Francis B. Carpenter, Six Months at the White House

[233] her husband's portrait, painted secretly for a birthday present, “horridly like;” “and that,” said he, “seems to me a just criticism of this!” The liability to “mistakes,” so many instances of which had occurred during the war, both on land and sea, was illustrated by reference to a charitably disposed woman, with a very indifferent face, who, while visiting the rooms of the Young Men's Christian Association, or a similar institution, caught sight of her own reflection in a concealed looking-glass, upon which she retired in great confusion, saying she would have nothing more to do with an institution which one could not visit without meeting disreputable characters.

Lieutenant Cushing related a circumstance showing the estimation in which General Sherman was held by the rebel privates. A deserter of this class had lately fallen into his hands. “Our boys,” said he, speaking of the Rebels, “say General Sherman never makes but one speech. When ready for a movement, he says: ‘Now boys, let's get ready to go;’ and they get ready,” said the deserter, “on both sides.”

“There is a good deal of mother-wit in some of those fellows,” rejoined Mr. Lincoln, much amused. “That puts me in mind of a conversation between two opposing pickets, just after Hooker fell back across the Rappahannock, after the battle of Chancellorville. ‘Where's Old Joe?’ called out a ‘butternut’ one frosty morning. ‘Gone to ’”