  President Lincoln and the Civil War The Beginning—Personal Recollections—The War Spirit—Progress of the War—The Emancipation Proclamation—A Fight to Finish—Lincoln's Kindness—He Relieves a Young Soldier—He Names Triplets Who Are Still Living—His ReËlection—The Fall of Richmond—Appomatox—Close of the Rebellion. On the 12th of April, 1861, after Mr. Lincoln was inaugurated, the first outbreak of the Civil War was the bombardment of Fort Sumter on the part of the South. President Lincoln at once called for volunteers to suppress the rebellion. Although but a small boy at the time, I remember when the war began. It was the greatest civil war in human history, and will always be associated with Abraham Lincoln. I remember the excitement it produced where I resided in southern Indiana and throughout the whole country. I recall the floating flag, the mournful sound of the drum, and the plaintive music of the fife when volunteers were enlisting for the defense of the nation. The neighbors talked war, the newspapers were filled with war news. The war spirit entered into the plays of the children. Elder fifes, old tin wash-boilers for drums, wooden guns and bayonets, and rudely-constructed flags were much in evidence in the mimic drilling and marching. How patriotically the little boys sang, as did some of their sires in the sunny South: "The Union forever, hurrah! boys, hurrah! Down with the traitor, up with the stars, While we rally round the flag, boys, rally once again, Shouting the battle-cry of freedom!" How the schoolboys played war in the autumn! The forts were made of old fence rails and logs, and how they were bombarded with cannon-balls of green walnuts, and how the "rebels" were routed and some captured! In the winter-time how the snow-balls would fly as the two armies stood in battle array! What a sad day it was when the news came that our "circuit rider," a young minister, who had so often been in our home, and who had enlisted, was killed at Vicksburg, Mississippi, in May, 1863. Early in 1865, I saw my name in print for the first time by writing a letter for publication in the Children's Friend, published at Dayton, Ohio, in which I made the statement, "I am a Union boy fourteen years old, and wish the war was over." After the war had continued a year and a half, with victories and defeats on both sides, the President, on the 22d of September, 1862, issued the provisional Emancipation Proclamation, which was to the effect that the South would be given from that time up to the first of January, 1863, to lay down their arms, keep their slaves, and find their proper places in the Union, otherwise a proclamation would be issued to set at liberty their slaves. The South did not accept the overtures of President Lincoln, and the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. It was issued as a war measure, upon military necessity, and on the condition that the traitor forfeits his property. After this the war, upon the part of the North, was not only to suppress the rebellion, but for the purpose of abolishing slavery, and the South fought not only to preserve the Confederacy, but for the institution of slavery itself. It was Those were times that tried men's souls, but none were so tried as was the soul of him who stood at the helm and guided the ship of state in that stormy period of our country's history. Throughout the war Mr. Lincoln was very kind and forbearing in his dealings with all classes of men. Many a deserter owed his life to the pardoning power of President Lincoln, one of whom I knew personally for many years. Besides his heavy duties as President, under such extraordinary circumstances, he went to extra trouble in relieving persons in many cases who came to him for help. George W. Wolf, an upright and influential citizen, who resides near Georgetown, Floyd County, Indiana, was corporal of Company C, of the Eighty-first Indiana Regiment, in the Civil War, and afterward sergeant of the Seventh Veteran Reserve Corps. At his home, November 26, 1904, he related to me the following incident, which came under his observation, showing the kind nature of President Lincoln: "A young soldier, about twenty years of age, belonging to an Illinois regiment, was taken sick on the field, and sent to a hospital. For some time after his partial recovery he was not able for field service, and was put in the First Battalion Reserve Corps, which was in camp in the rear of the President's mansion. He came to me one day and said: 'Sergeant, what would you do if you had been sent from your company to a hospital, and then sent here, and could draw no money from the paymaster on account of not having a descriptive roll?' "'I would send for it,' said I. "'I have sent for it two or three times, but it never came,' said he. "'Then I would go and see Uncle Abe,' said I. "'What,' said he, 'a private soldier go up and see the President? Would he notice me?' "'Yes,' I replied, 'and I will go with you.' "The next morning we secured a pass, and went to see the President. The young man was very nervous. After waiting a few minutes, we were admitted to the President's room. Mr. Lincoln, after dropping his feet from a table, said, 'Well, soldiers, what can I do for you?' "Before entering, I told the young man he must do his own talking, but I answered, 'This soldier wants to see you about getting pay for his service.' "Mr. Lincoln, after a short conversation, wrote the name of the soldier, his regiment, when he enlisted, that he had received but one payment, that he had tried more than once, and had failed. Then Mr. Lincoln said, 'I will see to it.' "The next day, about noon, the young soldier was ordered to go to the paymaster and draw his money. He received all his pay, and a bounty beside, for he had been without pay for two years. After receiving his money he joyfully took off his cap, threw it up in the air, and exclaimed, 'Boys, if they don't treat you right, go to Old Abe, and he will make it right.'" In the Farm and Fireside, published at Springfield, Ohio, of March 7, 1906, appeared an article written by J. L. Graff, concerning a set of triplets, yet living, who were named by President Lincoln. The family name is Haskins. The picture of the triplets appeared in connection with the article. The names given by Mr. Lincoln were Simon Cameron, Secretary of War; Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy, and Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States. Recently I wrote a letter addressed to the triplets, in care of Abraham Lincoln Haskins, enclosing the article and their picture, asking for the verification of the facts stated and for "Baraboo, Wisconsin, January 17, 1909. "Rev. J. T. Hobson, Dear Sir:—I received a letter from you asking if I was one of the Haskins triplets. Yes, sir; I am. We were born May 24, 1861, and named by Abraham Lincoln. We are all alive and well. I am sorry to say that I have no picture of us three, and never had them taken but once in our lives, and the one that I had I sent to Mr. J. L. Graff, of Chicago. One brother is here in Baraboo, the other is in Coleman, Michigan, whose name is Simon. That picture you sent is an exact picture of us. A Mr. Cole, editor of the Baraboo News, tried to find the letter that Mr. Lincoln wrote to my folks. All that he could find out was that it was in some museum in Washington. I wish we could get it, for I would highly prize it. We boys never saw it. He wrote to my father and asked him if it was true that he was the father of three boys of the same age. He wrote and told him it was so; then Mr. Lincoln wrote again, saying that he would be pleased to name us. Father wrote and told him that he would be pleased to have him name us. He said the first should be named Abraham Lincoln, the second Gideon Welles, and the third Simon Cameron. We were born in Starksboro, Addison County, Vermont. My mother's name, before she was married, was Louisa E. Grace, and if there ever was a Christian she was the very best one. If there is anything more I can do for you I will be very glad to do so. I feel proud of my name, and try hard to honor it in every respect. "Yours, with respect, "Abraham Lincoln Haskins." I feel sure the reader will be pleased to see in this book the picture of the triplets, yet living, who were named by President Lincoln. Mr. Lincoln was reËlected President of the United States, November 8, 1864, and entered upon his second term March 4, 1865. General George B. McClellan was In the meantime the war was being industriously prosecuted. Important victories, with some reverses, came to the North from time to time. The rebellion finally collapsed in the fall of Richmond, Virginia, April 3, and the surrender of General Lee to General Grant at Appomattox Court House, April 9, 1865. Mr. Nichols, in his "Life of Abraham Lincoln," says: "The spontaneous and universal rejoicings of the people of the country at the complete overthrow of the rebellion were such as had never been witnessed before on any continent. Men laughed, cried, shouted, shook hands with each other; there were parades by day and at night. America was illuminated by discharge of fireworks and thousands of torchlight processions. The war was over. Peace stretched her white wings over our beloved land." |
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