Lincoln's Yarns and Stories [75]
Lincoln's inquiry, after the whole situation had been presented to him. I answered that the solution of the problem was a very simple and easy one--that Grant was idle in front of Petersburg; that Sheridan had won all possible victories in the Valley; and that if five thousand Pennsylvania soldiers could be furloughed home from each army, the election could be carried without doubt.
"Lincoln's face' brightened instantly at the suggestion, and I saw that he was quite ready to execute it. I said to him: 'Of course, you can trust want to make the suggestion to him to furlough five thousand Pennsylvania troops for two weeks?'
"'To my surprise, Lincoln made no answer, and the bright face of a few moments before was instantly shadowed again. I was much disconcerted, as I supposed that Grant was the one man to whom Lincoln could turn with absolute confidence as his friend. I then said, with some earnestness: 'Surely, Mr. President, you can trust Grant with a confidential suggestion to furlough Pennsylvania troops?'
"Lincoln remained silent and evidently distressed at the proposition I was pressing upon him. After a few moments, and speaking with emphasis, I said: 'It can't be possible that Grant is not your friend; he can't be such an ingrate?'
"Lincoln hesitated for some time, and then answered in these words: 'Well, McClure, I have no reason to believe that Grant prefers my election to that of McClellan.'
"I believe Lincoln was mistaken in his distrust of Grant."
JUSTICE vs. NUMBERS.
Lincoln was constantly bothered by members of delegations of "goody-goodies," who knew all about running the War, but had no inside information as to what was going on. Yet, they poured out their advice in streams, until the President was heartily sick of the whole business, and wished the War would find some way to kill off these nuisances.
"How many men have the Confederates now in the field?" asked one of these bores one day.
"About one million two hundred thousand," replied the President.
"Oh, my! Not so many as that, surely, Mr. Lincoln."
"They have fully twelve hundred thousand, no doubt of it. You see, all of our generals when they get whipped say the enemy outnumbers them from three or five to one, and I must believe them. We have four hundred thousand men in the field, and three times four make twelve,--don't you see it? It is as plain to be seen as the nose on a man's face; and at the rate things are now going, with the great amount of speculation and the small crop of fighting, it will take a long time to overcome twelve hundred thousand rebels in arms.
"If they can get subsistence they have everything else, except a just cause. Yet it is said that 'thrice is he armed that hath his quarrel just.' I am willing, however, to risk our advantage of thrice in justice against their thrice in numbers."
NO FALSE PRIDE IN LINCOLN.
General McClellan had little or no conception of the greatness of Abraham Lincoln. As time went on, he began to show plainly his contempt of the President, frequently allowing him to wait in the ante-room of his house while he transacted business with others. This discourtesy was so open that McClellan's staff noticed it, and newspaper correspondents commented on it. The President was too keen not to see the situation, but he was strong enough to ignore it. It was a battle he wanted from McClellan, not deference.
"I will hold McClellan's horse, if he will only bring us success," he said one day.
EXTRA MEMBER OF THE CABINET.
G. H. Giddings was selected as the bearer of a message from the President to Governor Sam Houston, of Texas. A conflict had arisen there between the Southern party and the Governor, Sam Houston, and on March 18 the latter had been deposed. When Mr. Lincoln heard of this, he decided to try to get a message to the Governor, offering United States support if he would put himself at the head of the Union party of the State.
Mr. Giddings thus told of his interview with the President:
"He said to me that the message was of such importance that,
"Lincoln's face' brightened instantly at the suggestion, and I saw that he was quite ready to execute it. I said to him: 'Of course, you can trust want to make the suggestion to him to furlough five thousand Pennsylvania troops for two weeks?'
"'To my surprise, Lincoln made no answer, and the bright face of a few moments before was instantly shadowed again. I was much disconcerted, as I supposed that Grant was the one man to whom Lincoln could turn with absolute confidence as his friend. I then said, with some earnestness: 'Surely, Mr. President, you can trust Grant with a confidential suggestion to furlough Pennsylvania troops?'
"Lincoln remained silent and evidently distressed at the proposition I was pressing upon him. After a few moments, and speaking with emphasis, I said: 'It can't be possible that Grant is not your friend; he can't be such an ingrate?'
"Lincoln hesitated for some time, and then answered in these words: 'Well, McClure, I have no reason to believe that Grant prefers my election to that of McClellan.'
"I believe Lincoln was mistaken in his distrust of Grant."
JUSTICE vs. NUMBERS.
Lincoln was constantly bothered by members of delegations of "goody-goodies," who knew all about running the War, but had no inside information as to what was going on. Yet, they poured out their advice in streams, until the President was heartily sick of the whole business, and wished the War would find some way to kill off these nuisances.
"How many men have the Confederates now in the field?" asked one of these bores one day.
"About one million two hundred thousand," replied the President.
"Oh, my! Not so many as that, surely, Mr. Lincoln."
"They have fully twelve hundred thousand, no doubt of it. You see, all of our generals when they get whipped say the enemy outnumbers them from three or five to one, and I must believe them. We have four hundred thousand men in the field, and three times four make twelve,--don't you see it? It is as plain to be seen as the nose on a man's face; and at the rate things are now going, with the great amount of speculation and the small crop of fighting, it will take a long time to overcome twelve hundred thousand rebels in arms.
"If they can get subsistence they have everything else, except a just cause. Yet it is said that 'thrice is he armed that hath his quarrel just.' I am willing, however, to risk our advantage of thrice in justice against their thrice in numbers."
NO FALSE PRIDE IN LINCOLN.
General McClellan had little or no conception of the greatness of Abraham Lincoln. As time went on, he began to show plainly his contempt of the President, frequently allowing him to wait in the ante-room of his house while he transacted business with others. This discourtesy was so open that McClellan's staff noticed it, and newspaper correspondents commented on it. The President was too keen not to see the situation, but he was strong enough to ignore it. It was a battle he wanted from McClellan, not deference.
"I will hold McClellan's horse, if he will only bring us success," he said one day.
EXTRA MEMBER OF THE CABINET.
G. H. Giddings was selected as the bearer of a message from the President to Governor Sam Houston, of Texas. A conflict had arisen there between the Southern party and the Governor, Sam Houston, and on March 18 the latter had been deposed. When Mr. Lincoln heard of this, he decided to try to get a message to the Governor, offering United States support if he would put himself at the head of the Union party of the State.
Mr. Giddings thus told of his interview with the President:
"He said to me that the message was of such importance that,