Lincoln's Captain.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 240, 6 September 1884, Page 1 (Supplement)

Lincoln's Captain.

Blue and Grey tells the following story :^- ' ,' ' Jack William 3 was a bra7e sergeant of a re'gr- ' " ment which, undrilled and undisciplined, had-, joined the Army of the Potomac just as the ' terrible campaign of 1864 began. v ' ... ■ : Before the army reached Petersburg Jack , commanded his company, the Captain and Lieutenants having been killed. His gallantry ■ was so conspicuous that he was recommended ,, for a Captaincy m the regular army. '■■ Ordered before an Examining Board at Washington, Jack presented himself, dressed ' m a Boiled, torn uniform, with bronzed face "• and uncut beard. . ' , ; . The trim, dapper officers composing; 'the Board had never been under fire- or roughed ; it m the field, but they. were posted m tactics... and iv the theory of war. !J ~ . Though shocked, at Jack's unsoldierly ap- r; - ! pearance, they asked him all sorts of .questions ". i . about engineering, mathematics, ordnance, , and campaigns. Not a single question' oould '• Jackanswer. ■ ;; ' ' " What is an echelon?" asked one of the „ Board. • , ■. 11 Don't know," answered Jack. - ' "Whatisan abatis?." : ■..,'/. ?' "Never saw one:" "A redan ? " . ; , ; " You fellows have got me again," replied Jack. ' „•;., .■' ■■■■ .- ::>nv::.i -VL: " Well, what is a hollow square, air?," :; r .i- --" Never heard of one before ; guess they , don't have them down at the front,' do'-they-?" ' ' "Whiat would you do, sir, if yon : were in,.i.commandof a company, and cavalry 8h0u1d.,., charge on you?" asked a lisping fellow m - white kids. ' .: ; : -Un, "Do you fool?" thundered Jack. "I : ; would give them Hail Columbia — that's what I'd do." This ended the examination ; and the report of questions and answers, with the ad* , verse judgment of the Board, was sent to President Lincoln. ■ '. '■-<•'■ ■'■' His private secretary read the report to him, and when he came to the only answer that Jack had given, the President aaid : "Stop! read that over again:" " That's just the sort of men our army: wants ■?" said the President,- taking the report ." and dipping his pen m the inkstand. On the back of the paper he wrote m a clear hand: Give this man a Captain's commission. . ; A. Lmooijj.