A Virginia farmer, not over patriotic, probably, importuned
the President to use his influence to have a claim for damage done to his farm
by soldiers considered immediately. “Why,
my dear sir,” replied Mr. Lincoln blandly, “I couldn’t think of such a
thing. If I considered individual cases,
I should find work enough for twenty Presidents” “But,” said the persevering sufferer, “couldn’t
you just give me a line to Colonel —— about it, just one line?” “Ha, ha, ha!” responded Old Abe, “you remind
me of old Jock Chase out in Illinois.”
At this the crowd huddled forward to listen. “You see Jock—I knew him like a brother—used to
be a lumberman on the Illinois, and he was steady and sober, and the best
raftsman on the river. It was quite a
trick twenty-five years ago to take the logs over the rapids; but he was
skillful with a raft and always kept her straight in the channel. Finally a steamboat was put on, and Jock—he’s
dead now, poor fellow—was made captain of her.
He always used to take the wheel going through the rapids. One day, when the boat was plunging and
wallowing along the boiling current, and Jock’s utmost vigilance was being
exercised to keep here in the narrow channel, a boy pulled his coat tail and
hailed him with “Say, Mister captain! I
wish you’d just stop your boat a minute—I’ve lost my apple overboard!”
SOURCE: New York Daily
Herald, New York, New York, Friday, February 19, 1864, p. 5, and copied
from the New York Evening Post, New
York, New York, Wednesday, February 17, 1864.
