Show 0 all but a few certainly not more than a score perhaps not more than a gj dozen it Is news that abraham lincoln was hit by a bullet fired by a johnny reb in battle the bistor les do not record it nor the les those who saw the occurrence thought little of it at the time so pressing was the work they had in hand and the president Is not known ever to have mentioned the incident concerned only with the welfare of a sundered nation and its suffering millions and least ot all with self it is probable that no thought of the experience recurred to him at any time in he period 0 stress and acx lety and important occupation that followed another bullet less honest that took away his life on the morning of july 12 1864 a young lieutenant colonel of the six ty fifth new york volunteers standing just outside fort stevens one of the series of forts that completely sur rounded and guarded washington saw president lincoln walking tear lessly among his soldiers discussing the conditions and circumstances 0 the then impending attack upon the city by gen early and his confider con feder ate forces while a battle raged out side the breastworks when the bombardment of sumter was in progress walker the erate secretary of war making a flery speech at montgomery ala declared the flag which now flaunts the breeze here will float over the dome of the old capitol at washington be fore the first of may that boast appeared in the same issue of the newspaper that printed president lincoln s call tor troops and intensified the fears for the se cuilty of the capital already great because of the probable secession of virginia and the doubt as to the position of maryland president lincoln realized how much depended on his holding wash ington the loss of the capital doubt less would result in european lecog mitlon ot the confederacy the spirit of the north would be broken despair would follow discouragement defeat so he bent first efforts to de fending the seat of government from those who would set up there a new nation not conceived in liberty his deep anxiety in those days before the troops arrived and when beauregard s army was said to be ap preaching will be recalled by all who have read the story of the war at ter the arrival ot the seventy new york regiment ot dandles who dined at delmonico s before departing and the massachusetts and rhode island regiments of farmers acs ics and the capital was in no danger until the attack of gen early when the incident of col s story occurred when the fortifications were thrown up around the capital lincoln knew of every detail of the work consulted with the men in charge informed and advised them it was therefore no occasion of comment when he left the white house on this july 12 and walked among the soldiers they stood ready tor action behind the walls while from the plain below came the sound of conflict gen early s own story of his move ment upon washington shows the situation in the confederate ranks on that day he had approached wash ington from the north having heard that the outer works were feebly manned he meant to take them by surprise but before his first divis ion could be brought up he says he saw a cloud of dust in the rear of the works and soon a column of men in blue filed into them on the right and left then skirmishers were thrown out in front while an arall lery fire was opened on the contender con atea from a number of batteries our skirmishers were all thrown to the front wrote gen early daiv ing those of the enemy to the cover of their works and we proceeded to examine the fortifications in order to ascertain it it was practicable to car ry them by assault they were found to be exceedingly strong and consisted f what appeared to be forts f r heavy artillery with a tier of low ei works in front of each pierced for an immense number of guns the whole being connected by curtains with ditches in front and strength ened by palisades and abatgis abattis the timber had been felled within cannon range all around and loft on the ground making a obstacle and every possible approach waa raked with artillery thus it would seem that president lincoln inquired little danger on the day when he went about within the fortification walls but that he was in some danger is shown by col coomes story |