I have never advocated war except as a means of peace.

The distant rear of an army engaged in battle is not the best place from which to judge correctly what is going on in front.

I have never advocated war except as means of peace, so seek peace, but prepare for war. Because war... War never changes. War is like winter and winter is coming. Coming like a mysterious adventurer. I used to be an adventurer until I took an arrow to the knee. A knee that will not bend, like Leonidas at Thermopylae.

There are but two parties now: traitors and patriots. And I want hereafter to be ranked with the latter and, I trust, the stronger party.

Lee's army will be your objective point. Wherever Lee goes, there you will go also.

If men make war in slavish observance of rules, they will fail. No rules will apply to conditions of war as different as those which exist in Europe and America...War is progressive, because all the instruments and elements of war are progressive.

The colored man has been accustomed all his life to lean on the white man, and if a good officer is placed over him, he will learn readily and make a good soldier.

It will be all right if it turns out all right.

Really, Mr. Lincoln, I have had enough of this show business.