We can thus see that even in the midst of terrible care and worry over his country, President Lincoln found time to interest himself in what was dear to his little boy. The older son Robert was away at this time in college, but after he graduated he came home to take part in the war.
On the first day of January, 1863, President Lincoln signed his name to a very important paper about which he had been thinking for a long time. By this paper all the slaves in the United States were set free. When the news spread that this had been done, the whole country was greatly excited.
Many of President Lincoln's best friends thought he was unwise. They said: "It is too early to set the slaves free."
Afterwards, however, people came to see that it was the best thing possible, and that Lincoln had chosen the right time.
The war raged on and news kept coming to Washington of one terrible battle after another. Sometimes it seemed as though one side would win, and sometimes the other. Then came the hard fight at Gettysburg, when the turning-point was reached.
