锘挎澀宸炴礂娴存寜鎽╀細鎵€
the account given by Mr. Lamon in his Life of Lincoln:
鈥淥ne day, during these many marches and counter-marches, an old Indian found his way into the camp, weary, hungry, 鏉窞澶滅敓娲婚緳鍑?and helpless. He professed to be a friend of the whites; and, although it was an exceedingly perilous experiment for one of his color, he ventured to throw himself upon the mercy of the soldiers. But the men first murmured, and then broke out into fierce cries for his blood.
鈥?鈥榃e have come out to fight the Indians,鈥檣74} said they, 鈥榓nd by G鈥攚e 鏉窞涓濊璋冩暀 intend to do it!鈥?
鈥淭he poor Indian, now in the extremity of his distress and trouble, did what he ought to have done before: he threw down before 鏉窞涓嶆瑙勭殑瓒虫荡搴楄繕鏈夊悧 his assailants a soiled and crumpled paper which he implored them to read before his life was taken. It was a letter of character and safe conduct from Gen. Cass, pronouncing him a faithful man, who had done good service in the cause for which this army was enlisted. But it was too late; the men refused to read it, or thought it a forgery, 鏉窞鍝佽尪澶滅綉 and were rushing with fury upon the defenceless old savage, when Capt. Lincoln bounded between them and their appointed victim.
鈥?鈥楳en,鈥?said he, and his voice for a moment stilled the agitation around him, 鈥榯his must not be done; he must not be shot and killed by us.鈥?
鈥?鈥楤ut,鈥?said some of them, 鈥榯he Indian is a spy.鈥?
鈥淟incoln knew that his own 鏉窞妗戞嬁鎸夋懇涓€鏉￠緳 life was now in only less danger than that of the poor creature that cowered behind him. During the whole of this scene Capt. Lincoln seemed to 鏉窞姘寸枟spa rise to an unusual height of stature. The towering form, the passion and resolution in his face, the physical power and terrible will exhibited in every motion{75} of his body, every gesture of his arm, produced an effect upon the furious mob as unexpected perhaps to him as to any one else. They paused, listened, fell back, and then sullenly obeyed 鏉窞鍝佽尪缇庡コ缇?what seemed to be the voice of reason as well as authority. But there were still some murmurs of disappointed rage and half-suppressed exclamations, which 鏉窞妗戞嬁qq缇?looked toward vengeance of some kind. At length
one of the men, a little bolder than the rest, but evidently feeling that he spoke for the whole, cried out:
鈥?鈥楾his is cowardly on your part, 鏉窞灏忎斧澶磋冻娴存瑙勫悧 Lincoln!鈥?
鈥淲hereupon the tall Captain鈥檚 figure stretched a few inches higher again. He looked down upon these varlets who would have murdered a 鏉窞澶滅敓娲绘澀宸炵櫨鑺卞潑 defenceless old Indian and now quailed before his single hand, with lofty contempt. The oldest of his acquaintances, even Bill Green, who saw him grapple Jack Armstrong and defy the bullies at his back, never saw him so much aroused before.
鈥?鈥業f any man thinks I am a coward, let him test it,鈥?said he.
鈥?鈥楲incoln,鈥?responded a new voice, 鈥榶ou 鏉窞妗戞嬁鎸夋懇qq缇?are stronger and heavier than we are.鈥檣76}
鈥?鈥楾his you can guard against; choose your weapons,鈥?returned the rigid Captain.
鈥淲hatever may be said of Mr. 鏉窞鍝佽尪涓婅寰俊 Lincoln鈥檚 choice of means for the preservation of military discipline, it was certainly very effectual in this case. There was no more disaffection in his camp, and the wor