“It sometimes becomes necessary to walk through the valley of the shadow of death. True, you’re only walking so not making good time; also, there's no view from the valley floor and therefore little in the way of perspective; and of course the death part is enough to terrify anybody. But keep a cool head - after all, the valley of the shadow of death isn't the valley of death, is it?” - Arnold Kunst

 From “Lincoln 365,” by Arnold Kunst 

July 18 

The First major battle of the Civil War took place at the Virginia rail junction of Manassas near a stream called Bull Run a few miles outside of Washington D. C. It was fought against the advice of Lincoln’s generals who said their troops were not ready; Lincoln overruled them, saying, “they are green, it is true, but so are the enemy. They are all green alike.”