"The Union forever, hurrah! boys, hurrah! Down with the traitor, up with the stars, While we rally round the flag, boys, rally once again, Shouting the battle-cry of freedom!"
How the schoolboys played war in the autumn! The forts were made of old fence rails and logs, and how they were bombarded with cannon-balls of green walnuts, and how the "rebels" were routed and some captured! In the winter-time how the snow-balls would fly as the two armies stood in battle array!
What a sad day it was when the news came that our "circuit rider," a young minister, who had so often been in our home, and who had enlisted, was killed at Vicksburg, Mississippi, in May, 1863.
Early in 1865, I saw my name in print for the first time by writing a letter for publication in the _Children's Friend_, published at Dayton, Ohio, in which I made the statement, "I am a Union boy fourteen years old, and wish the war was over."
After the war had continued a year and a half, with victories and defeats on both sides, the President, on the 22d of September, 1862, issued the provisional Emancipation Proclamation, which was to the effect that the South would be given from that time up to the first of January, 1863, to lay down their arms, keep their slaves, and find their proper places in the Union, otherwise a proclamation would be issued to set at liberty their slaves. The South did not accept the overtures of President Lincoln, and the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. It was issued as a war measure, upon military necessity, and on the condition that the traitor forfeits his property. After this the war, upon the part of the North, was not only to suppress the rebellion, but for the purpose of abolishing slavery, and the South fought not only to preserve the Confederacy, but for the institution of slavery itself. It was now a fight to finish upon both sides, and to settle great principles and interests.
Those were times that tried men's souls, but none were so tried as was the soul of him who stood at the helm and guided the ship of state in that stormy period of our country's history.
Throughout the war Mr. Lincoln was very kind and forbearing in his dealings with all classes of men. Many a deserter owed his life to the pardoning power of President Lincoln, one of whom I knew personally for many years. Besides his heavy duties as President, under such extraordinary circumstances, he went to extra trouble in relieving persons in many cases who came to him for help. George W. Wolf, an upright and influential citizen, who resides near Georgetown, Floyd County, Indiana, was corporal of Company C, of the Eighty-first Indiana Regiment, in the Civil War, and afterward sergeant of the Seventh Veteran Reserve Corps. At his home, November 26, 1904, he related to me the following incident, which came under his observation, showing the kind nature of President Lincoln: