The Sleeping Sentinel

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The Sleeping Sentinel is was a 1914 film that depicted US President Abraham Lincoln pardoning a sleeping sentry.

In an incident during the American Civil War, William Scott, a private from the 3rd Vermont Regiment, fell asleep while on guard duty. He was arrested, court martialed, and sentenced to be shot. Abraham Lincoln pardoned Scott and returned him to his unit. He later died in battle. The "Sleeping Sentinel" was a melodramatic poem written about this case. The movie shows William Scott actually standing before the firing squad. Lincoln happens upon the scene while riding in a carriage, stopping the squad just before it fires.