Lincoln's yarns and stories : $b A complete collection of the funny and witty anecdotes that made Lincoln famous as America's greatest story tellerMcClure, Alexander K. (Alexander Kelly)
History
Lincoln's yarns and stories : $b A complete collection of the funny and witty anecdotes that made Lincoln famous as America's greatest story teller
McClure, Alexander K. (Alexander Kelly)
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 -- Anecdotes
“Why,” replied the astonished official, “have you not heard of your own
nomination? It was sent to the White House two hours ago.”
“It is all right,” replied the President; “I shall probably find it on
my return.”
“THEM GILLITEENS.”
The illustrated newspapers of the United States and England had a good
deal of fun, not only with President Lincoln, but the latter’s Cabinet
officers and military commanders as well. It was said by these
funny publications that the President had set up a guillotine in his
“back-yard,” where all those who offended were beheaded with both
neatness, and despatch. “Harper’s Weekly” of January 3rd, 1863,
contained a cartoon labeled “Those Guillotines; a Little Incident at the
White House,” the personages figuring in the “incident” being Secretary
of War Stanton and a Union general who had been unfortunate enough to
lose a battle to the Confederates. Beneath the cartoon was the following
dialogue:
SERVANT: “If ye plase, sir, them Gilliteens has arrove.” MR. LINCOLN:
“All right, Michael. Now, gentlemen, will you be kind enough to step out
in the back-yard?”
The hair and whiskers of Secretary of War Stanton are ruffled and awry,
and his features are not calm and undisturbed, indicating that he has
an idea of what’s the matter in that back-yard; the countenance of the
officer in the rear of the Secretary of War wears rather an anxious, or
worried, look, and his hair isn’t combed smoothly, either.
President Lincoln’s frequent changes among army commanders--before
he found Grant, Sherman and Sheridan--afforded an opportunity the
caricaturists did not neglect, and some very clever cartoons were the
consequence.
“CONSIDER THE SYMPATHY OF LINCOLN.”
Consider the sympathy of Abraham Lincoln. Do you know the story of
William Scott, private? He was a boy from a Vermont farm.
There had been a long march, and the night succeeding it he had stood on
picket. The next day there had been another long march, and that night
William Scott had volunteered to stand guard in the place of a sick
comrade who had been drawn for the duty.
It was too much for William Scott. He was too tired. He had been found
sleeping on his beat.
The army was at Chain Bridge. It was in a dangerous neighborhood.
Discipline must be kept.
William Scott was apprehended, tried by court-martial, sentenced to
be shot. News of the case was carried to Lincoln. William Scott was a
prisoner in his tent, expecting to be shot next day.
But the flaps of his tent were parted, and Lincoln stood before him.
Scott said:
“The President was the kindest man I had ever seen; I knew him at once
by a Lincoln medal I had long worn.
“I was scared at first, for I had never before talked with a great man;
but Mr. Lincoln was so easy with me, so gentle, that I soon forgot my
fright.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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