What is your best one-word description of President Abraham Lincoln's character?

[David Lockmiller]

But Lincoln was able to convince Mary to permit Robert to serve admirably on General Grant's staff and that experience launched Robert into success for the rest of his life.

I have no idea how you describe serving "admirably" on Grant's staff when Robert had only arrived in February 1865 and the war ended on April 9, just a few weeks later. He had no time to do anything "admirably." The main highlight of his time was witnessing the surrender of Lee, which he obviously had nothing to do with.

Your comment that serving on Grant's staff "launched Robert into success for the rest of his life" is, to put it kindly, incorrect.

Best
Rob

Professor Burlingame wrote:

"On February 11, [1865], Robert entered the army as a captain and served creditably on Grant's staff until he resigned five months later."

(Abraham Lincoln: A Life, Volume Two, page 738.)

Doris Kearns Goodwin wrote:

So Robert's wish to join the army was granted. Stationed as Grant's headquarters, Robert "soon became exceedingly popular," Horace Porter recalled. "He was always ready to perform his share of hard work, and never expected to be treated differently from any other officer on account of his being the son of the Chief Executive of the nation."

(Team of Rivals, page 684.)

Robert Lincoln recently had graduated from Harvard and his military service was the first work for which he was paid (I presume).