But the hour, the day, the night pass'd, and whatever returns, an
hour, a day, a night like that can never again return. The President,
recovering himself, begins that very night--sternly, rapidly sets about
the task of reorganizing his forces, and placing himself in positions
for future and surer work. If there were nothing else of Abraham Lincoln
for history to stamp him with, it is enough to send him with his wreath
to the memory of all future time, that he endured that hour, that day,
bitterer than gall--indeed a crucifixion day--that it did not conquer
him--that he unflinchingly stemm'd it, and resolv'd to lift himself and
the Union out of it.
Then the great New York papers at once appear'd, (commencing that
evening, and following it up the next morning, and incessantly through
many days afterwards,) with leaders that rang out over the land with
the loudest, most reverberating ring of clearest bugles, full
of encouragement, hope, inspiration, unfaltering defiance; Those
magnificent editorials! they never flagg'd for a fortnight. The "Herald"
commenced them--I remember the articles well. The "Tribune" was equally
cogent and inspiriting--and the "Times," "Evening Post," and other
principal papers, were not a whit behind. They came in good time,
for they were needed. For in the humiliation of Bull Run, the popular
feeling north, from its extreme of superciliousness, recoil'd to the
depth of gloom and apprehension.
(Of all the days of the war, there are two especially I can never
forget. Those were the day following the news, in New York and Brooklyn,
of that first Bull Run defeat, and the day of Abraham Lincoln's death.
I was home in Brooklyn on both occasions. The day of the murder we heard
the news very early in the morning. Mother prepared breakfast--and
other meals afterward--as usual; but not a mouthful was eaten all day by
either of us. We each drank half a cup of coffee; that was all. Little
was said. We got every newspaper morning and evening, and the frequent
extras of that period, and pass'd them silently to each other.)