown carpet slippers, the rolling collar
and black stock now made so familiar in print. His hair was
tumbled. He was writing hurriedly when we came in. He laid his
pen away and turned to us without speaking. There was a careworn
look upon his solemn face.
'Mr President,' said the general, who had come with us, 'here are
some of the brave men of our army, whom you wished to see.
He came and shook hands with each and thanked us in the name of
the republic, for the example of courage and patriotism we and
many others had given to the army. He had a lean, tall, ungraceful
figure and he spoke his mind without any frill or flourish. He said
only a few words of good plain talk and was done with us.
Pages:
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401