about Washington, to wit:
the Army of the Potomac; Burnside's troops that had come up from North
Carolina; what remained of Pope's Army of Virginia; and the large
reinforcements from fresh levies, constantly and rapidly pouring in.

[This was probably about the time of the occurrence of an amusing
incident, touching Lincoln, McClellan, and the fortifications
around Washington, afterward told by General J. G. Barnard, then
Chief of Engineers on the staff of General George B. McClellan.
--See New York Tribune, October 21, 1885. It seems that the
fortifications having been completed, McClellan invited Mr. Lincoln
and his Cabinet to inspect them. "On the day appointed," said
Barnard, "the Inspection commenced at Arlington, to the Southwest
of Washington, and in front of the Enemy. We followed the line of
the works southerly, and recrossed the Potomac to the easterly side
of the river, and continued along the line easterly of Washington
and into the heaviest of all the fortifications on the northerly
side of Washington. When we reached this point the President asked
General McClellan to explain the necessity of so strong a
fortification between Washington and the North.

"General McClellan replied: 'Why, Mr. President, according to
Military Science it is our duty to guard against every possible or
supposable contingency that may arise. For example, if under any
circumstances, however fortuitous, the Enemy, by any chance or
freak, should, in a last resort, get in behind Washington, in his
efforts to capture the city, why, there the fort is to defend it.'

"'Yes, that's so General,' said the President; 'the precaution is
doubtless a wise one, and I'm glad to get so clear an explanation,
for it reminds me of an interesting question once discussed for
several weeks in our Lyceum, or Moot Court, at Springfield, Ill.,
soon after I began reading law.'

"'Ah!' says General McClellan. 'What question was that, Mr.
President?'

"'The question,' Mr. Lincoln replied, 'was, "Why does man have
breasts?"' and he added that after many evenings' debate, the
question was submitted to the presiding Judge, who wisely decided
'That if under any circumstances, however fortuitous, or by any
chance or freak, no matter of what nature or by what cause, a man
should have a