In 1862, Washington was full of talk "and no hard cider." There was the
laugh talk of the gossips, who would chatter under fire, the chaff talk
of the press men taking things farcically, and the staff talk of the
officers envying one another and scheming for places. Too many were
still "carrying water on both shoulders," and would have welcomed a
speedy reconciliation. The President heard that some of the latter
voiced the petulant complaint of those weary of the gainless military
movements, that the intention was to shift the two armies about till
both were exhausted, and, like the peace-at-any-price men, and the
still sympathizing pro-slavery "tail," a compromise could be effected
and slavery saved. He summoned the parties in this public unbosoming
before him. Major Turner said that Major John J. Key, staff-officer to
General McClellan, was asked why the Unionists had not _bagged_ the
rebel army soon after the battle of Sharpsburg, whereupon he replied:
"That was not the game! We should tire ourselves and the rebels out;
that was the only way that the Union could be preserved; then we would
come together fraternally, and slavery will be saved."
Major Key did not deny the words, but stoutly maintained his loyalty.
As McClellan's staff-officer, he must have known his leader's
policy--no confiscation, and no Emancipation Act--for McClellan hoped,
like thousands of conservatives, to bring about reaction in the South.
But the President sharply said with some of his sempiternal humor:
"Gentlemen, if there is a game even among Union men, to have our army
not take any advantage of the enemy it can, it is my object to break up
that game!"
* * * * *
"THE BOTTOM WILL FALL OUT."
General McClellan's delayed advance being, in 1862, not upon Manassas,
but on Yorktown, filled the less enthusiastic of his henchmen with
consternation. To the general eye he seemed to have pitched on the very
point where the enemy wanted to meet with all the gain in their favor.
This direct route to Richmond they had tried to make impregnable. The
President, whom McClellan openly thwarted with unconcealed scorn for
the "civilian," was in profound distress. He called General Franklin
into his counsel and inquired his opinion of the slowness of movements.
"If something is not soon done in this dry rot, the bottom will fall
out of the whole affair!" This was his very saying.
The Confederates evacuated Yorktown, but a series of actions ensued,
culminating in the massacre at Fair Oaks, where both sides claimed the
victory. Soon after, Lincoln took matters in hand, relegating McClellan
to one army, and, as commander-in-chief, ordering a general advance.
The bottom had fallen out with a vengeance!
* * * * *
"MASTER OF THEM BOTH."
"General McClellan's attitude is such that in the very selfishness of
his nature he cannot but wish to be successful, and I hope he will! And
the secretary of war (Stanton) is in precisely the same situation. If
the military commanders in the field cannot be successful, not only the
secretary of war, but myself, for the time being master of both, cannot
but be failures."--(Speech, August 6, 1862, at Washington.)
* * * * *
"THE SKEERED VIRGINIAN."
A reviewing-party, of which the President was the center, was stopped
at a railroad by Harper's Ferry, to let a locomotive pass, and look at
the old engine-house where John Brown, the raider, was penned in and
captured. The little switching-engine ran past with much noise and
bustle, the engineer blowing the ludicrous whistle in salute to the
distinguished visitors. Lincoln referred to the recollections of the
scene, where old "Pottowatomie" thrilled the natives with panic lest he
raised the negroes to revolt, and remarked, as the engine flew away:
"You call that 'The Flying Dutchman' do you? They ought to call that
thing 'The _Skeered_ Virginian!'"--(By General O. O. Howard, a hearer.)
* * * * *
"HE WHO FIGHTS AND RUNS AWAY--"
Shortly after the scandalous rout of Bull Run, the participants in the
panic began to try to palliate the disgrace. The President, listening
with revived sarcasm to the new perversion, remarked:
"So it is your notion _now_ that we _licked_ the rebels and then ran
away!"
* * * * *