What did Abe Lincoln say?

Question

Backstory:
Lincoln was standing on the fortress wall at Fort Stevens on 12 July, 1864, watching as snipers from Jubal Early's forces shot at him (at 6'4" and wearing a stovepipe hat he was an easy target) and others there. An officer standing less than 3' away from the President was hit and went down. Young Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., a combat veteran himself yelled at the civilian he didn't recognize, something along the lines of "Get down you danged fool, before you get killed!" At that point Holmes realized than he had been adressing the Commander in Chief. What did Lincoln say?

Answer 1

Captain Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. allegedly shouted at the President: "Get down, you damn fool!" Before the President left the fort, he said good-bye to the future Supreme Court justice, adding, "I'm glad to see you know how to talk to a civilian."

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

Hobbsjohnson and Stacil have nailed it - - -"at least you know how to talk to a civilian." But I might add that Lincoln was probably thinking that if the Southerners couldn't hit a six foot four man garbed in black wearing a top hat then they would not likely win the war. Native Americans and Ancient Greeks tell of Mighty Warriors who could nt be harmed by a frontal assault, only a a shot or a stab in the back the fact that Lincoln several times stood in the face of flying bullets and was unharmed speaks volumes.

Pax------------------------
PS The use of the word Civillian is interesting. Lincoln was the Commander in Chief.

Answer 3

"Captain", he said, "I am glad you know how to talk to a civilian".