I shall
assist you as far as I can to put it down. Neither you nor
Napoleon, if he were alive again, could get any good out of an army
while such a spirit prevails in it.
"And now beware of rashness--but with energy and sleepless
vigilance go forward and give us victories."
While Hooker lay in winter quarters reorganizing his army his picket
lines in speaking distance with those of his opponent across the river,
the President bent his strong shoulders to the task of cheering the
fainting spirits of the people. On his shaggy head was heaped the blame
of all the sorrows, the failures and the agony of the ever deepening
tragedy of war. Deeper and deeper into his rugged kindly face were cut
the lines of life and death, and darker grew the shadows through which
his sensitive lonely soul was called to walk.
And yet, through it all, there glowed with stronger radiance the charm
of his quaint genius and his magnetic personality--tragic, homely,
gentle, humorous, honest, merciful, wise, laughable and lovable.
He found time to run down to Hampton Roads with Gideon Welles, his loyal
Secretary of the Navy, to inspect the ships assembled there. He saw a
narrow door bound with iron.
"What is that?" he asked sharply.
"Oh, that is the sweat box," the Secretary replied, "used for
insubordinate seamen----"
"Oh," the rugged giant exclaimed, "how do you work it?"
"The man to be punished is put inside and steam heat is turned on.
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