Abraham Lincoln, warning Hooker not to be overconfident about his ability to defeat Lee. He would be proven right, as Hooker's army was soundly defeated at the Battle of Chancellorsville.
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The hen is the wisest of all the animal creation, because she never cackles until after the egg is laid.
— Abraham Lincoln on The Civil War (documentary)
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "The hen is the wisest of all the animal creation, because she never cackles until after the egg is laid." in the context of "Abraham Lincoln, warning Hooker not to be overconfident about his ability to defeat Lee. He would be proven right, as Hooker's army was soundly defeated at the Battle of Chancellorsville." to mean that wisdom is timeless.
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Source: Wikiquote: "The Civil War (documentary)" (Episode 4: Simply Murder)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed February 05, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
About Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln, a self-taught lawyer and politician, steered the United States through its most tumultuous period, the Civil War. His unwavering commitment to preserving the Union and abolishing slavery forever altered the course of American history and enshrined him as a champion of equality and justice.
About Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln, a self-taught lawyer and politician, steered the United States through its most tumultuous period, the Civil War. His unwavering commitment to preserving the Union and abolishing slavery forever altered the course of American history and enshrined him as a champion of equality and justice.
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