Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 14, 1924)
Unpublished Glimpses of President Lincoln Are Revealed by William H. Tisdale, Who Was Personal Orderly on Special Duty at White House in Washington for More Than Two Years •—■' - . V .v :i • j i _.... ThriHs and Sorrows Give j Picture of Great American —Birthday is Tuesday I _______________ BY WILLIAM H. TISDALE Personal Orderly to President Lin coln, on Special Duty at the White House, September, 1862, to October, 1864. The first time I came in close per sonal contact with President Lin coln wns in the late summer of 1862. At that time I was in D Troop, Elev enth New York Cavalry, on duty In the city of Washington. Ours was called the Bay Horse Troop. Troop A, known as the Black Horse troop, bad been assigned as the president’s body-guard, and was quartered In the White House grounds, some jllttle distance to the rear of what then was known as the Executive Mansion. One warm morning I was sent for by General Halleck's adjutant, Col onel Kelton, with whom I was ac quainted. I reported to him at once, saluted, and stood at attention. After & moment's silence, Col. Kelton said: “Tisdale, you probably have heard that some important dispatches sent from the White House on several re cent occasions have fallen into the hands of confederate spies. It is Im portant for the president to have at hand a personal orderly who can be trusted.’’ For the second time Col. Kelton paused, fixing me with a clear, pen etrating gaze as if he were following every thought In my mind. Then he added: “I have recommended you for this responsible duty." He swung himself Into the saddle, 1 did the same, and we trotted down toward the White House. There we dismounted and I followed him through the corridors and to the presi dent's office. Col. Kelton walked in. ■while I stood in the doorway. Across the room, seated at his desk, was Ab raham Lincoln. A few words of greet ing, and then Col. Kelton presented me to the president, who stretched forth his hand without rising from his chair. Lincoln's Greeting Kindly Although In the actual presence of j my commander-in-chief I felt no era- j barrassment. 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. I hope you will j fill the bill." After a moment he added, ' “You can report with Troop A, back i of the building, there. You will find j a place for your horse and will draw your rations with Troop A.’’ When I saw that Mr. Lincoln had no more to say, I saluted, loft the White House, took my horse and went around to the rear where in the far reaehing grounds were the barracks and stables of A Troop. This was commanded by a Long Island man, Captain Hand, and as a matter of courtesy and common sense I paid imy respects to him although he knew that I was not part of his command, but was under the personal orders of the president. As soon as I had found a place for j m.v mount I went back to the White ] louse and waited for whatever might turn up. It seemed very strange that , out of all the hundreds of thousands of men in the Union Army I should have been selected for duty which was filled with grave responsibility. A single blunder In carrying dispatches, the loss of a' single one through ac cident or scheming of the enemy’s spies, might bring terrible disaster but the possible danger did not dismay me. I wondered, though, what would be thought of m.v new Job by the old folks who lived around Ausable Forks, New York, In the foothills of the Ad Irondacks, whore I had been born In 1813. There I lived until ten years old, when we moved to Canton. St. Law rence County, N. Y. Four years later I quit school, and v ent to work drrv» * leg terms, principally, until Surs, i.er was ftred on. I was seventeen then and Immediately listed In Scott’s , Nine Hundred, as it whs called ite- ; fore long we went to Staten Island for organization, and then were sent to Washington, where, as already mentioned, the Black Horse troop j ■was detailed as Lincoln’s" bodyguard ; and the other troops were d sti ■> m among various units on duty in and around the city. Sent to Foreign Legations 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 er rand 1 was sent off with a number of : envelopes addressed to the British minister, the French, German, and j other legations, these being in vita- i tions to attend a state affair at the ; White House. There -yas not much for me to do t in the next few' days but time did not j hang heavily— of that you may be j sure. We were at the height of the I Civil war. Armies were desperate struggle for mastery. Everything in j the Union cause centered in that building where it was m.v fortune to ' be stationed, and the whole over whelming burden finally rested on ! that great man whom it was my \ It la said of the great Prctestunt ! Episcopal cathedral, now building in : Washington, that il is to be “the. j Westminster Abbey of the United I States.” It takes more than a fine building, however, to make a West minster Abbey. You couldn’t create ji Mount Vernon by building a nice ■country house on the edge of a river. You must first have your George Washington. To create a Westminster Abbey you want a thousand years of his tory, and a thousand years of great (non. It can't be made to order. privilege to sea and to serve. Com ing in and out of the White House were generals, and senators, naval officers, bankers who were financing the war, business men who were furn ishing supplies, and, of course, a con stant stream of seekers after office and other favors. One day I was just leaving the president's office when I saw a wom an out in the corridor who was beg ging the officer on duty to let her see the president. “Oh, I must see him!’’ she cried, while tears gushed down iter cheeks. “My boy-by boy.” “Yes, I know,” said ‘.he officer, net enwithout sympathy, “but the presi dent is too busy to see anybody.” At that she swayed and I thought she was going to faint; but she got a grip on herself in a moment. And before that moment had passed I went back to the presIJcnt md told him that Just outside nls door was a middle-aged woman, evidently in great trouble, who wanted to see him. “Let her come in," he said. Asleep On Picket Duty Her son was in an infantry regi ment. He had been caught asleep at night while on picket duty. For this he had been court martiaied, found guilty, and sentenced to be shot. “My boy has always been a good boy, Mr. President.” the woman man aged to say In her sobbing voice, “lie has always done his duty, but that time his regiment was short, very short, owing to sickness, and my b~oy had been on duty for three days and nights in succession. He was utterly exhausted-so exhausted he sim ply could not keep awake.” “Thank you for coming here to tell me.” wan Mr. Lincoln’s quiet rejoin der. “I will look into this.” Immediately he took up his pen, wrote a brief note, handed it to me and told me to take It at once across the chain bridge to the fort whero the lad was incarcerated and waiting to be shot the next day. I delivered the note to the commandant of the fort who read the message, sprang on his horse, and started for the White House, while I followed a few yards in the rear. Instead of being shot to death the unfortunate young soldier was taken, the next day, to see the president He told exactly the same story his mother had told. She was there in the White House at this time, also— -a woman of forty-five to fifty, well dressed, and apparently intell igent; of good, American stock, I thought. While her boy was telling his story, the president listened attentively Then he wrote another note to thq commandant of the fort, saying the accused soldier was to be ordered back on active duty. When the mother heard this she was nearly wild with joy; it was al most heart-rending to see her so sud denly lifted from despair to exaltation. Her son was a bright young man. There is not the slightest doubt that he told the. exact truth. Later he made a first class soldier. Friend of Lincoln Children During those first few days as the president's personal orderly there seemed to be little to do. Now and then a dispatch was given me to take across the way to the War Depart ment but a good deal of the time was spent in the White Houbo grounds, simply waiting to be called. It was at this time that I became acquain ted with Tad Lincoln and the other children, and with the little son of General Halleck, who would come over from his father’s residence in Georgetown to play. Mrs. Halleck sometimes came with him, she and Mrs. Lincoln appearing to be good friends. At the end of about a week l was given three dispatches. One was to be delivered at the War Department, the second to the Navy Department, and the third to the commandant of the Washington Navy Yard. In some way I received the Impression that these dispatches were of special im portance, especially the third one. Of course any message from the president was of great importance, and must be delivered at no matter what risk or danger. This was thoroughly under stood. Nevertheless those on duty at the White House, among them myself, had gained the impression that pre parations were being made for a very important naval movement oft Roa noke, and when handed the three dis patches mentioned, I felt sure they had to do with this forthcoming at tack by sea. Also I knew that Its suc cess depended upon the element of surprise. If any inkling of it got out in advance, the whole thing might be a failure. I carried two of the dispatches to the War Department and the Navy Department, delivering them as direct ed; then mounted my horse and start ed down Pennsylvania avenue, cover ing one long square after another until I turned off toward the Navy Yard. The better part of the city soon was lefi behind, and I was riding through an area occupied for the most part by saloons and rickety buildings, with side streets in which were worse places. Halted by Spy’s Offer As l passed one of these side streets STONEWALL JACKSON NEXT FIGURE ON STONE MOUNTAIN „ Atlanta—The head of Stonewall Jackson will be the next figure com pleted In the gigantic panorama of the "Lost Cause” on Stone Mountain here. Gutzon Borgluum. sculptor, who is directing the carving of the massive memorial In the huge granite rock, has started work on the second figure and hopes to have It completed by early summer. • TISDALE, VETERAN OF MANY CAMPAIGNS, SPENT TWO YEARS AT SIDE OF LINCOLN Few now living knew Abra ham Lincoln personally; fewer still saw him day and night In the trying years of the Civil war. One of the smaller num ber is William K Tisdale, author of the accompanying article. “Lincoln as I Knew Him.” At last Mr. Tisdale—he has the courtesy title of major— haH written his recollections of the president, embodying de tails never before told. Mr. Tisdale, who is now more than 80 years old, Is an attendant of the New York Supreme Court, in which ca pacity he has served for many years. On his last birthday. May 26, supreme court jus tices then sitting in New York assembled in their robes of of fice and with brief addresses and congratulations fittingly celebrated the event. After serving In the Union army four years and a month, Mr. Tisdale was mustered out on September 30, 1865, and re turned to his home, Canton, N. Y. The next year he enlist ed in the regular army and during five years of service took part, under General Cus ter, in twenty one general en gagements with Indians and in many minor engagements. He is proudest, however, of the two years during.which he held the full confidence of Lincoln while he served as the president's dispatch bear er. I saw in it a number of men from my own company, the Kay Horse Troop, going into and around the houses. They happened to be doing provost guard that day. and wero searching for soldiers who were de serters or who were absent without leave. It wasn’t particularly at tractive work and I congratulated myself on the new job as personal or derly to the president as I trotted along. A few minutes later my attention was attracted by a young man stand ing on the sidewalk who watched me as 1 came tbward him. He was good looking, well set-up, well dressed. When I was nearly abreast of him he beckoned to me. Swerving my horse over toward the corner where he stood, I reined down to a walk, and heard him say in guarded tones: "Do you want to make some mon ey?” “Certainly, I always want money.” “Well,” the stranger went on speak ing more rapidly “I happen to know you are carrying dispatches to the Navy Yard.” "At tills my heart gave a little jump). “I am interested in them,” he continued. “If you will come Into the back room of this saloon, and let me steam open the envelope and read the dispatches I’ll give you a hundred dollars. There won’t be the slightest danger, for 1 can seal up the envelope again so no body can tell It was ever opened. What do you say?” The thing I had been warned about had happened and wltliln little more than a week after President Lincoln had taken me by the hand, saying, with his grave smile, that he thought I could be trusted. For a few seconds I didn’t know what to do. Remem ber that I then was barely nineteen: scarcely more than a boy, who had lived his few years in a tiny com munity under shadow of the Adiron dacks and knew nothing whatever of the world. Plan after plan maned through my mind. But of one thing I was sure from the Instant this stranger commenced speaking. He must not get within reach of those dispatches, and somehow I must get the drop on him and take him prison er. So while sparring for time I said: Ho Reaches For The Dispatches “One hundred dollars isn’t enough. It's worth two hundred." “All right," he answered promptly, pulling out a wallet and taking out four flfty-dollar bills. "Give me the money first," I said, and he did so. I put it away in a pocket, and then made believe to reach for the dispatches which were tightly fixed In my belt. Hut In stead of drawing them out I whipped out my pistol, aimed it at his head, and said: "Hands up!" And up they went, for l meant business, and he knew I runout it. "About face!" 1 commanded. Then, keeping him covered, I marched him hack toward the side street where I had seen the men of the Hay Horse troop. They were Just coming out of it as we arrived there, in charge of Captain Gilbert A. Nlchdhtte, who was in command of the provost guard that day. I turned my prisoner over to him, stating that he was a spy, and Cap tain Nicholette-— an Kugiishman, by the way-- ordered him locked up in the central guard house. Then I wheeled my horse, end kept on to the Navy Yard, where the dis patches were safely delivered. After doing so I rode to the central guard house, where I told tIre com manding officer what had happened, and gave him the two hundred dollars. He carefully noted down the circum stances, whereupon 1 saluted, and rode back to the White House. 1 never mentioned the adventure to Blr. Lincoln, inasmuch as it had ter minated satisfactorily, and I took it as one of the things which were likely to happen now and then, in fact, it quickly passed out of my mind, for almost immediately a great deal of work was given me, and then a few days later the president issued an order that I should have free Recess to him In his private office whenever I thought this necessary. Before leaving this incident It should be said that nearly two years afterward t was riding out of the White House grounds when I saw standing by the gates a man who seemed familiar. As 1 drew nearer I recongnixed him, not as a ghost, but as the well-dressed fellow who had tried to brthe me when on my way to the Navy yard with dispatches. A Sequel After Two Yeara “Hullo!" he said evidently enjoy ing my astonishment. “Didn’t expect to see me again, did you?” "Not alive," I rejoined. "I supposed that you had been shot, or hanged, long ago.” "Well," lie said with a laugh, "If you're interested. I'll tell you why I wasn't executed as a spy. My name is Baker. I'm a son of Colonel Baker, of the Secret Service. I was sent out that morning a couple of years ago to track the president's new orderly and see whether lie could he trusted, or whether he was dishonest enough to accept a bribe and let me open the dispatches,” Then, of course, I saw the whole thing in a flash and lememberod that shortly afterward the president began to trust nte with matters outside the regular duty of dispatch bearer. For xample .almost every week, in good weather, I was directed to accom pany Mrs. Lincoln and some of the hiUlren when they went to ride in the saddle. Frequently Mrs. llalleck went along, and her boy Harry. Mrs. Lin coln rode well and Mrs. Ha Heck was a supberh horsewoman. We could go up around Hock Creek or down by he Navy Yard, over to Alexandria or in some other direction. One day General llalleck told the president that Moshoy's men had made several aids and had captured several of ficers of the Union army in a part of the country where Mrs. Lincoln liked to ride, und that it was not safe for her or Mrs. Halleck or their children t> go there. So after that re rode n defferent areas. Not very long after l had taken up the special duty at the White House a great engagement occurred—the battle of Antletam. The national army had been consolidated at Wash ington with Pope’s command, and the whole, under McClellan, moved out to meet and grapple with Lee and his confederate hosts, numbering 65,000. For a day or two little was heard of any fighting but late in the after noon of September 16 McClellan threw forward Hooker's corps and the bat tle was on. The army of the Potomac had been defeated in seven days of ■* .v .r A HITHERTO UNPUBLISHED HISTORIC DOCUMENT IN THE HAND WRITING OF LINCOLN. * The Reason | Triplet acrostics. Key, letter sixteen of each line. He. , ’ • 1 l proposed at the plnce we last met— She froze my poor heart to the core! Why now shall she call me sweet pet?— 1 proposed at that pla.ce we last met: I can claim she's a j;*zzy coquet, And I’m right to be jealous and sore! I proposed at the last place we met— Oh, she froze my poor heart to tha core! Narrow Mind*. Nathaniel Hawthorne. It Is difficult for the good Christian to acknowledge the good l’agan; almost impossible for the good orthodox to graafl the hand of the good Unitarian, leaving to their Creator to settle the matters In dispute; and giving their mut ual efforts strongly and trustingly to whatever right thing is too evi dent to be mistaken. Then again, though the heart be large, yet the mind Is often of such moderate dimensions as to be exclusively filled up with one Idea. Teflls True Story of Pardon Of Sentry Who Fell Asleep at Post fighting on the line of the Chicka hominy, the confederates had pre pared for an invasion of Maryland, worsted Pope's army at Cedar Moun tain, in the second buttle of Bull Run. and at Chantilly, crossed the Potomac near Leesburg, and concentrated their forces at Frederick. It, was a most anx ious time. Cpon the new buttle, Just beginning at Antietam, might depend the future of tho nation—possibly che future of two. North and South. Throughout the late afternoon and early night dispatches had been pour ing into the War department, whence they were instantly taken to the pres ident where he sat at his desk, fully aware of the extreme gravity of the situation, yet calm unhurried, pains taking in his examination of one after another as they were brought in. It was a busy evening for nil of us stationed at the White House, and I was not sorry when l was dismissed with Instructions to get some rest as soon as possible, because 1 might be needed inter on. This order, like all others, was instantly obeyed. I went out to the barracks of the Black Horse Troop, dropped into my bed. and immediately fell sound asleep. The next thing I knew was being awakened by a colored messenger from the White House, who shook me by the shoulder, saying respect fully: "Please open yuh eyes, suh! Pleaso wake up! The president says foh yuh to saddle his hawse and youah own, and repoht at once by the big front dooh." Before tho darkey ceased speaking I sprang out of bed, clapped on my cap and was on the way to the stables. At the main entrance of the White House I saw Mr. Lincoln come down the broad steps. Lincoln Wor« Slouch Hat It was a warm September night and he had on the army slouch hat he often wore, although he has so fre quently been pictured In a tall hat of the old-fashioned stove pipe kind that nowadays a good many people think he invariably wore such head gear. Strangely enough, aleo, people seem to think he was awkward, un gainly, even clumsy. But he was not. And tonight he swung up Into the saddle with the ease and unconscious grace of a cavalryman. The moment he was seated I sprang upon my own mount and followed him down the curving driveway out of the White House grounds and then to the left in Pennsylvania avenue. It was In mid-September, very warm weather and shortly before mid night. The streets were poorly light ed: only^jn occasional passer-by could be seen. Excepting for the clash of steel-shod hoofs on the cobblestones not a sound could be heard. For a few moments I rode on be hind Mr. Lincoln, as was proper; gaz ing at his tall form sitting so easily, so erect, and wondering whether any human being—even such a marvel of strenth as he—Could continue Inde finitely to carry the terrible weight thut was laid upon his shoulders. Here he was perfectly calm after spending hours studying that stream of dis patches telling of the Battle of An tietam. Yet so critical was the situa tion that he felt It necessary, Jate as It was. to hasten for consultation with Halleck, general In command ot all the armies of the United States. Halleck was living In High Street, Georgetown, and used his rei^dcnce as military headquarters. Ordinarily trie president would have sent for him to come to the White House; but this would have meant dispatching a sum mons by messenger and time would be lost. It was quicker to mount a horse and ride direct to Halleck. The emergency must be very grave In deed, l thought, to cause this unuaual procedure; and I was wondering what It really meant for the country when Mr. Lincoln partly turned In his sad dle and told me to come up and riae beside him. We rode on in the soft night air. past darkened houses, past occasional street lights burning feebly, with the stars far, far overhead. To my surprise President Lincoln commenced to talk soon after I had come abreast of him. "How old ore you?” he inquired. “Nineteen lust March, sir." “Is your mother living?" he con tinued. “Yes, sir." “Do you send money to her reg ularly?" “Yes. sir.” He went on in this strain for several minutes, telling me what It moans for a mother to have a good son, and the tragedy a mother lives who has a son that Is not trustworthy and loving. Sixty years and more have passed since that midnight ride with Presi dent Lincoln. Yet when I recall it today I am astonished as I was then to find thal this great man, even under all his strain and anxiety, could turn bin thoughts to a nineteen-year old cavalryman and talk to the lad like a kind, wise father. His words really were few. but the thought back of them, the spirit underlying them, made an impression that time has not dimmed. When lie had finished his kindly inquiries and comment Ur. Lincoln again lapsed into silence, and so we Something Like That. From Answers, London. Father sat by the Are reading a news paper. By his stile sat his siimiM son, reading, loo. Presently the lad looked up. "Father." he said. "Well, what Is It, my boy?" "What does 'apprenticing mean?" ‘‘It means the binding of one person to another by agreement, and that the person so bound has to teach the other all he can of his trade or profession, while the other has to watch and learn how things are done and to make him self useful. In any way that he can." "Then,’' said Johnny wisely. "I sup pose you're apprenticed to mother, aren’t you, fcther?" GREAT MEN SHARE FEB. 22 j _ ' Washington’s Birthday Also Anniversary Other Lead ers in History Making New York Sun Besides being the birthday of : George Washington February 22 is also the natal day of several other I prominent Americans. Best known ' among them is dames Russell Lowell, , poet, critic, professor and diplomat. The fact that Lowell, whose staunch j Americanism found expression in ‘‘The Blg’.ow Papers” and othei writ ings, was born on the same day as the Father of Ills Country, has been frequently commented upon. Lowell was born in Cambridge. Mass., in 1819. He died In 1891. Rembrandt Penle, artist, who painted Washing ton’s portrait, was born February 22. 1778. Washington's birthday anniversary in 1838 was the birthday of two American women who achieved fame as writers. One of them was Mar garet E. Hangs ter and the other was Rebecca fcf- Clarke, /.vho used the pen name "Sophie May." Nathaniel L. Shaler, the noted geologist and paleontologist, was born on Wash ington’s Birthday In 1841, Frank L. Stanton of Atlanta, poet, was born ! February 22, 1857. A memorable Washington’s Birth day was that of 1847, the first day of the battle of Buena Vista, In the war with Mexico. Gen. Zachary Taylor commanded the American troops. At one time, when the Mexican fire was especially heavy, a Mexican officer entered the American lines with a message from Gen. Santa Ana. Ha found Taylor sitting on his famous horse Whltey and having one leg over the pommel of his saddle. When ; the Mexican asked the American General what he was waiting for, "Old Rough and Ready" replied: "For Santa Ana to surrender.” The Mexican returned to his own army and soon after a batte.ry com menced firing upon Taylor's position. The Generni remained, looking at the battlefield through his spyglass. When one of his men suggested that his white horse made too conspic uous a mark for the Mexican's fire, i Taylor replied that “the old fellow had missed the fun at Monterey and ho should have his share this time.'* One of Taylor’s aids, a Mr. Critten den, sent to Santa' Ana’s headquart ers with a message, was told that. If Taylor would surrender lie would he protected. (The Mexican army out numbered Taylor’s twenty thousand to six thousand ) Crittenden replied: "Gen. Taylor never surrenders!’* During the Presidential campaign of 1848, when Taylor ran successfully against Cass and Van Buren, this be came a favorite battle cry of the Whigs. It was in the battle of Buena Vista, according to history or tradition, that the famous saying, “A little more grope, Capt. Bragg!" had its origin. The story runs that Taylor shouted the order to Capt. Bragg when the Mexicans attacked the American line and the American artillery, command ; od by Bragg (afterward a famous ; General of the Confederacy), repulsed j them. -- - • . At a Washington’s Birthday Party Velvet coats they wore, and satin. Powdered hair and epaulette, J Silver buckles, lace und ruffles. When they danced the minuet. Keeping time to stately measure. Pausing as the partners met. Gallant how and graceful courtesy. Thus they danced the minuet, i Gone Is all this stately dancing, Out of fashion, I regret: Only at a dress-up party Do we dance the minuet. Helen Hoopes, In Kansas City Star. I ' * ’ ~ | The flrrt paper mil! In America was 1 opened near Philadelphia In 1690. The paper-making was done hy hand, snd until 17:Vt, when the pulp engine was In troduced Into America from Holland the rags continued to be beaten Into pulp by hand. rode on. striking into High Street 1 to Halleck'a house. I dismounted and i held the president’s horse, but a mo ment later one of Halleck’a body guards called ary orderly to hold both , the horses and Invited me into the j front h;*M of the house, where I | remained while Mr. Idnculn and Hnl ! leek were shut up together in the ! parlor close by. It was nearly an hour later" When ! the President came out and walked out of the house, mounted Ills horse, i and rode back to the Executive Man sion while I followed, alert and at | tentive. , This experience was repeated a good deal later when dispatches poured in telling of the Rattle of the Wilderness; then agiin i rode with , the president late at night to Hal leck's headquarters. Eevery morning I went on duty at I the White House, arriving outside the president's office at about eight o’clock, and never missed seeing him a single day while scivlng as his or derly, from September, 1862, until October, 1864, when my regiment vnut j ordered out of the department. DAILY TREASURY. Strange, how yesterday grows dear And hallowed with Its simple round, j How tnem'ry finds as sweet as song The echo of Its homely sound. * • v v • \ Strange, that phrases spoken then That found no answer in the heart. Awake In yearning retrospect • To play a tender, cherished part. U I W l.i 4 3 ■ *J-u * §> Hollyhocks against the wall. With fluted flounces little prised. Spring up in recollection's hour With beauty ones unrealised.