Secretary Whitney wrote: "In July, 1861, I was in Washington, where I
merely said to President Lincoln: 'Everything is drifting into the war,
and I guess you will have to put _me_ in the army.' (He was in the
Indian service at the time.)
"The President looked up from his work, and said good-humoredly:
"'I'm making generals _now_! In a few days I will be making
quartermasters, and then I'll fix you.'"
* * * * *
"AIN'T I GLAD TO GIT OUT O' DE WILDERNESS!"
In the summer of 1862, just when the North was lulled to repose by the
note from General McClellan's newsmongers, that the people would have a
great surprise on the Fourth of July, Colonel J. E. B. Stuart,
Confederate cavalrist, took about two thousand picked riders and
performed a dash within the hostile lines, which achieved a world-wide
admiration. It is necessary to premise that the country was inimical to
the defenders of Washington, and the farmers kept the secessionists
clearly informed on the Federal movements. Besides, the first duty of
keeping Washington engrossed all the Union commanders. If, by any
unexpected movement, the rebels occupied the capital long enough to set
up their government, Europe would have recognized the stars and bars,
and raised the blockade on the cotton ports. Washington was stupefied
and terror-stricken when the news came in from the _North_ that rebel
cavalry were "cavortin" within McClellan's lines. Communication was cut
off with him, and the President was heard to say in the general
dumbness of consternation:
"There is no news from the Army of the Potomac. I do not even know that
we have an army!"
He was himself filled with the universal alarm. His hope was that a
bright morning would follow the dark hour, but his faith and belief
that God would safely lead them "_out of the wilderness_" was not
widely shared.
The allusion was to the popular army song, taken from the negro
camp-meeting repertoire: "Ain't I glad to git out o' de Wilderness,"
which a clergyman had encouragingly chanted awhile before. This
wilderness was metaphorically spiritual, but all applied the figure to
the Wilderness of Virginia, where the battles were fought.
* * * * *