excitement actually at that point on both sides because people have anticipated this for so long. some people were itching for a fight. they think war is a glorious thing and let s go and do it. but in the spring lincoln s overeager young friend from springfield, elmer ellsworth, a short but very dashing commander of a drill team, would go with the lincoln boys to the roof of the white house and look out with a telescope. and over the river they saw a confederate flag flying from the top of a hotel. and ellsworth, for one, was offended. ellsworth led a band across the river to tear down the confederate flag. as he was walking down the stairs, the owner of the inn took his shotgun and shot him in the chest. he fell down the last few steps, clutching and wrapped in this increasingly blood-soaked flag. lincoln loved this young man, so the war came home really fast for lincoln. with the first cannon fired at ft. sumter in april 1861, the country is thrust into civil war