Washington County, Indiana - Chapter 9: Military History, 1916 (part 2 of 2)

"Whatever shortcomings Mr. Lincoln had, it is manifest he was neither a parasite nor an imitator. One of the reasons why we have so few truly great men, is, because they are satisfied to echo the tones and principles of others. Like the mistletoe that clings to the giant oak for support, so they are contented to remain where Nature placed them - or to rise only by the growth of others. I believe that man (ever dependent upon God) may be, and is, just what he chooses to be, and not what Nature made him. Nature can, and does do much for man - but he can do vastly more for himself. Nature gives me existence, but self enables me to live. Hence I say it is because so many disregard the culture of self that so many remain in mediocrity.

"Do you doul)t this? Cast your eyes down the great scroll of man's history. What do you see? Europe is already trembling with the approaching storm of revolution. The wild billows are madly dashing their bloody crests against the thrones of despots, smiting empires and shaking them to their very foundations. See that lad, romping where nature has placed him in his sea-girt home, on the isle of Corsica. The wild storms rolls on, the lad becomes a man. The youthful Corsican watches its approach, and when the dread flood comes up, he leaps upon her topmost crest, and like

"'Take another glance. It is further down the scroll, nearly 400 years before the Christian Era -No howling storm - no political strife. Greece, beautiful Greece, is the land I would have you look upon. See that lad, he has seen sixteen summers. Speak to him! He stammers in answering, he hesitates in every utterance, he trembles in your presence, and with a glance of pity you turn away. A dozen years pass. You enter the Grecian Forum and listen to that Athenian (irator as he pours forth his rtery philippics against the Macedonian invader. Xay, you cannot listen long, for before the power of his eloquence ten thousand swords flash from as many scabbards, and Phillip is driven from tlieir shores. What earthly arm did Demosthenes lean upon? What did nature do to him? What good gifts did she throw into his lap? Nature gave him a tremulous voice, a hesitating manner, and a stammering tongue. Self burned with a desire to become an orator, his eye was set upon the highest seat in classic Greece, and by God's help he stopped not short of that.

"And am I presuming too far. when I say that the histor\- of the deceased President yields a parallel case in American history? Xay, I deem it stn>erior to either. Napoleon received a thorough military education, fitting him for a higher sphere in after life: and Demosthenes had the, ablest tutors in the land. But young Lincoln had no tutors. What did nature do for him? She placed him in a rude cabin on the frontier of Kentucky, with an honest but poor man for a father, and a Christian woman for a mother. A good heart (if I may use that expression in a (|ualihed sense), a good head, and a good share of poverty, composed his inheritance. But with God's assistance, oneness of purpose, laudable persexerance, and arduous labor, both mental and physical, he stood a member of the American Forum, humble in high position, honest to all, self-reliant e\'er. Do you doubt his ability? Do you say, as he said - Tt was political ca]jrice that placed him in a position for which he was not qualified.

"Ask the great Douglas, the champion of American statesmen and orators. He soon esteemed the hitherto almost unknown lawyer a foeman worthy of his steel. He expressed himself truly, when sjjeaking of his political opponent, he said : He is the strongest man I e\er met. For like the two bold champions who met on Bosworth field to struggle for the crown of England, so these two political generals met and struggled in the Illinois conte,st. It was there that Richard met with Richmond, and there the child of the forest mounted the proud wa\e that bore him to the niagistrac}' of

"I need not dwell on his acts during the four years and forty days he was your Chief Magistrate. They are written in your memory and in your heart. In disguise he fled througH the midst of his enemies to his new home in Washington. A proud foe threatened us, investing our national capital. The nation trembled, and the world watched in deep suspense. A million swords were bbastingly said to be ready to pierce our national heart. A mighty confederacy had us by the throat. Four years have passed. What now? A Confederacy? I see it not! A mighty army? Where? Fleeing, bleeding, falling, scattered, to seek their desolate homes. A Confederate Congress? Where? As one has said, in the saddle.

"Nay, we cannot deny the fact, neither would we, the Rebellion is crushed. Secession is dead, and let all the people say, amen. And while I would give all the glory to the Great Ruler of all things, I would not forget His servant, the instrument in flis hand, of our great salvation. Like the immortal Farragut, he lashed himself to the Old Ship to ride triumphantly over the deceitful, treacherous waves of Treason, or find in her sinking hulk an honored grave. Dark has been the night of her voyage - huge billows l^a^-e beat against her - black rocks were on her larboard - wild winds were on her starboard - sunken reefs were seen right ahead - dread whirlt)bols vainly attempted to suck her under. Faintly, at times, the glimmering star of Hope could be seen. But the morning has dawned, the sun has arisen, and the old ship still lives : the sky is almost cloudless, the winds are fair, she rounds the pier and will soon anchor in the harbor.

"But why do those flags droop at half mast? Why do you not shout loud huzzas of welcome? Your sons, our fathers are coming, they grtfet you from afar. Oh! the text points to the malady - know ye not that there is a Prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?

"(ireat for his true humility. Great for his unswerving honesty. Gi;eat for his self-reliance. Mr. Lincoln died on Saturday, April 15, a victim of rebellious hate, and in that death the fragments of rebellion lost their best earthly friend. W^e would not pry into the dark, mysterious providences of Him who doeth all things well, but the thought has presented itself to us that perhaps the hour had come when one of harder heart, and more iron aim was necessary to fill the executive chair, and carry out God's will concerning us. Then, again, the thought has occurred to us, that the hation bad learned to love their President too fondly, and we had made him a god, therefore He took away our idol. O, let us humble ^ursdves to^y

A War Incident

Early in the Civil War some of the W ashington county volunteers were assigned to duty in Missouri, where the Confederates were concentratmg under Gen. Price, and were making serious inroads upon the Union forces. An old soldier relates that in the fall of iS'62, while they were in camp at St. Louis, they were called out one morning to shoot a comrade for the crime of sleeping while at his post on duty. Ihey had Ijeen in camp nearly two months drilling and preparing for a raid on Price's force, then in the western part of the state. General Fremont was m command in St. Louis, but had only a small force, which did not deter the rebel sympathizers from making frequent and insulting demonstrations toward soldiers and ofticers, who regarded the situation as rather dangerous, and for that reason an e.xtra guard was kept at headquarters and over ^he large go\ernment warehouses for fear of an attack by night.

Major Zagonia was put in charge and was a soldier all o\er. as his subsequent record proved. Among those detailed for special guard duty was a six-footer named McDonald, who wa.i sent down one Saturday night to guard the private headquarters of the major, who at that time was not held in very high regard b\- those who ser\ed under him. being considered an imported German more able to command a beer wagon than American soldiers. McDonald found him out that Saturday night in particular. About four o'clock in the morning the major went out to see how his guard was keeping watch, and found him fast asleep under a cherry tree, gun and pistols lying on the grass. The major softly stole his arms away and had him arrested at once, charged with sleeping on duty. At dress parade that morning it was whispered around that a ciuirtmartial would be held that day to investigate Mc"s case, and no doulit the sentence would be death.

At last the mournful ncw> came, the major pronouncing the sentence, saying: "De \'erdict shall be you kee]) untl guard prisoner safe till sunrise in morning ven 1 see him sJnot dead." it wnuld be difficult to picture the disma_\- and consternation on the faces of liis comrades during the rest of the day as they realized the stern necessities of war were about to Ije visited on one of their own l)oys. who so recentl}- had left a ytiung wife and two children, many friends and a profitable business, to fight for his country, now to be shot down like a dog w ithout having committed an}' crime deserving such punishment.

Efforts At Intercession

Other officers of the regiment and company counselled together to sec what could be done to save the condemned man. The major's blood was up, discipline must be maintained, "It wouldn't do for de poy to be pardoned, dere vould pe no safety in de armie." Messages were at last sent thick and fast to Washington and Cincinnati. The Judge Advocate had little influence personally to change affairs and it seemed that a sacrifice must i)e made for the benefit of those yet young in the service.

Gen. Fremont was then laying a deep plan to capture Price and had little time to attend to matters less serious. He was appealed to, but said the matter was in the hands of the proper ones to see that army regulations were lived up to. Rebels were loud and bold on all sides, and things looked gloomy. No one can know what terrors, what anguish, what awful thoughts filled the mind of the doomed man. He had little time to prepare or to write his last words and recjuests to his family and friends at home.

Some time before daylight the roll call was sounded, breakfast j)repared, but little of it was touched, and the wonder among the men was which ones would fire the fatal shot. The order then came, "Fall in line." Slowly they marched out through the suburbs nearly four miles, into an open wood, near some earthworks. The prisoner marched in front, with arms pinioned behind, eyes looking straight down on the ground. Scarcely a word passed a lip, scarcely a sound was there heard but the mournful thud of the drum and the heavy tread of soldiers. Suddenly a troop of horse appeared coming in from the right. "The Dutch from Siegle's corps." the men muttered. They then knew who were to do the killing.

.A halt was called and in almost Ijreathless silence a hollow square was formed, opening towards the thick wood. Pale and mute the prisoner was led out near the center, where the charges, findings and sentence of the courtmartial were read amid the stillness of death. The chaplain prayed, the firing party of twelve men took their places, the white bandage was being adjusted over his eyes, when the ground seemed to tremble and a troop of horse came galloping up. The officer in charge handed the major a sealed envelope, which was hurriedly opened and proved to l>e a reprieve from President Lincoln. The announcement brought forth shouts and cheers from almost e\ery throat present, ca]js went up, guns were fired in the air, and for a few minutes it seemed that a real battle was or. The reprieved man swooned away as soon as orders were given to remove his shackles and lie was carried off the field on the litter which was intended to remove his bullet-ridden bodv.