Once he called upon General McClellan, and the President went over to the General's house — a process which I assure you has been reversed long since — and General McClellan decided he did not want to see the President, and went to bed. Lincoln's friends criticized him severely for allowing a mere General to treat him that way. And he said, "All I want out of General McClellan is a victory, and if to hold his horse will bring it, I will gladly hold his horse."

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Once he called upon General McClellan, and the President went over to the General's house — a process which I assure you has been reversed long since — and General McClellan decided he did not want to see the President, and went to bed. Lincoln's friends criticized him severely for allowing a mere General to treat him that way. And he said, "All I want out of General McClellan is a victory, and if to hold his horse will bring it, I will gladly hold his horse."" in the context of "Dwight D. Eisenhower, "Remarks at the Birthplace of Abraham Lincoln", Hodgenville, Kentucky April 23, 1954. The story originates from F. A. Mitchel, son and aide of General Mitchel." to mean that wisdom is timeless.