During the American Civil War, a young man named Roswell McIntyre was drafted into the New York Cavalry . The war was not going well. Soldiers were needed so desperately, that he was sent into battle with very little training. Roswell became frightened — he panicked and ran. He was later court-martialed and condemned to be shot for desertion .
McIntyre's mother appealed to President Lincoln. She pleaded that he was young and inexperienced and he needed a second chance. The generals, however, urged the president to enforce discipline. Exceptions, they asserted, would undermine the discipline of an already beleaguered army.
Lincoln thought and prayed. Then he wrote a famous statement. “I have observed,” he said, “that it never does a boy much good to shoot him.” He wrote this letter in his own handwriting: “This letter will certify that Roswell McIntyre is to be readmitted into the New York Cavalry. When he serves out his required enlistment , he will be freed of any charges of desertion.”
That faded letter, signed by the president, is on display in the Library of Congress. Beside it there is a note which reads, “This letter was taken from the body of Roswell McIntyre, who died at a battle in Virginia.”
美国内战时期，有个名叫罗斯韦尔·麦金泰尔的年轻人被征入纽约骑兵部队。当时战事不顺，部队急需战士，他几乎没怎么训练就被送上了战场。罗斯韦尔惊慌失措——他感到恐惧，当了逃兵。后来，经军事法庭裁定，将其因擅离职守罪判处枪决。
麦金泰尔的母亲去向林肯总统求情，请求念在儿子年纪尚轻，无作战经验，能否再给一次机会。可是，将军们都敦促总统不能坏了纪律。他们声称，如果破了例，已经四面楚歌的部队定会纪律涣散。
林肯经过考虑和祈祷，写下了很有名的一句话：“我认为，”他说，“枪毙一个小伙子意义不太大。”他亲笔写了下面这封信：“兹证明罗斯韦尔·麦金泰尔再次被征召进入纽约骑兵部队。待服役期满，他将免受任何关于‘擅离职守罪'的指控。”
这封总统亲笔签署的信如今已经泛黄，就陈列在美国国会图书馆里。旁边有张纸条，上面写着：“此信件是在罗斯韦尔·麦金泰尔的遗体上找到的，该战士在弗吉尼亚州的一场战役中捐躯。”
-cavalry [ˈkævlrɪ] n. 骑兵(队)
-desertion [dɪˈzɜːʃn] n. 擅离职守
-beleaguered [bɪˈliːɡəd] adj. 被困的
-enlistment [ɪnˈlɪstmənt] n. 应征入伍
第二次机会总是来之不易，它值得拥有的人拼尽全力，哪怕是在战火中得到永生。