Lincoln's yarns and stories : $b A complete collection of the funny and witty anecdotes that made Lincoln famous as America's greatest story tellerMcClure, Alexander K. (Alexander Kelly)
History
Lincoln's yarns and stories : $b A complete collection of the funny and witty anecdotes that made Lincoln famous as America's greatest story teller
McClure, Alexander K. (Alexander Kelly)
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 -- Anecdotes
Lee was so confident his opponent would not go to Richmond that he took
his army into Maryland--a move he would not have made had an energetic
fighting man been in McClellan’s place.
It is true McClellan followed and defeated Lee in the bloodiest battle
of the War--Antietam--afterwards following him into Virginia; but
Lincoln could not bring himself to forgive the general’s inaction before
Richmond.
WHY WE WON AT GETTYSBURG.
President Lincoln said to General Sickles, just after the victory
of Gettysburg: “The fact is, General, in the stress and pinch of the
campaign there, I went to my room, and got down on my knees and prayed
God Almighty for victory at Gettysburg. I told Him that this was His
country, and the war was His war, but that we really couldn’t stand
another Fredericksburg or Chancellorsville. And then and there I made
a solemn vow with my Maker that if He would stand by you boys at
Gettysburg I would stand by Him. And He did, and I will! And after this
I felt that God Almighty had taken the whole thing into His hands.”
HAD TO WAIT FOR HIM.
President Lincoln, having arranged to go to New York, was late for his
train, much to the disgust of those who were to accompany him, and all
were compelled to wait several hours until the next train steamed out
of the station. President Lincoln was much amused at the dissatisfaction
displayed, and then ventured the remark that the situation reminded him
of “a little story.” Said he:
“Out in Illinois, a convict who had murdered his cellmate was sentenced
to be hanged. On the day set for the execution, crowds lined the roads
leading to the spot where the scaffold had been erected, and there was
much jostling and excitement. The condemned man took matters coolly, and
as one batch of perspiring, anxious men rushed past the cart in which he
was riding, he called out, ‘Don’t be in a hurry, boys. You’ve got plenty
of time. There won’t be any fun until I get there.’
“That’s the condition of things now,” concluded the President; “there
won’t be any fun at New York until I get there.”
PRESIDENT AND CABINET JOINED IN PRAYER.
On the day the news of General Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Court-House
was received, so an intimate friend of President Lincoln relates,
the Cabinet meeting was held an hour earlier than usual. Neither the
President nor any member of the Cabinet was able, for a time, to give
utterance to his feelings. At the suggestion of Mr. Lincoln all dropped
on their knees, and offered, in silence and in tears, their humble and
heartfelt acknowledgments to the Almighty for the triumph He had granted
to the National cause.
BELIEVED HE WAS A CHRISTIAN.
Mr. Lincoln was much impressed with the devotion and earnestness of
purpose manifested by a certain lady of the “Christian Commission”
during the War, and on one occasion, after she had discharged the object
of her visit, said to her:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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