Home beyond the fortifications.Stanton,in whom there was a reminiscence at least of the hysterical Secretary of 1862,sent after him post haste and insisted on his returning.The next day,the eleventh of July,1864,Washington was invested by the Confederate forces.There was sharp firing in front of several forts.Lincoln--and for that matter,Mrs.Lincoln also--made a tour of the defenses.While Fort Stevens was under fire,he stood on the parapet,"apparently unconscious of danger,watching with that grave and passive countenance the progress of the fight,amid the whizzing bullets of the sharp shooters,until an officer fell mortally wounded within three feet of him,and General Wright peremptorily represented to him the needless risk he was running."Hay recorded in his diary "the President in good feather this evening ...not concerned about Washington's safety ...only thought,can we bag or destroy the force in our front.'"He was much disappointed when Early eluded the forces which Grant hurried to the Capitol.
Mrs.Lincoln was outspoken to the same effect.The doughty little lady had also been under fire,her temper being every whit as bold as her husband's.When Stanton with a monumental playfulness proposed to have her portrait painted in a commanding attitude on the parapet of Fort Stevens,she gave him the freedom of her tongue,because of the inadequacy of his department.[9]
This incident had its aftermath.A country-place belonging to the Postmaster General had been laid waste.its owner thought that the responsibility for permitting Early to come so near to Washington fell chiefly on General Halleck.He made some sharp criticisms which became public the General flew into a rage and wrote to the Secretary of War:"The Postmaster General ought to be dismissed by the President from the Cabinet."Stanton handed his letter to the President,from whom the next day the General received this note:"Whether the remarks were made I do not know,nor do I suppose such knowledge is necessary to a correct response.if they were made,I do not approve them;and yet,under the circumstances,I would not dismiss a member of the Cabinet therefor.I do not consider what may have been hastily said in a moment of vexation at so severe a loss is sufficient ground for so grave a step.Besides this,truth is generally the best vindication against slander.I propose continuing to be myself the judge as to when a member of the Cabinet shall be dismissed."Lincoln spoke of the affair at his next conference with his Ministers."I must,myself,be the judge,"said he,"how long to retain in and when to remove any of you from his position.It would greatly pain me to discover any of you endeavoring to procure another's removal,or in any way to prejudice him before the public.Such an endeavor would be a wrong to me,and much worse,a wrong to the country.My wish is that on this subject no remark be made nor question asked by any of you,here or elsewhere,now or hereafter."[10]
Not yet had anything resulted either from the Canadian mission of Greeley,or from the Richmond adventure of Gilmore and Jaquess.There was a singular ominous pause in events.
Lincoln could not be blind to the storm signals that had attended the close of Congress.What were the Vindictives about?As yet they had made no Sign.But it was incredible that they could pass over his defiance without a return blow.
When would it come?What would it be?
He spent his nights at the Soldiers'Home.As a rule,his family were with him.Sometimes,however,Mrs.Lincoln and his sons would be absent and his only companion was one of the ardent young secretaries.Then he would indulge in reading Shakespeare aloud,it might be with such forgetfulness of time that only the nodding of the tired young head recalled him to himself and brought the reading to an end.A visitor has left this charming picture of Lincoln at the Soldiers'Home in the sad sweetness of a summer night:
"The Soldiers'Home is a few miles out of Washington on the Maryland side.It is situated on a beautiful wooded hill,which you ascend by a winding path,shaded on both sides by wide-spread branches,forming a green arcade above you.When you reach the top you stand between two mansions,large,handsome and substantial,but with nothing about them to indicate the character of either.That on the left is the Presidential country house;that directly before you,is the 'Rest,'for soldiers who are too old for further service ..
.in the graveyard near at hand there are numberless graves--some without a spear of grass to hide their newness--that hold the bodies of volunteers.
"While we stood in the soft evening air,watching the faint trembling of the long tendrils of waving willow,and feeling the dewy coolness that was flung out by the old oaks above us,Mr.Lincoln joined us,and stood silent,too,taking in the scene.
"'How sleep the brave who sink to rest,By all their country's wishes blest,"he said,softly...
"Around the 'Home'grows every variety of tree,particularly of the evergreen class.Their branches brushed into the carriage as we passed along,and left us with that pleasant woody smell belonging to leaves.One of the ladies,catching a bit of green from one of these intruding branches,said it was cedar,and another thought it spruce.
"'Let me discourse on a theme I understand,'said the President.'I know all about trees in right of being a backwoodsman.I'll show you the difference between spruce,pine and cedar,and this shred of green,which is neither one nor the other,but a kind of illegitimate cypress.He then proceeded to gather specimens of each,and explain the distinctive formation of foliage belonging to each."[11]
