Stories concerning the clashes between Lincoln and the inadequate General McClellan during the American Civil War are common.
McClellan conducted a waiting campaign, being so careful not to make any mistakes that he made very little headway. Lincoln once wrote to him: "My dear McClellan: If you don't want to use the army I should like to borrow it for a while."
Lincoln deemed it necessary for McClellan to report frequently and the general chafed at this. One time he sent the president the following telegram from the field: "Have just captured six cows. What shall we do with them?" Lincoln promptly wired: "As to* six cows captured - milk them."
美國南北戰爭期間，林肯與不稱職的麥克萊倫將軍頗有齟齬，其故事流傳者不少。
麥克萊倫行軍唯恐有失，前進非常緩慢，一味坐以待時。林肯曾致函給他說：「麥克萊倫將軍麾下：將軍如無意用兵，尚祈惠借一用。」
林肯要麥克萊倫事事上報，麥克萊倫非常不滿，有一次在戰地打電報給林肯：「頃獲母牛六頭，如何處理，伏乞賜示。」林肯馬上回電說：「捕獲六母牛事：擠其奶可也。」
*As to是「關於（某事）」的意思，改為as for也可以，例如："As to / for the lead-in-water incident, no government official should be held responsible," she said（她說：「鉛水一事，政府官員無一應負上責任。」）