She had come to Washington with her baby, expecting to have no difficulty in getting 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 didn't know how she was going to afford to wait until she could see her husband.
"Come, Eckert," blurted out Lincoln, "let's send the woman down there!"
He was told that the war office had strengthened the orders against letting 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!
