Charles E. Anthony’s one meeting with Mr. Lincoln presents an
interesting contrast to those of the men who shared the emancipator’s
interest in public affairs. It was in the latter part of the winter
of 1861, a short time before Mr. Lincoln left for his inauguration
at Washington. Judge Anthony went to the Sherman House, where the
President-elect was stopping, and took with him his son, Charles, then
but a little boy. Charles played about the room as a child will, looking
at whatever interested him for the time, and when the interview with his
father was over he was ready to go.
But Mr. Lincoln, ever interested in little children, called the lad to
him and took him upon his great knee.
“My impression of him all the time I had been playing about the room,”
said Mr. Anthony, “was that he was a terribly homely man. I was rather
repelled. But no sooner did he speak to me than the expression of his
face changed completely, or, rather, my view of it changed. It at
once became kindly and attractive. He asked me some questions, seeming
instantly to find in the turmoil of all the great questions that must
have been heavy upon him, the very ones that would go to the thought of
a child. I answered him without hesitation, and after a moment he patted
my shoulder and said:
“‘Well, you’ll be a man before your mother yet,’ and put me down.
“I had never before heard the homely old expression, and it puzzled me
for a time. After a moment I understood it, but he looked at me while I
was puzzling over it, and seemed to be amused, as no doubt he was.”
The incident simply illustrates the ease and readiness with which
Lincoln could turn from the mighty questions before the nation, give a
moment’s interested attention to a child, and return at once to matters
of state.
“LEFT IT THE WOMEN TO HOWL ABOUT ME.”
Donn Piatt, one of the brightest newspaper writers in the country, told
a good story on the President in regard to the refusal of the latter to
sanction the death penalty in cases of desertion from the Union Army.
“There was far more policy in this course,” said Piatt, “than kind
feeling. To assert the contrary is to detract from Lincoln’s force of
character, as well as intellect. Our War President was not lost in his
high admiration of brigadiers and major-generals, and had a positive
dislike for their methods and the despotism upon which an army is based.
He knew that he was dependent upon volunteers for soldiers, and to force
upon such men as those the stern discipline of the Regular Army was to
render the service unpopular. And it pleased him to be the source of
mercy, as well as the fountain of honor, in this direction.
“I was sitting with General Dan Tyler, of Connecticut, in the
antechamber of the War Department, shortly after the adjournment of the
Buell Court of Inquiry, of which we had been members, when President
Lincoln came in from the room of Secretary Stanton. Seeing us, he said:
‘Well, gentlemen, have you any matter worth reporting?’
“‘I think so, Mr. President,’ replied General Tyler. ‘We had it proven
that Bragg, with less than ten thousand men, drove your eighty-three
thousand men under Buell back from before Chattanooga, down to the
Ohio at Louisville, marched around us twice, then doubled us up at
Perryville, and finally got out of the State of Kentucky with all his
plunder.’
“‘Now, Tyler,’ returned the President, ‘what is the meaning of all this;
what is the lesson? Don’t our men march as well, and fight as well, as
these rebels? If not, there is a fault somewhere. We are all of the same
family--same sort.’
“‘Yes, there is a lesson,’ replied General Tyler; ‘we are of the same
sort, but subject to different handling. Bragg’s little force was
superior to our larger number because he had it under control. If a man
left his ranks, he was punished; if he deserted, he was shot. We had
nothing of that sort. If we attempt to shoot a deserter you pardon him,
and our army is without discipline.’
“The President looked perplexed. ‘Why do you interfere?’ continued
General Tyler. ‘Congress has taken from you all responsibility.’
“‘Yes,’ answered the President impatiently, ‘Congress has taken the
responsibility and left the women to howl all about me,’ and so he
strode away.”