Lincoln's life in the White House at the time Fort Sumter was fired upon is shown, and the many problems he was forced to face at that momentous hour are brought out with great clearness. His calm when surrounded by hot-headed advisers, each one determined that his scheme for saving the Union must be adopted, and the depth of his feeling at thought of a divided nation are clearly indicated by the action of the story and Benjamin Chapin's acting of the President.