Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 November 1908 — BULLET STRUCK LINCOLN. [ARTICLE]

BULLET STRUCK LINCOLN.

Hitherto Unpublished Story of President Under Fire at Ft. Stevens. To all but a few —certainly 'not more than a score, perhaps not more than a dozen—it is news that Abraham Lincoln was hit by a bullet fired by a Confederate soldier in battle. The histories do not record It, nor the biographies. Those who saw the occurrence thought little of it at the time, so pressing was the work they had in hand and the president is not known ever afterward to nave mentioned the Incident. on the morning of July 12, 1864, a young Lieutenant Colonel of the Slx-ty-flfth New York Volunteers, standing just outside Ft. Stevens, one of the series of forts that complfetely surrounded and guarded vVashington, saw President Lincoln walk fearlessly among his soldiers, discussing the conditions and circumstances of the then impending attack upon the city by Lieutenant General Early and his confederate forces while a battle raged outside the breastworks. Watching with, the curiosity of a soldier who had seen his president but twice before the colonel was alarmed when he saw him hit by a bullet which had sped through the air from the camp of the enemy. The young officer was William P. Roome, who was adjutant general and chief of staff, of Major General Upton. Colonel Roome pow lives at 114 West Eighty-sixth street. Colonel Roome’e story Is as follows: “In July, 1864, Early, with orders from Lee, started from Lynchburg, went down the Shenandoah Valley, fought a battle at Harper’s Ferry, and also on the Monocacy River, and was to make a demonstration against Washington. It was thought that if he could arrive with his force and find the forts above the city not fully occupied (as they were not) It would result in a great Northern scare, a strengthening of the Confederacy, and pos®:bly even greater results. He arrived in front of Washington, opposite Ft. Stevens, on July 11, in the afternoon. In order that they might be fully prepared to take action, they decided to rest the men that night, and make the demonstration the following day. Their movements were all knewn to Grant. “The Sixth Corps of the army of tue 1 Potomac was detached from that 1 army in front of Petersburg, and sent to thwart any demonstration that might be made by Early. One di- ' vision of the Sixth Corps was left In Baltimore, because the demonstration was intended to be against that city and Philadelphia as well, 'the other two divisions arrived in "Washington In detachments on steamers from the 10th to the 12th. The first and seeond divisions were Immediately sent • to Ft. Stevens, which was about four miles from the White House.

“The First Division, to which I belonged, remained in reserve in the vicinity of the fort; the other was sent out in front. The country stretching away from the fort to the north was first a gentle lecline, then a little plane for some way, with hills in the distance. Every detail of the movement of the two divisions—ours and one of Early’s—could be seen plainly from the fort, while the participants themselves could see only what was occurring in their Immediate front. “There was thus unrolled a panorama of war—a battle in progress. In the distance a house was set afire by the artillery, and formed a prominent feature of the picture. “The engagement was sufficiently far from the fort to make a bullet that came to it practically harmless. One illustration was interesting, as showing the degree of danger in our position, and also the comparative effect of the emotions of curiosity and fear in women. A large tree which had been felled very close to where I stood lay in a horizontal position to the works, and behind it two women, apparently mother and daughter, had taken refuge. They would look with open-mouthed interest at- the movement of the troops, when singing through the air would come a bullet. Its hum would arouse the emotion of fear, and Instantly they would crouch down to the ground behind the protecting tree trunk, only to rise, inch by Inch, as the fear of tjie bullets passed and curlousity oecame supreme. “At about that time President Lincoln, arrived. He was accompanied, I think, by at least two members of the cabinet, though I did not know them. They halted but a few yards from my position, at the side of the road that led from the fort. From where the president stood he could see the panorama I have described. "The fire from the enemy was thick and fast, and the cracking almost continuous. Most of it fell short of the inclosure.' While so standing, one of these bullets, fired at long range by a confederate, struck the president on the thigh. The force was not sufficient to wound him; In fact, I doubt If It pierced his trousers. The bullet fell to the ground. President Lincoln paid no attention t 6 ft other than to glance down and permit a smile to linger tor a moment on his face. "Young as I was, I remember distinctly the Interest T took In watching that noble countenance, and wondering what thoughts were passing through his mind as he saw men falling and saw what never had been revealed to .him before, the actual, conflict of troops In battle. "Undoubtedly the president at that time stood in a position of danger, as one of those bullets might have been fatal with a slightly additional force. If one had struck him in the eye it would easily have proved fatal/’