nt, without escort, or even the company of a servant, walking all
the way, going and returning. Considering the many open and secret
threats to take his life, it is not surprising that Lincoln had many
thoughts about his coming to a sudden and violent end. He once said that
he felt the force of the expression, 'To take one's life in his hand';
but that he would not like to face death suddenly. He said that he
thought himself a great coward physically, and was sure that he would
make a poor soldier, for unless there was something inspiriting in the
excitement of a battle he was sure that he would drop his gun and run at
the first symptom of danger. That was said sportively, and he added,
'Moral cowardice is something which I think I never had.'"

CHAPTER XVI

Civil War--Uprising of the Nation--The President's First Call for
Troops--Response of the Loyal North--The Riots in
Baltimore--Loyalty of Stephen A. Douglas--Douglas's Death--Blockade
of Southern Ports--Additional War Measures--Lincoln Defines the
Policy of the Government--His Conciliatory Course--His Desire to
Save Kentucky--The President's First Message to Congress--Gathering
of Troops in Washington--Reviews and Parades--Disaster at Bull
Run--The President Visits the Army--Good Advice to an Angry
Officer--A Peculiar Cabinet Meeting--Dark Days for Lincoln--A
"Black Mood" in the White House--Lincoln's Unfaltering
Courage--Relief in Story-telling--A Pretty Good Land
Title--"Measuring up" with Charles Sumner--General Scott "Unable as
a Politician"--A Good Drawing-plaster--The New York Millionaires
who Wanted a Gunboat--A Good Bridge-builder--A Sick Lot of
Office-seekers.

The Confederate attack upon Fort Sumter--a United States fort situated
at the mouth of Charleston Harbor, South Carolina--April 12, 1861, was
the signal that civil war had actually begun. Lincoln had thus far
maintained a conciliatory policy toward the States in rebellion, hoping
to the last that good sense and reason prevailing over rash and violent
impulses would induce them to resume their allegiance to the Government.
Their resort to arms and capture of forts and property of the United
States decided the course of the administration; and on the 15th of
April--forty-two days after his accession to the Presidency--Lincoln
issued a proclamation asking for the immediate enlistment of 75,000
volunteers,[C] and summon