President Abraham Lincoln wanted a complete and comfortable hospital as possible built near the steamboat landing in Washington, D.C. After Armory Square Hospital was constructed, Lincoln kept a constant interest in the care of sick and wounded soldiers. Lincoln often visited Armory Square Hospital and Amanda Akin saw him there as he made the rounds of beds, warmly shaking hands and inquiring about wounds. She also shook Lincoln's hand on more than one occasion in the White House. Another frequent visitor to Armory Square with whom she was less impressed was Walt Whitman. She thought him odd and that his writings on things such as "free love" queer. Nevertheless, she quotes from Whitman in this book, as he had also worked in the hospitals during the war.