According to this and other articles, Ten Little Indians was a song by Septimus Winner (and latter appropriated and the name changed for a Victorian musical which is where A.Christie took her book title from).
Years later, at a time when the war wasn't going all that well for the Union, President Lincoln tired of the endless delays of General George McClellan and relieved him of command. Winner disagreed with Honest Abe and composed another song which is not quite as well known as Mocking Bird. It was called "Give us back Our Old Commander," and he published it under his name rather than that of the fictional "Alice Hawthorne." It quickly sold many tens of thousands of copies. However, not using a pen name may have been a grievous mistake!Article I of the United States Constitution, Sections 8 and 9, has a provision for suspension of habeus corpus in the case of war or national emergency. Lincoln requested suspension and got it from the Congress. The Lincoln Administration immediately set to work, and jailed numerous newspaper editors and other "malcontents" who disagreed with the government's policies. It was just about this time that Septimus Winner came along with and published "Give us back Our Old Commander," the lyrics of which are critical of the fact that Lincoln had suspended Gen. McClellan. He was soon caught up in the web and jailed for treasonous activity and demoralizing the troops. He was never officially charged with treason...when habeus corpus is suspended, there is no need for charges. Suspicion is enough. He was released a few months later.