I am like a man so busy in letting rooms in one end of his house, that he can't stop to put out the fire that is burning the other.
Abraham LincolnRead
I have just read your dispatch about sore-tongued and fatigued horses, Will you pardon me for asking what the horses of your army have done since the Battle of Antietam that fatigues anything?
Interpretation
What this quote means
Lincoln questions the effectiveness of a military strategy that leaves horses fatigued without apparent reason.
In this quote, Abraham Lincoln addresses a concern about the condition of the horses in the army, using irony to point out that the horses seem overworked without having engaged in significant activity since a recent battle. This highlights Lincoln's leadership style, which often involved questioning decisions and seeking clarity in order to ensure the well-being of his troops and resources.
Themes
LeadershipMilitaryStrategyCommunicationIrony
In practice
Example use cases
In a leadership seminar discussing effective communication in the military.
More from Abraham Lincoln
All quotes →Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right.
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Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.
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How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg.
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For it has been said, all that a man hath will he give for his life; and while all contribute of their substance the soldier puts his life at stake, and often yields it up in his country's cause. The highest merit, then is due to the soldier.
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And having thus chosen our course, without guile, and with pure purpose, let us renew our trust in God, and go forward without fear, and with manly hearts.
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