of Union soldiers who had recently arrived in the city came out armed as if by magic, as did all private citizens. Throughout the District the mysterious call of the Union League-two short, sharp raps thrice repeated-sent every member double-quick to headquarters to declare himself ready for duty. The long roll at the barracks of the Black Horse squadron (the President's body-guard) startled the residents in that vicinity and brought the troopers flying to the center. Every Federal officer and soldier in the District sprang to duty; the entire police force was out and the agents of the Secret Service swarmed the alleys and scouted the roads leading out of the city.

Stanton instantly assumed charge of everything near and remote, civil and military, and began issuing orders in that autocratic manner so supremely necessary to the occasion and so perfectly true to his methods, giving, during that strained and terrible night, an exhibition of the great qualities which had been potential in saving the nation.

That he should have been present thus to act as dictator is an interesting manifestation of public fortune. He had expected to deliver a speech at the celebration and flag-raising at Fort Sumter arranged for the same night. Some intuition led him to send Joseph Holt in his stead, to whom he said: "Something admonishes me to remain," and on that admonition he remained!

Officers stationed at the door allowed no one to enter and squads of soldiers kept clear the space immediately in front of the Petersen house. Stanton sent for David K. Cartter, chief justice of the District of Columbia, who, arriving at once, began in an adjoining room to take the testimony of those who possessed any knowledge concerning the tragedy. Simultaneously he ordered the presence of Charles A. Dana, assistant secretary of war, who, being a good stenographic writer,* wrote from dictation telegrams to all parts of the country.

*"That night," says Mr. Dana, "I was awakened from a sound sleep with the news that Mr. Lincoln had been shot and that the Secretary wanted me. I found the President lying unconscious, though breathing heavily, on a bed in a small side room, while all the members of the cabinet and the Chief Justice with them, were gathered in the adjoining parlor. They seemed to be almost as much paralyzed as the unconscious sufferer within the little chamber. Mr. Stanton alone was in full activity.

""Sit down here,' said he, 'I want you.'

"Then he began to dictate orders one after another, which I wrote

He sent for several army officers to act as aides; directed General Thomas M. Vincent (assistant adjutant-general) to take charge of affairs in the Petersen building; telegraphed to General Grant at Philadelphia that Lincoln had been shot and to return at once to Washington; issued orders, oral and written, to the police and military authorities of the District to be prepared for emergencies; telegraphed to Chief Kennedy of New York to send on his best detectives immediately; ordered General L. C. Baker to return from New York to search for the assassins; soothed and cheered Mrs. Lincoln; advised Grant (at 11:30) at Philadelphia to watch every person approaching him and have a detached locomotive precede his train on its way to Washington; ordered President Garrett to use the utmost speed of the Baltimore and Ohio Railway to bring Grant to the capital; wrote and despatched a note to Chief Justice Chase, saying the President could not live and to be ready to administer the oath of office to Vice-President Johnson; notified the Vice-President that the President was dying; and sent to the people bulletin after bulletin concerning the tragedy and Lincoln's condition.

The bulletins are models of directness and comprehension. The first, written with his hat for a support, says Colonel A. F. Rockwell, and sent at 11:30 P. M., is as follows:

This evening at 9:30 o'clock, at Ford's Theatre, the President, while sitting in his private box with Mrs. Lincoln, Miss Harris, and Major Rathbone, was shot by an assassin who entered the box and approached behind the President. The person then leaped upon the stage, brandishing a large dagger or knife, and made his escape in the rear of the theatre.

The pistol ball entered the back of the President's head, and penetrated nearly through it. The wound is mortal. The President has been insensible ever since it was inflicted, and is now dying.

About the same hour an assassin, whether the same or not, entered Mr. Seward's apartment, and, under a pretense of having a prescription, was shown to the Secretary's sick chamber. The assassin immediately rushed to the bed and inflicted two or three stabs on the throat and two on the face. It is hoped that the wounds may not be mortal. My apprehension is that they will prove fatal.

The nurse alarmed Mr. Frederick Seward, who, from an adjoining room, hastened to the door of his father's, where he met the assassin, who inflicted upon him one or more dangerous wounds. The recovery of Fred

out and sent swiftly to the telegraph. All these orders were required to keep the business of the Government in full motion till the crisis should be over. It was perhaps 2 o'clock in the morning before he said, 'That's enough. Now go home.""

erick Seward is doubtful. It is not probable that the President will live through the night.

General Grant and his wife were advertised to be at the theatre this evening, but he started to Burlington at 6 o'clock.

This evening, at a cabinet meeting, at which General Grant was present, the subject of the state of the country and the prospect of a speedy peace was discussed. The President was very cheerful and hopeful, and spoke very kindly of General Lee and others of the Confederacy and of the establishment of the government in Virginia. All the members of the cabinet, except Mr. Seward, are waiting upon the President.

I have seen Mr. Seward, but he and Frederick were both unconscious.

At about 1:30 in the morning, being satisfied that Lincoln could not last much longer, he wrote a formal notification of the death of the President to Vice-President Johnson, upon whom the constitution devolved the office of chief-magistrate. Coming into the adjoining room, he handed the paper to General Vincent with orders to make a fair copy of it.* Thereupon Mrs. Lincoln, whose eyes followed Stanton's every move as the master-spirit of that heart-breaking night, sprang forward with a hysterical scream: "Is he dead? Oh, is he dead?" Stanton, as he had been doing, reassured and comforted the distracted woman,† but with indifferent success, as the steps she could see him swiftly taking told more plainly than words that the worst was known and the end was near.

Thus he continued throughout the night, acting as president, secretary of war, secretary of state, commander-in-chief, comforter,

*The closing portion of the notification said: "By the death of President Lincoln the office of president has devolved under the constitution upon you. The emergency of the Government demands that you shall immediately qualify according to the requirements of the constitution, and enter upon the discharge of the duties of president of the United States." The hour of death was filled into a blank left for that purpose as soon as Dr. Barnes announced that Lincoln was dead. A few minutes later, at the meeting of cabinet ministers, another paper (signed by Stanton, McCulloch, Dennison, Welles, Speed, and Usher) was drafted which informed Vice-President Johnson that "if you will make known your pleasure, such arrangements as you may deem proper will be made."

+Says General Vincent: "I cannot recall a more pitiful picture than that of poor Mrs. Lincoln, almost insane with sudden agony, moaning and sobbing out that terrible night. Mr. Stanton attempted to soothe her, but he was full of business, and knew, moreover, that in a few hours at most she must be a widow. She entered the room where her husband lay mo tionless but once before the surgeon announced that death was fast descending, and then fainted and was practically helpless."