A Reporter for Lincoln: Henry E. Wing

By Cynthia Doherty

Samuel Brackett Wing was not the only Wing who encountered the horror of the Battle of the Wilderness. Henry E. Wing was in the thick of it too. But he was not serving as a soldier.  He had been wounded in battle earlier in the war, forever after walking with a limp. Unlike his cousin Samuel, who fought and was wounded in the Battle of the Wilderness, Henry’s role was one of witness. He was a newspaper reporter. We would call him “embedded” in today’s vernacular.

In those days, of course, there were no satellites or cell phones. Telegraphs were a marvel, but one had to be reached in order to file a report. Henry’s job was to leave the Battle of the Wilderness and get to Washington to file his report, passing through enemy lines a number of times. Disguised as a poor Southerner, he changed his story depending on the loyalties of the soldiers he was talking to. Chased by the Confederates, barely escaping with his life more than once, his journey full of twists and turns and anxious moments ended at a government telegraph station about 15 miles from Washington, DC.

Unfortunately, government telegraphs were for government business only, not for reporters to file reports with their news bureaus. Henry convinced the operator to send a message to Assistant Secretary of War Charles Dana, whom Henry knew, hoping he might get his attention. The message was “I am just in from the front. Left Grant at four o’clock this morning.” 

Dana’s boss, Secretary of War Stanton answered immediately “Where did you leave General Grant?”

Ever the loyal reporter, Henry said he would not divulge any information until he could file a hundred-word report with his newspaper the New York Tribune. Stanton’s response was swift and cruel. Henry was arrested as a spy. 

Soon after Henry’s arrest, another telegram came in. It was President Lincoln, asking if Henry would tell him where General Grant was. Henry E .Wing remained adamant.  He would tell Lincoln everything but first he had to file a hundred-word report to his newspaper. Lincoln agreed. He also sent a train down to pick him up and bring him back to the White House for a meeting at two o’clock the next morning. Henry’s report to the President was grave. As we learned in the story of Samuel Brackett Wing, there were over 17000 casualties on the Union Army side. There was no decisive win for either side.  Henry told of lieutenants and captains arguing with each other, failed strategies and overall chaos. The news was anything but hopeful.

Then Henry told Lincoln General Grant had asked him to deliver a message to the president. “Whatever happens, there is no turning back.” Lincoln’s visage changed from one of misery to one of hope. He put his arms around Henry and kissed him on the forehead.

Henry continued to be the eyes and ears for President Lincoln until the end of the war, bringing back intelligence that helped the president better understand the progress of the war.

The facts of Henry’s journey across enemy lines tell us a bit about his adventurous spirit. But the following story tells us of his compassion towards others.

Henry was coming back to Washington by boat and saw a boy huddled in a corner.  Henry stopped to talk to him and found out his mother, whom he had lived with “up north” had died a year previous and so, this boy of twelve, took a journey down to find his

father who was fighting for the Union. He had found him and had gone to war with him. 

His father died not too long before Henry came upon him. The boy had nowhere to go, no family to go home to. Henry took him in, letting him stay with him and bringing him to work with him the next day. Work entailed meeting with President Lincoln to report on the war.  In the course of the conversation Henry told him of the boy who had no one. 

President Lincoln was moved and, in his next meeting, told those present about this fatherless and motherless young man. Henry was pleased when he found out that a Senator was so moved that he agreed to raise the child as his own. None of that would have happened if Henry hadn’t had the compassion to listen to this young man’s story and do what he could to help him to a better life.