captains of the civil war-第23节
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no advantages of birth； though he came of a sturdy old English stock that emigrated from Norfolk to Massachusetts in the seventeenth century； and though his mother seems to have been； both in tellectually and otherwise； above the general run of the Kentuckians among whom he was born in 1809。 His educational advantages were still less。 Yet he soon found his true amities in books； as afterwards in life； not among the clever； smart； or sentimental； but among the simple and the great。 He read and reread Shakespeare and the Bible； not because they were the merely proper things to read but because his spirit was akin to theirs。 This meant that he never was a bookworm。 Words were things of life to him； and； for that reason； his own words live。
He had no artificial graces to soften the uncouth appearance of his huge； gaunt six…foot…four of powerful bone and muscle。 But he had the native dignity of straightforward manhood； and； though a champion competitor in feats of strength； his opinion was always sought as that of an impartial umpire； even in cases affecting himself。 He 〃played the game〃 in his frontier home as he afterwards played the greater game of life…or…death at Washington。 His rough…hewn； strong…featured face； shaped by his kindly humor to the finer ends of power； was lit by a steady gaze that saw yet looked beyond； till the immediate parts of the subject appeared in due relation to the whole。 Like many another man who sees farther and feels more deeply than the rest； and who has the saving grace of humor； he knew what yearning melancholy was； yet kept the springs of action tense and strong。 Firm as a rock on essentials he was extremely tolerant about all minor differences。 His policy was to live and let live whenever that was possible。 The preservation of the Union was his master…passion； and he was ready for any honorable compromise that left the Union safe。 Himself a teetotaller； he silenced a temperance delegation whose members were accusing Grant of drunkenness by saying he should like to send some of his other generals a keg of the same whisky if it would only make them fight。
When he took arms against the sea of troubles that awaited him at Washington he had dire need of all his calm tolerance and strength。 To add to his burdens； he was beset by far more than the usual horde of officeseekers。 These men were doubly ravenous because their party was so new to power。 They were peculiarly hard to place with due regard for all the elements within the coalition。 And each appointment needed most discriminating care； lest a traitor to the Union might creep in。 While the guns were thundering against Fort Sumter； and afterwards； when the Union Government was marooned in Washington itself； the vestibules； stairways； ante…rooms； and offices were clogged with eager applicants for every kind of civil service job。 And then； when this vast human flood subsided； the 〃interviewing〃 stream began to flow and went on swelling to the bitter end。 These war…time interviewers claimed most of Lincoln's personal attention just when he had the least to spare。 But he would deny no one the chance of receiving presidential aid or comfort and he gladly suffered many fools for the chance of relieving the sad or serious others。 Add to all this the ceaseless work of helping to form public opinion； of counteracting enemy propaganda； of shaping Union policy under ever…changing circumstances； of carrying it out by coalition means； and of exercising civil control over such vast armed forces as no American had hitherto imagined： add these extra burdens； and we can begin to realize what Lincoln had to do as the chief war statesman of the North。
A sound public opinion is the best embattlement of any home front。 So Lincoln set out to help in forming it。 War on a national scale was something entirely new to both sides； and especially unwelcome to many people in the North； though the really loyal North was up at Lincoln's call。 Then came Bull Run； and Lincoln's renewed determination； so well expressed in Whitman's words： 〃The President； recovering himself； begins that very nightsternly； rapidly sets about the task of reorganizing his forces； and placing himself in positions for future and surer work。 If there was nothing else of Abraham Lincoln for history to stamp him with； it is enough to send him with his wreath to the memory of all future time； that he endured that hour； that day； bitterer than gallindeed a crucifixion daythat it did not conquer him that he unflinchingly stemmed it； and resolved to lift himself and the Union out of it。〃
Bull Run was only the beginning of troubles。 There were many more rocks ahead in the stormy sea of public opinion。 The peace party was always ready to lure the ship of state out of its true course by using false lights； even when certain to bring about a universal wreck in which the 〃pacifists〃 would suffer with the rest。 But dissensions within the war party were worse； especially when caused by action in the field。 Fremont's dismissal in November； '61； caused great dissatisfaction among three kinds of people： those who thought him a great general because he knew how to pose as one and really had some streaks of great ability； those who were fattening on the army contracts he let out with such a lavish hand； and those who hailed him as the liberator of the slaves because he went unwarrantably far beyond what was then politically wise or even possible。 He was the first Unionist commander to enter the Northern Cave of Adullam； already infested with Copperhead snakes。
There he was joined by McClellan exactly a year later； and there the peace…at…current…prices party continued to nurse and cry their grievances till the war was over。 McClellan's dismissal was a matter of dire necessity because victory was impossible under his command。 But he was a dangerous reinforcement to the Adullamites； for many of the loyal public had been fooled by his proclamations； the press had written him up to the skies as the Young Napoleon； and the great mass of the rank and file still believed in him。 He took the kindly interest in camp comforts that goes to the soldier's heart； and he really did know how to organize。 Add his power of passing off tinsel promises for golden deeds； and it can be well understood how great was the danger of dismissing him before his defects had become so apparent to the mass of people as to have turned opinion decisively against him。 We shall presently meet him in his relation to Lincoln during the Virginian campaign； and later on in his relation to Lee。 Here we may leave him with the reminder that he was the Democratic candidate for President in '64； that he was still a mortal danger to the Union； even though he had rejected the actual wording of his party's peace plank。
The turn of the tide at the fighting front came in '63； but not at the home front； where public opinion of the most vocal kind was stirred to its dregs by the enforcement of the draft。 The dime song books of the Copperhead parts of New York expressed in rude rhymes very much the same sort of apprehension that was voiced by the official opposition in the Presidential campaign of '64。
Abram Lincoln； what yer 'bout？ Stop this war； for it's played out。
Another rhyme； called 〃The Beauties of Conscription；〃 was a more decorous expression of such public opinion。
And this； the 〃People's Sovereignty；〃 Before a despot humbled！ 。 。 。 。 Well have they cashed old Lincoln's drafts； Hurrah for the Conscription！ 。 。 。 。 Is not this warthis MURDERfor The negro； nolens volens？
So； carrying out their ideas to the same sort of logical conclusion； the New York mob of '63 not only burnt every recruiting office they found undefended but burnt the negro orphan asylum and killed all the negroes they could lay their hands on。
Public opinion did veer round a little with the rising tide of victory in the winter of '63 and '64。 But； incredible as it may seem to those who think the home front must always reflect the fighting front； the nadir of public opinion in the North was reached in the summer of '64； when every expert knew that the resources of the South were nearing exhaustion and that the forces of the North could certainly wear out Lee's dwindling army even if they could not beat it。 The trumpet gave no uncertain sound from Lincoln's lips。 〃In this purpose to save the country and its liberties no class of people seem so nearly unanimous as the soldiers in the field and the sailors afloat。 Do they not have the hardest of it？ Who should quail while they do not？〃 But the mere excellence of a vast fighting front means a certain loss of the nobler qualities in the home front； from which so many of the staunchest are withdrawn。 And then warweariness breeds doubts； doubts breed fears； and fears breed the spirit of surrender。
There seemed to be more Copperheads in the conglomerate opposition than Unionists ready to withstand them。 The sinister figure of Vallandigham loomed large in Ohio； where he openly denounced the war in such disloyal terms that the military authorities arrested him。 An opposition committee； backed by the snakes in the grass of the secret societies； at once wrote to Lincoln demanding release。 Lincoln thereupon offered release if the committ
