Mr. Lincoln Gets Involved in the Trent Affair

Late last month, James Mason and John Slidell, two rebel diplomats sailed on the British mail steamer The Trent in an atempt to travel to France and England to try to get their support for the Confederacy. The envoys were prepared to convince the countries, who had already declared their neutrality,  that the Confederate States were a separate country rather that a loose confederation of rebellious states.

The Trent carried the two envoys first to Havana, Cuba and then prepared for sailing across the ocean. The union sloop San Jacinto intercepted The Trent on November 8 and captured the two men. Mason and Slidell were sent to New York where they were incarcerated at Fort Lafayette.

The British complained about the seizure. Mr. Lincoln consulted with Edward Bates, the Attorney General. Bates assured the president that the seizure of the Confedereate diplomats was legal.

Mr. Lincoln worried that the incident would bring the two foreign powers into the war, something he feared. He could not afford an international incident.

While the Queen continued to insure him of Britain's neutrality, the president had gotten reports from his staff that there was considerable evidence that Britain was desperate to get cotton from the South. It was believed that Britain was willing to run the blockade for the cotton, bringing guns and other supplies into rebal ports for an exchange of items that the rebels were desperate to receive.

As the President's Bodyguard, I Was Heavily Armed

Anyone who questioned my ability to guard President Lincoln didn't know me. At 6'4" and 260 pounds, my usual arsenal of weapons included two Cold .44 pistols, two Bowie knives, a set of brass knuckles, a black jack and a sword in the handle of my cane.  My fists were also weapons that I used frequently.

My weaknesses were hard luck stories, being too generous and extravagent, and lack of foresight. I always lived in the present. I told my daughter Dollie "not to be afraid of anything except smallpox and cats -- and that I could smell a cat in a room."

I recently had a incident in a dark alley in Washington City where I tried to arrest a man involved in a fight. The participants were told to stop that I was a federal police officcer. I showed my badge. One man stopped the other didn't. I told him three times he was under arrest. He came forward. I punched him in the facewith my fist. He was taken away by the medics. he never regained consciousness and later died.

I told Mr. Lincoln that I felt badly at how the event went down. He asked if I identied myself and showed my badge. I told him I had done both. The president told me next time to pick up a stick and use that, as it may not have hurt as much as the blow delivered by my fist.

General Fremont is Relieved of His Duties

The fued between President Lincoln and General John Fremont came to a head this week. In spite ot Fremont's victory at Lexington, the president was tired of Fremont's contuned attempts to emanciapte Missouri's slaves, in defiance of Mr. Lincoln's position on the matter, caused Fremont's dismissal. General David Hunter was assigned to take Fremont's place as commander of the division of Missouri.

Almost simultaneously, General Winfield Scott resigned his command of the U. S. Army, saying it was in the best interest of the country that he do so. The crusty old general who was a veteran of the war of 1812, the Blackhawk War, the Seminole War and the Mexican war and was now 75 years old, had been receiving criticism from the radicals in Congress. General McClellan was also very critical of General Scott. Ironically, Mr. Lincoln appointed General George McClellan to take Scott's duties as commander of the Union forces. The president praised General Scott's faithful service to the Union.

Mr. Lincoln also appointed a three man military commission to examine the financial affairs of the western department. Those appointed included Joseph Holt of Kentucky, David Davis of Illinois and Thomas Benton of Missouri. Judge Davis had been the circuit court judge for Mr. Lincoln and myself for the 8th circuit of Illinois. 

President Lincoln Mourns His Friend's Death

Mr. Lincoln received the news this week that his long time friend from Illinois, Colonel Edward D. Baker, was killed in the battle at Balls Bluff in Virginia. Ironically, Colonel Baker had spent the previous day with Mr. Linoln at the White House. Mary and Abraham Lincoln had so much love and respect for their long time friend, that they had named their second child, Edward Baker Lincoln (known as Willie) after their friend. On hearing the news Mr. Lincoln wept openly.

An official study of the battle originally called out General Charles Stone for sending in Baker's forces to be slaughtered as a preconcerted ploy arranged by the rebels.  General Stone was arrested and incarcerated.

Lincoln's Cabinet Takes a Tour

President Lincoln and his cabinet met on October 19, 1861. Then they went to the Naval Yard going then to Alexandria, Virginia where they toured the steamer Pensacola. They sailed on the Potomac River to inspect Fort Washington.

I visited Springfield, meeting with my father-in-law Judge Stephen Logan. I took his advice seriously that I needed to convince my wife Sally to join me in Washington City. Sally had been convinced that I would become President Lincoln's cousel to Paris, and was quite upset that instead I became U.S. Federal Marshal of the District of Columbia. Sally agreed that she would soon joined me in Washington City. She asked me to find a house for us. I was pleased that she would soon be joing me.

Upon my return to the White House, I met with Mr. Lincoln. He was pleased that Sally and I had worked out the disagreement, and that she would be joining me. He said that I was spending way too much time on my job, and that being with my wife would be good for my disposition.

Meanwhile, two neighbors from Mill Creek, Virginia, Belle Boyd and Molly Pultz, ened up the Old Capitol jail.  They were both charged with spying, as they were caught passing information to the rebels. 

Belle Boyd was a real problem. She sang rebel songs and had a poster of Jefferson Davis in her ceell. She was even caught flying the rebel flag out her prison window.  I talked to her several times, but with those encounters, I felt like I was on the losing end of the conversation both times.

As for Molly Pultz, whose parents owned the land butting up against the Lamon land in Mill Creek, I urged President Lincoln to release her to me, which he did. I vouched for her character. I really didn't think she would be back again. I sent her home with a mutual friend and a promise that I would nto see her again.

The President Reviews General McClellan's Troops

President Lincoln rode about three miles from the Capitol on October 8 to review the Union troops being trained by General George McClellan. This was not a unique experience.  Mr. Lincoln had reviewed local regiments two dozen different times up to this point.  He knew it was important to the troops morale that they see their commander-in-chief take a personal interest in their units.

The men, on the other hand, seemed to admire so much their president to the point that they didn't notice his awkwardness riding on his horse. And he certainly made riding any horse look uncomfortable and perhaps even funny. Horace Porter said the troops "were so lost in admiration of the man that the humorous aspect did not seem to strike them."

Mr. Lincoln loved all the cheers and salutes he got from his army. He was their friend. He wanted them to succeed as a whole, but he also was empathetic to the possibilities that they might be injured or killed defending the Union.

My Father-in-Law Requested a Visit to Springfield, Illinois

Judge Stephen Logan, my father-in-law, wrote at the end of September requesting that I visit him in Springfield, Illinois. I agreed, believing it was in my best interest to visit him and my wife Sally, who had not accompanied my to Washington City. I told him I thought I would visit in October.

I met with Mr. Lincoln followiing my completion of raising the Virginia Regiment, the Lamon Brigade. I asked him "by no means let my brigade be broken up -- or having its name changed. It will bring great dissatisfaction among my men. They are attached to me and I am to them." I also told the president that I personally thought that turning loose the slaves of the enemy was "the strongest card we could play."

My mother was quite upset that of her four boys, three had originally joined the Confederates and that I had joined the Union. I reminded her that she had always taught us to support the government. I am sure she meant that we should support the union, not the rebels.  My brother Robert, who had been arrested early in the war, was released to my custody and is now a deputy helping me perform my official duties.  Now in my mother's world, she had two boys on each side.