. Popular history of the civil war . an until the followingsummer. While this immense army was occupying the forts in andabout Washington, hundreds of picket-guards, or sentinels,were keeping watch, by night and by day, at every possiblepoint which the enemy could attack. No doubt it seemeda little thing to do, to tramp, tramp, tramp, up and down,across the end of a bridge, all night long. But one nightWilliam Scott was caught sleeping at his post near the ChamBridge. It was necessary to keep ones eyes wide open msuch a place; for this bridge spanned the Potomac nearWashington, and the enemy w
. Popular history of the civil war . an until the followingsummer. While this immense army was occupying the forts in andabout Washington, hundreds of picket-guards, or sentinels,were keeping watch, by night and by day, at every possiblepoint which the enemy could attack. No doubt it seemeda little thing to do, to tramp, tramp, tramp, up and down,across the end of a bridge, all night long. But one nightWilliam Scott was caught sleeping at his post near the ChamBridge. It was necessary to keep ones eyes wide open msuch a place; for this bridge spanned the Potomac nearWashington, and the enemy was not very far from theopposite end. The punishment for such neglect is death; and, of course,William was arrested. He was taken before a court-martial,which consists of a number of officers chosen to try a sol-dier for an offence, and he was sentenced to be shot. Hisfriends went to Washington, and told the story to the Presi-dent, begging that the boys life might be spared. Mr. Lincoln listened patiently, asking a great many ques-. MCCLELLAN WITH HIS TROOPS. i86i.] Old Men for Council, Young Men for War. 143 tions. He found that the sentinel was young, and that, ashe had not slept for several nights, he was very weary. ThePresident remembered that his own boys, so dear to him,were ready to close their eyes after one day of fatigue. Sohe freely signed the pardon. After the messenger was gone,Mr. Lincoln began to think about it. What if the pardonshould not get there in time ! William Scott was to be shotat sunset. The President looked at his watch, and began tobe very anxious. Then he ordered his horses to be har-nessed quickly; and, getting into his carriage, this busyman, who commanded all the armies of the North, droverapidly to the place where the condemned sentry was, andcarried his pardon to him. So full of tender compassionwas the heart of the man whom the South looked upon as atyrant. Not long after the battle of Bull Run, Mr. Lincoln paid avisit to General W. T. Sherm
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