“'Do you say that his father and mother do not know of this, nor that you are here?'
“'Mr. President, they are not aware of the case.'
“'Mrs. Anderson, that was very considerate in your friends and yourself, to keep this from them for the present at least.'
“The President then wrote, with his own hand, a telegram, ordering the suspension of sentence against James Whitcomb—that he had been fully pardoned—signed it and sent it to the office with directions that the dispatch be sent at once. Mary Anderson on her knees thanked the President from the fullness of her heart. He bade her rise; said he had done nothing that she should thank him for; that if he had permitted such a sentence to be carried out he never could have forgiven himself. He bade her go home and carry the good tidings to her friends. He told her to give me and my family his kindest regards. She then left with a light heart.
“She went directly to the train, forgetting that she had eaten nothing during the day. She returned to us one of the happiest persons that ever lived, and you may depend upon it that we all shared in her joy. Capt. Jackson had returned to his command prior to Mary's return from Wash ington. When we all got through with the family talk and Mary had eaten her dinner, she gave us a full account of her trip, her agonies and sensations on meeting the President. She was exceedingly happy in her details about her trip and her success; but, strange to say, she never alluded to it again voluntarily, and would, as much as possible, avoid conversation on the subject when spoken to in reference to it.
“Gen. Anderson had asked that James Whitcomb be detailed from his regiment and assigned to him as an Orderly at his Headquarters, which was done. And again all was moving on quietly in the field.”
“Yes,” said Capt. Inglesby, “as I before stated, there would have been warm times in that camp had they shot that boy. The whole camp had heard the facts about his helping his comrade, and the soldiers with one voice said he should not be executed. His pardon was a Godsend to the officers who were intending to carry out the sentence. During all my experience (and I was through the whole war) I never knew such a mutinous feeling in the army as that sentence created.”
Dr. Adams remarked that in all his reading and experience in life there had not been a female character brought to his notice who had shown the will, determination and good judgment that Mrs. Anderson had from the beginning of the war; her fixed Union principles; her determination to make any and all sacrifices for the cause of her country; her persistence in hunting for her husband when all others were sure of his death at Dolinsburg—few women like her have lived in our time. “God bless her, whether she is living or dead!”
The tears rolled down the old man's cheeks, but he uttered not one word in response.