William B. Wilson, employed in the telegraph office at the War
Department, ran over to the White House one day to summon Mr. Lincoln.
He described the trip back to the War Department in this manner:
“Calling one of his two younger boys to join him, we then started from
the White House, between stately trees, along a gravel path which led to
the rear of the old War Department building. It was a warm day, and Mr.
Lincoln wore as part of his costume a faded gray linen duster which hung
loosely around his long gaunt frame; his kindly eye was beaming with
good nature, and his ever-thoughtful brow was unruffled.
“We had barely reached the gravel walk before he stooped over, picked up
a round smooth pebble, and shooting it off his thumb, challenged us to
a game of ‘followings,’ which we accepted. Each in turn tried to hit
the outlying stone, which was being constantly projected onward by
the President. The game was short, but exciting; the cheerfulness
of childhood, the ambition of young manhood, and the gravity of the
statesman were all injected into it.
“The game was not won until the steps of the War Department were
reached. Every inch of progression was toughly contested, and when the
President was declared victor, it was only by a hand span. He appeared
to be as much pleased as if he had won a battle.”