He was upset by a crying woman holding a child. @Major @Eckert asked her what was wrong. The answer was not surprising. She was the wife of a soldier. She had come to Washington with her baby, hoping to get a pass to see her husband. She learned that this was not true. If she were the wife of an officer, she could easily get such a pass. Her husband, though, was a private. It would not be so simple. She had little money, and @Washington was an expensive city. She couldn't afford to wait.
"Come, Eckert," Lincoln demanded. "Let's send the woman down there!"
It wasn't that easy. He was told that the war office had orders not to let women into camp.
"Hmm!" replied Lincoln, glaring at the man. "Let us whip the devil around the stump since he will not step right over! Send the woman's husband a leave of absence.
