In the Civil War there was widespread opposition to the presence of women on the battlefield—both on the part of civilians and the military officers. Lincoln was not the exception. He protested that a woman on the battlefield would be a “fifth wheel to a wagon.” After the close of the war Clara Barton penned the following, a part of the poem entitled “The Women who went to the Field”: Will he glance at the boats on the great western flood, At Pittsburgh and Shiloh, did they faint at the blood? And the brave wife of Grant stood there with them then, And her calm stately presence gave strength to the men. XXXII In spite of her retiring nature and shrinking from publicity, Clara Barton remained probably the best known woman in America, surely one of the best-beloved. New Orleans (La.) _Item_. Miss Barton took the lecture platform, under an agreement to lecture 300 nights at $100 a night. Louisville (Ky.) _Courier-Journal_. Fear is the mother of foresight. HENRY TAYLOR. Fear is the mother of safety. EDMUND BURKE. Fear makes us feel for humanity. EARL OF BEACONSFIELD. In the earlier years of my life, I remember nothing but fear. CLARA BARTON. It was high counsel that I once heard given to a young person: “Always do what you are afraid to do.” RALPH WALDO EMERSON. Timid as a sheep. OUIDA. Timid as a doe. ROBERT NOEL. Timid as a fawn. THACKERAY. I am the most timid person on earth. CLARA BARTON. Some critic has said that I was visibly agitated when I arose to address my audience;—the critic was right, and why should I not be? CLARA BARTON. All speech-making terrifies me. First I have no taste for it, and lastly I hate it. CLARA BARTON. Nothing could gratify me more than to know that I had been one of these self-reliant American girls like our sweet poetess Lucy Larcrom. CLARA BARTON. If I could have gotten over my timid sensitiveness it would have given far less annoyance to my friends, and trouble to myself, all through life. CLARA BARTON. TIMID CHILD—TIMID WOMAN Fear is relative. The fear of death by flames is greater than by water. The fear not to do is ofttimes greater than the fear to do. The fear of failure is supplanted by courage. To the sensitive nature the fear that others may suffer impels to the greatest courage. Despite innate fear, courage is uppermost in the minds of those who would achieve results. The most renowned in the fine arts, in oratory, in patriotism, in the humanities, are those by nature timid.