Inthemidstofthisfuriousconfusion，themensurroundingLincolnmaybeexcusedfornotobservingachangeinhim。Theyhaverecordedhisappearanceofindecision，hissolicitudeoverMcClellan，hiswornandhaggardlook。Thechanginglightinthosesmolderingfiresofhisdeeplysunkeneyesescapedtheirnotice。Gradually，throughprofoundunhappiness，andasalwaysinsilence，Lincolnwasworkingoutofhislasteclipse。Nocertainrecordofhisinnerlifeduringthistransition，themostimportantofhislife，hassurvived。Wecanjudgeofitonlybytheresults。Theoutstandingfactwithregardtoitisacertainchangeofattitude，anaccessofdetermination，lateinJune。Whatdesperatewrestlingwiththeangelhadtakenplaceinthemonthsofagonysincehisson’sdeath，evenhisprivatesecretarieshavenotfeltabletosay。Neither，apparently，didtheyperceive，untilitflasheduponthemfull-blown，thechangethatwascomingoverhisresolution。
NordidtheCabinethaveanywarningthatthePresidentwasturningacorner，developinganewphaseofhimself，somethingsterner，morepowerfulthananythingtheyhadsuspected。Thiswaseverhisway。Hisinstinctivereticencestoodfirmuntilthemomentofthenewbirth。NotonlytheCabinetbutthecountrywasamazedandstartled，when，lateinJune，thePresidentsuddenlyleftWashington。HemadeaflyingtriptoWestPointwhereScottwaslivinginvirtualretirement。[30]Whatpassedbetweenthetwo，thosefewhourstheyspenttogether，thattwenty-fourthofJune，1862，hasneverbeendivulged。Didtheyhaveanyeyes，thatday，forthewonderfulprospectfromthehighterraceoftheparadeground；fortheriversofarbelow，flooringthevalleywithsilver；forthemountainspearlandblue？DidtheytalkofStanton，ofhiswaywardness，hisfuries？OftheterribleCommittee？OfthewayLincolnhadtiedhisownhands，broughthiswilltostalemate，throughhisrecognitionoftheunofficialcouncils？Whoknows？
LincolnwasbackinWashingtonthenextday。Anotherday，andbyasweepingorderhecreatedanewarmyfortheprotectionofWashington，andplacedincommandofit，awesterngeneralwhowascreditedwithabrilliantstrokeontheMississippi。[31]NoonewillnowdefendthemilitarygeniusofJohnPope。ButwhenLincolnsentforhim，alltheevidencetodateappearedtobeinhisfavor。Hisfollieswereyettoappear。AnditismorethanlikelythatinthedevelopmentofLincoln’scharacter，hisappointmenthasadeepsignificance。ItappearstomarkthemomentwhenLincolnbrokeoutofthecocoonofadvisementhehadspununintentionallyaroundhiswill。Inthesorrowsofthegrimyear，newforceshadbeengenerated。Newspiritualpowerswerecomingtohisassistance。Atlast，relatively，hehadfoundpeace。Wornandtornashewas，afterhislonginwardstruggle，fewboresocalmlyashedidthedistractingnewsfromthefrontintheclosingdaysofJuneandtheopeningdaysofJuly，whenLeewasdrivinghiswholestrengthlikeasuperhumanbattering-ram，straightattheheartofthewaveringMcClellan。AvisitorattheWhiteHouse，inthemidstoftheterriblestrainoftheSevenDays，foundLincoln“thinandhaggard，butcheerful……quiteasplacidasusual……
hismannerwassokindlyandsofreefromtheordinarycocksurenessofthepolitician，andthevanityandself-
importanceofofficialpositionthatnothingbutgoodwillwasinspiredbyhispresence。“[32]