Russell Conwell, a Civil War captain, revered Abraham Lincoln. But unlike most, he met the man face to face. Twice.

In his book, “Acres Of Diamonds,” Conwell recalled visiting Lincoln at the White House to plead for the life of a young soldier who had been sentenced to death.

“I never was so afraid when the shells came around us at Antietam as I was when I went into that room that day,” Conwell wrote.

Lincoln had already heard about the case and assured Conwell that he’d never sign an order to shoot a boy under 20.

“How is it going in the field?” Lincoln then asked.

“We sometimes get discouraged,” he said.

“It is all right,” said Lincoln. “We are going to win ...”

Conwell then stumbled on Lincoln’s soft spot. After learning that the young captain grew up on a farm, the president relaxed a bit, threw his leg up on the corner of his chair, and chatted about farming.

He became “so every day, so farm-like,” wrote Conwell.

“No man ought to wish to be President of the United States,” Lincoln said. “And I will be glad when I get through. Then Tad and I are going out to Springfield, Illinois. I have bought a farm out there and I don’t care if I again earn only twenty-five cents a day. Tad has a mule team, and we are going to plant onions.” 

Lincoln picked up some papers, looked at Conwell and said, “Good morning.”

“I took the hint and got up and went,” he wrote.

When Conwell saw Lincoln again, he was inside a coffin in the East Room.

“When I looked at the upturned face of........

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