the men remained, although the roar of the guns of the
pursuing enemy was supposed to be heard in every sound
during the night. Of our telegraphers not one was miss-
ing the next morning.

Soon after this I returned to Washington and made
my headquarters in the War Building with Colonel
Scott. As I had charge of the telegraph department, as
well as the railways, this gave me an opportunity of
seeing President Lincoln, Mr. Seward, Secretary Cam-
eron, and others; and I was occasionally brought in per-
sonal contact with these men, which was to me a source
of great interest. Mr. Lincoln would occasionally come
to the office and sit at the desk awaiting replies to tele-
grams, or perhaps merely anxious for information.

All the pictures of this extraordinary man are like
him. He was so marked of feature that it was impossible
for any one to paint him and not produce a likeness. He
was certainly one of the most homely men I ever saw
when his features were in repose; but when excited or
telling a story, intellect shone through his eyes and il-
luminated his face to a degree which I have seldom or
never seen in any other. His manners were perfect be-
cause natural; and he had a kind word for everybody,
even the youngest boy in the office. His attentions were
not graduated. They were the same to all, as deferential
in talking to the messenger boy as to Secretary Seward.
His charm lay in the total absence of manner. It was not
so much, perhaps, what he said as the way in which he
said it that never failed to win one. I have often regretted
that I did not note down carefully at the time some of
his curious sayings, for he said even common things in
an original way. I never met a great man who so thor-
oughly made himself one with all men as Mr. Lincoln.
As Secretary Hay so well says, "It is impossible to

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