There was every reason why the Union Army should have been victorious, and just as the forces were about to join in that fearful struggle, the commanding General gave to his army and to the President, assurance that decisive victory was certain. The existing conditions which were all thoroughly understood by the President, and the assurance received by him from General Hooker, caused him to be illy prepared for the tidings which in due time came, telling of the overwhelming defeat, and humiliating retreat, of the Union forces. By no pen has the majestic demeanor of the President upon that occasion been so graphically depicted as by that of Colonel W. O. Stoddard, one of Mr. Lincoln's private secretaries:

"That night, the last visitors in Lincoln's room were Stanton and Halleck. They went away together in silence, at somewhere near nine o'clock, and the President was left alone. Not another soul was on that floor except the one secretary, who was busy with the mail in his room across the hall from the President's; and the doors of both rooms were ajar, for the night was warm. The silence was so deep that' the ticking of a clock would have been noticeable; but another sound came that was almost as regular and ceaseless. It was the tread of the President's feet as he strode slowly back and forth across the chamber in which so many Presidents of the United States had done their work. Was he to be the last of the line? The last President of the entire United States? At that hour that very question had been asked of him by the battle of Chancellorsville. If he had wavered, if he had failed in faith or courage or prompt decision, then the nation, and not the army of the Potomac, would have lost its great battle.

"Ten o'clock came, without a break in the steady march, excepting now and then a pause in turning at either wall.

"Eleven o'clock came, and then another hour of that ceaseless march so accustomed the ear to it that when, a little

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after twelve, there was a break of several minutes, the sudden silence made one put down the letters and listen.

"The President may have been at his writing table, or he may-no man knows or can guess; but at the end of the minutes, long or short, the tramp began again. Two o'clock, and he was walking yet, and when, a little after three, the secretary's task was done and he slipped noiselessly out, he turned at the head of the stairs for a moment. It was so— the last sound he heard as he went down was the footfall in Lincoln's room.

"That was not all, however. The young man had need to return early, and he was there again before eight o'clock. The President's room door was open and he went in. There sat Mr. Lincoln eating breakfast alone. He had not been out of his room; but there was a kind of cheery, hopeful, morning light on his face, instead of the funereal battle-cloud from Chancellorsville. He had watched all night, but a dawn had come, for beside his cup of coffee lay the written draft of his instructions to General Hooker to push forward to fight again. There was a decisive battle won that night in that long vigil with disaster and despair. Only a few weeks later the Army of the Potomac fought it over again as desperately, and they won it, at Gettysburg.""1

CHRISTIAN THANKFULNESS

Nothing more clearly indicates Mr. Lincoln's close and constant fellowship with God than his oft-repeated expression of personal gratitude for favors which he recognized as coming from the hand of God. In his annual message of December 3rd, 1861, he said: "In the midst of unprecedented political troubles we have cause of great gratitude to God for unusual good health, and most abundant harvests."42

In his annual message of December 8th, 1863, is the fol

41 Abraham Lincoln-Tributes from his Associates, pp. 48-49.

42 Complete Works of Abraham Lincoln, Vol. VII., p. 28.

lowing: "Another year of health, and of sufficiently abundant harvests, has passed. For these, and especially for the improved condition of our national affairs, our renewed and profoundest gratitude to God is due."13

One year later, in his annual message of December 6th, 1864, he said: "Again the blessings of health and abundant harvests claim our profoundest gratitude to Almighty God.” **

THANKS FOR VICTORIES

All who are familiar with the story of Mr. Lincoln's inner life know that it was his custom when battles were in progress, to retire alone and plead with God for victory. The story of his intercessions with God during the Battle of Gettysburg is fittingly told in this volume by his own declarations and by the achievements of art.* His fervent plea for divine aid during that memorable struggle indicates his attitude and actions upon all similar occasions.

Mrs. Pomeroy, the Christian nurse, tells us that Mr. Lincoln was engaged in prayer for victory while the battle of Port Hudson was in progress, and when news of the victory was received and he was told, "There is nothing like prayer," he promptly responded, "Yes, there is; prayer and praise go together."

So, on July 4th, 1863, in a proclamation to the nation he said: "The President announces to the country that news from the Army of the Potomac, up to 10 P. M. of the 3rd, is such as to cover that army with the highest honor, to promise a great success to the cause of the Union, and to claim the condolence of all for the many gallant fallen; and that for this he especially desires that on this day He whose will, not ours, should ever be done be everywhere remembered and reverenced with profoundest gratitude.”45

43 Complete Works of Abraham Lincoln, Vol. IX., p. 224.

44 Ibid., Vol. X., p. 283.

* See p. 377.

45 Complete Works of Abraham Lincoln, Vol. IX., p. 17.