Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-01-23
The Presidents Letter.

Inc AEceIucut1s Ltttcfs
In the course of the evidence of Major Gen.
E. A. Hitchcock before the Mcdowell court
of inquiry, on the 10th. Gen. Hitchcock
brought forward remarkable letter from
the President to Major Gen. Mcclellan. 1t
was written on the 9th of April Gen. Nc
Clelan was then before Yorktown. Magru-
dcr's force WAS then moderate. but daily in
crcasing, and his intrcnchmcnts were growing
stronger every day. On the 9Th Of May,
firen,y-sir days after the date Of the Prcsi-
dents letter, Mcclellan was still before York
town. hut the enemy was found to have TAX
en- himself safely Off yer night, leaving he
hind only his piles of dirt, few heavy
spiked guns, and some concealed torpe-loee 10
imperil the lives Of the Union soldiers. Nc
Clellsn was TOO late for The tram and as a
genersl--to say no more-that has proved to
be "a characteristic trait of his character.
Every line of the Presidents letter is preg-
nant with important meaning. 1t tells a
great deal
WAsnIsGToS, April ., lso..
To .NaiOr- General Nc Cl6lIan:
Ny DEAR SIR Your dispatches complain
ing that YOU are not properly sustained, while
they do not offend me, pain me very much. Blen-
kers division was withdrawn before you left
here, and YOU know the pressure under which |
did it, and as | thought, acquiesced in it, GER
tainly not without reluctance. After you left, |
ascertained that less than 20, 900 unorsanze1
men, without field battery, were all you de-
signed TO BE- left for the defence of Washington
and Manassas Junction, and part Of this even,
was 10 20 to Gen. Hooker's old position Gen.
Banks corps, once designed for Manassas juno
ton. was divided and tied up on the line of
Winchester and Strasburg, and could not leave
it without again exposing the Upper Potomac
and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. This
presented. or would present when Mcdowell and
Sumner should be gone, n great temptation for
the enemy 10 turn back from the R1ppahannOck
and sack Washington. Ny explicit directions
that Washington should, by the Judgment Of all
the commanders Of corps, be left secure, had
been entirely neglected. 1t was precisely thi.
that drove Inc to detain Mcdowell. do not for
get that | was satisfied with your arrangements
to leave Banks at Manassas junction. But
when that arrangement was broken up, and
nothing was substituted for it, Of course | was
not satisfied | was constrained to Substitute
something for tmysclG And NOW, allow me to
ask You, DO you really think could permit the
line from Richmond, via Manassas Junction. to
this city to be entirely open, except what l's,s-
lance could be presented by less than ~. 900 un-
organized troops. This Is question which the
country viii not allow me TO evade.
There Is a curious mystery about the number
Of troop. now with You. telegraphe'l
YOU on the 9th, saving you had
over lO0,J01 with You. | had Just obtained
from the Secretary Of War statement taken, As
he said, from your returns, making l0s, plp then
with YOU and "a route 10 vou. You now siv
you will have but s. .pJJ when all ca route to
you shall have reached ycu. How can this Dis
crepancy Of p, 900 be accounted for A. 10 Gen.
Woods command. understand that it j. doing
precisely what Ike number Of YOUR own would
have to do if that command was awav ] suppose
the whole force which has gone forward TO YOU
is with YOU by this time. and If 81. think It Is
the precise time for YOU 10 strike blow. Ev
delay the enemy will readily gain on YOU; that
is, he will gain faster by fortificstions and REIN
forcemeDts than you can by achievements alone.
And once more let me tell you Il Is indispensable
TO YOU that YOU strike a blow. J am powerless to
help. This YOU Will do me The Justice 10 remember
always considered going down The hay in search
of field, instead Of lighting At or near Manas-
sas, as only shifting and not surmountins diff
Guilty; that We would find the same enemy and
the same or equal intrenchments at either place.
The country will not fail TO note-;s noting now
that the present hesitation 10 move upon an
intrenchoi enemy, is hut the story of Manassas
repeated.
Ibeg to assure you that have never written
or spoken 10 you in greater kindness Of feeling
than now, nor with . fuller purpose to sustain
Won 20 far rs in my most anxious Judgment
consistently can. But you must act.
Yours, very truly,
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.