Soon after hostilities broke out between the North and South, Congress
appointed a Committee on the Conduct of the War. This committee beset
Mr. Lincoln and urged all sorts of measures. Its members were aggressive
and patriotic, and one thing they determined upon was that the Army of
the Potomac should move. But it was not until March that they became
convinced that anything would be done.
One day early in that month, Senator Chandler, of Michigan, a member of
the committee, met George W. Julian. He was in high glee. “‘Old’ Abe is
mad,” said Julian, “and the War will now go on.”