CHAPTER XIV

Lincoln's "leg cases"-He dismisses a Union officer for treasonable language-The widow and her wounded son-How Lincoln plowed around the Governor-The "chin fly" story-Making a minister out of mud-Writing a pardon in bed-Lincoln and the sick drummer―The poor woman and her two sons.

THE President so disliked to sign a death-warrant that sometimes the judge-advocate general of the army despaired of punishing men in the army for cowardice and desertion.

Lincoln would say, after he had explained a case, "Well, I will keep this a few days until I have more time to read the testimony "; or, again, "I must put this by until I can settle in my mind whether this soldier can better serve the country dead than living."

Finally, one day the judge brought him the case of a soldier who, in the crisis of a battle, demoralized his regiment by throwing down his gun and hiding behind a tree. The evidence was plain, and not denied-the court-martial condemned him. to be shot. He had no father, mother, wife, or child to plead for him, and the judge thought

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surely this was a case that could only meet with the President's approval; but Lincoln, after running his fingers through his hair, said: Well, after all, judge, I think I must put this with my leg cases.""

Leg cases!" exclaimed the judge, frowning

at the supposed levity of the President.

do you mean by 'leg cases,' sir?"

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What

Why, why," replied the President, "do you see those papers crowded into those pigeonholes? They are cases that you call by that long title, 'Cowardice in the face of the enemy '; but I call them for short, my leg cases,' and I put it to you, and leave it to you, to decide for yourself, if Almighty God gives a man a cowardly pair of legs, how can he help them running away with him?”

The President dismisses a Union Officer for Treasonable Language

Soon after the battle of Antietam the President heard many stories of officers and men who were hostile to him in the Army of the Potomac.

To these he paid no attention, until one day he was told that a major, John J. Key, who was on McClellan's staff, had replied to a brother officer, who asked the question, "Why was not the rebel army 'bagged' [captured] immediately after the battle near Sharpsburg?" that "That

is not the game. The object is that neither army shall get much the advantage of the other. That both shall be kept in the field till they are exhausted, when we will make a compromise and save slavery."

Upon hearing this the President sent a letter to the major, informing him of the serious charge, and inviting him to disprove it within twenty-four hours from date, September 27, 1862.

In a few minutes the major appeared at the White House with the officer who had asked him the question.

The President immediately made the men tell exactly what had been said.

Major Turner answered: "As I remember it, the conversation was this: I asked the question why we did not 'bag' them [the Confederate Army] after the battle of Sharpsburg?

"Major Key replied: That was not the game. We should tire the rebels and ourselves out; that that was the only way the Union could be preserved; then we will come together fraternally, and slavery will be saved.'"

Major Key did not deny this, though he stoutly maintained his loyalty to the Union cause.

The President said: "Gentlemen, if there is a game, even among Union men, to have our army not take any advantage of the enemy it can, it is my object to break up the game.'"

He then wrote out an order for the immediate dismissal of the officer, saying:

"In my view it is wholly inadmissible for any man holding a military commission from the United States to utter such sentiments as Major Key is proved to have done.

Therefore, let Major John J. Key be forthwith dismissed from the military service of the United States."

The dismissed officer left the room ashamed and crestfallen, and his discharge carried fear into the ranks of those who were hoping to prevent the success of the Union armies, and at the same time perpetuate slavery, which caused the war.

Lincoln afterward said to a friend: "I dismissed Major Key because I thought his silly treasonable expressions were 'staff talk,' and I wished to make an example."

The Widow and her Wounded Son

In the spring of 1863, one morning a sad and anxious-looking lady appeared at Fort Henry, Baltimore, before the commanding officer.

She said: "I am a widow, a resident of Nashville, Tenn., but although a native of that State, I have no sympathy with the rebellion. I have an only son who was a student at the outbreak of the war, and now, just after the battle of Nashville, I learn that, without my consent, he has

any

Thial on the first day of January in the year of our Lover, one thousand eight hundred and. sixty. threw, all persons held as slaves, wither state, or designated part of a state, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States shall be then, thence forward,

and

forever free, and the executive gover= including the military and navel outhout the reof ment of the United Staty, will, during the av tismorcome office of the parent mun be and maintain the freedow of

cognize such persons, arbengoffor,

and wree

do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any

of them in any efforts they may make for ther actual freedom.

That the executive will, on the fist day of Jaw= nary aforesaid; by proclamation, designate the parts of states, if any, in which the

Slates,

anu

Facsimile of draft of the Emancipation Proclamation.