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CHAPTER XXXI.

GENERAL GRANT.

Former Estimate-His Western Career-Army of Potomac-Its Leaders-McClellan-Pope-Burnside-Hooker—Meade-Grant's Plans-Lee's Prestige— Wilderness-Petersburg-Results-Criticism-People's Answer-Grant in Chicago-Reception in Bryan Hall-Hooker's Speech-Grant's-Yates'-Sherman and Grant as Orators-Reception by Board of Trade-Fairchild and Washburn-Second Visit-Ovation in Canada and Michigan-En-route for GalenaMarshal Jones-The Train-On the Way-The General at Home-Welcome by Hon. E. B. Washburne-Grant-Vincent-Grade of General....................... CHAPTER

THE

XXXII.

WOMEN OF
OF ILLINOIS.

PAGE.

520

Influence on Public Opinion-Social Life-Institutions-Religious View-Relief Associations-The Great Fairs-Last Chicago Fair-Greetings of Soldiers.. 538

CHAPTER XXXIII.

The Second Cavalry-Re-enlistment-Death of Colonel Mudd-Service in Texas-The Eighth Cavalry-Hunting Booth-Muster-out Roster-Damage to the Enemy-Major James D. Ludlam-The Ninth Cavalry-Veteranizing— Battles of Franklin and Nashville-The Sixteenth Cavalry-Thielman's Battalion-A Regiment Raised-The Fight in Powell's Valley-Heavy LossFinal Roster-Captain Hiram S. Hanchett-The Seventeenth Cavalry-Campaigning in Missouri-Pursuit of Price-Fight at Booneville-Battle of Mine Creek-A Saber Charge-In a Tight Place-The Enemy Retire-Surrender of Jeff. Thompson-General H. Beveridge..

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The Eighty-sixth in South Carolina-At Bentonville-The Sixty-fourth-With Mower-The Fifty-second at Corinth-Colonel Buckner's Prayer-The Hartsville Surrender-Colonel Moore's Official Report Our Surgeons-Surgeon Coatsworth-His Services-His Death-Colonel J. A. Davis-The Non-commissioned and Privates-Young Elliott at Shiloh-The Dead Letter-Sergeant Reynolds-Sergeant Jones....

546

568

CHAPTER

XXXV.

THE UNION

LEAGUE OF

AMERICA.

The Origin of Union Leagues-The Loyal Men of Tennessee-The Traitors in Illinois-First Council of the Union League of America-The Oath-Organization of the State Council-Spread of the Order-National Council-The Obligation-Importance of the Work-Sanitary Contributions-Joseph Medill, Esq.-Colonel Geo. H. Harlow-Incidents.....

585

CHAPTER XXXVI.

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PATRIOTISM OF ILLINOIS.

CHAPTER I.

DEATH AND BURIAL OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

THE OCCURRENCE-PREVIOUS WARNINGS-THE 14TH OF APRIL-CONVERSATIONS-
INTERVIEW WITH COLFAX-CABINET MEETING-FORD'S THEATER-THE BOX-BOOTHE
-PREPARATIONS-
S-THE SHOT-ASSASSIN'S ESCAPE-THE THEATER-THE DYING
PRESIDENT-RECORD OF DISSOLUTION-Prayer-PAYNE AND SEWARD-SECRETARY
STANTON'S ORDERS-GRIEF OF THE COUNTRY-CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE-FUNERAI.
SERVICES IN WASHINGTON-REMAINS BORNE TO THE CAPITOL TO THE FUNERAL CAR
-FUNERAL CORTEGE-BALTIMORE, NEW YORK, PHILADELPHIA-BACK TO ILLINOIS-
REACHES CHICAGO-THE CITY IN SABLE-THE LAST STAGE-SPRINGFIELD-EMBLEMS
OF MOURNING-LINCOLN'S RESIDENCE-OAK HILL-THE SERVICES-BISHOP SIMPSON'S
ORATION-DR. GURLEY'S ODE-LINCOLN'S CHARACTER-THE CONGRESSIONAL MEMO-
RIAL SERVICE-BANCROFT'S ORATION-DOOM OF THE ASSASSIN-TRIAL OF CONSPIRA-
TORS-EXECUTION-CURTAIN FALLS.

IN adv

advance of its chronological place, the second volume must open with the record of the nation's great grief, and the bereavment of Illinois in the death of her noblest son.

On the morning of April 15, 1865, in the midst of rejoicings for the capture of Richmond, and the surrender of Lee, the telegraph flashed the announcement of the President's assassination. Never did a foul murder so shock the nation, or so astound the world.

On the evening of the 14th in company with Mrs. Lincoln and some friends he visited Ford's Theater, where he had been announced to be present with General Grant.

As the play was progressing an assassin entered the State-box, and from a Derringer pistol sent a ball through the President's brain, and turning, despite the efforts of Major Rathborne to detain him, sprang from the box upon the stage, brandishing a dagger and shouting “ Sic

semper tyrannis,' the South is avenged!" darted through a private passage into the alley, where a horse was in readiness, and escaped. As he crossed the stage he was recognized as J. Wilkes Boothe.

The President was unconscious from the moment the pistol was fired. He was conveyed to a house in the vicinity where he lay for several hours. About his bedside were the members of his Cabinet, with the exception of the Secretary of State, several senators, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and other intimate friends. The examination of the Surgeon General showed the wound to be fatal, and all that could be done was to wait in sadness the moment when one of the noblest of men should be no longer of earth.

The President had been warned that assassination was premeditated, and at last both himself and Secretary Seward were compelled to believe the evidence, yet he none the less freely exposed himself. He felt that if men were resolved upon it, the deed could scarcely be prevented.

The morning of the 14th, he talked with his wife of the four stormy years he had passed, and of the dawn of peaceful times, the coming of better days. He was free from forebodings; "with malice toward none" he could not credit the malignity which would resort to assassination, solely for revenge.

He conversed with his son, Captain Robert Lincoln, who was on General Grant's staff, as to the details of Lee's surrender. After breakfast he received various gentlemen, and among them Senator Hale and Speaker Colfax. The latter was preparing for an overland trip to the Pacific and to him the President said:

"Mr. Colfax, I want you to take a message from me to the miners whom you visit; I have very large ideas of the mineral wealth of our nation. I believe it to be practically inexhaustible. It abounds all over the Western country, from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific, and its development has scarcely commenced. During the war, when we were adding a couple of millions of dollars every day to our national debt, I did not care about encouraging the volume of our precious metals. We had the country to save first. But now that the rebellion is overthrown, and we know pretty nearly the amount of our national debt, the more gold and silver we mine, we make the payment of that debt so much the easier. Now,' said he, speaking with more emphasis, “I am going to encourage that in every possible way. We shall have hundreds of thousands of disbanded soldiers, and many have feared that their return home in such great numbers might paralyze industry

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