President Abraham Lincoln settled into the chair by the table covered with maps. Sighing, he adjusted his glasses and wearily looked at them, half listening as Edwin Stanton, Secretary of War, droned on about the situation. To one side of the table were the latest newspapers from Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, all of them screaming about the rebel invasion.
"The reports indicate that Lee's casualties last night were substantial," Stanton announced. 'It's a heartening indicator."
"Strange," Lincoln whispered, "we now call the deaths of so many young men heartening."
"It's the most successful repulse we've seen yet of an attack by Lee, in fact the first clear defeat since Malvern Hill a year ago…"
"And do you think he will come on again today?" Stanton nodded.
"Why?"
"It's not like him to back off from an attack."
Lincoln picked up one of the maps brought over from the War Department showing southern Pennsylvania and most of Maryland. Blue and red pencil markings traced out the route of the two armies as they converged on Gettysburg.
"Should we be confident that General Meade will react correctly?" Lincoln finally asked.
"He was chosen by you," Stanton replied cautiously.
"Upon your recommendation."
"He is the only one capable right now. Unfortunately, Reynolds turned it down."
"And now he is dead."
"Yes."
Lincoln nodded, looking back at the papers, one of them dated from Chicago only two days ago. How remarkable, he thought When I came to Congress from Springfield only
seventeen years ago the journey had taken more than a week. Now papers can be rushed from Chicago in just two days. The Chicago paper's top story was a report from Grant's army proclaiming that Vicksburg would fall within the week.
"There is nothing we can do to affect things now," Lincoln said, again looking back at the map. "Let us trust that General Meade will prove himself worthy of the men who serve him;"