The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-03-16
ABRAHAM LINCOLN AS A MILITARY
MAN.

Charles A. Dana, editor of the New
York Sun. recently delivered an address
on Lincoln and His Cabinet" which.
among other interesting statements. con-
tanned the following: Abraham Lincoln
developed into one Of the greatest mil
itary men of his time. and when the war
closed he was a greater general than
even Grant or Thomas" Coming from a
man who was Assistant Secretary Of
War during Mr.. Lincoln's administra-
ton. and who was near him and had
ample opportunity to study him. this is
a remarkable statement. The American
people have been so accustomed to think
Of Mr.. Lincoln as a civilian and states
man, and all his b~iographers ave treat
ed him so largely from that point of
view, that the first feeling on hearing
him spoken of as a great military man
is one of surprise. OF course, everybody
knows that the Constitution makes the
President commander-in-chief Of the
army and navy, and that his word is
law to both, but no President, not even
those who were soldiers before their
election, has ever made this function
prominent, and Mr.. Lincoln seemed lit
tie as likely to do so as any man who
ever held the Office. Yet there is much
in the records of the war period to sus-
tain MI. Dana's statement.
Very earl, in the war Mr.. Lincoln be-
gan TO make suggestions and orders con-
corning it's conduct, and as time passed
he got a wider GRASP Of the various mill
itary combinations and movements han
any general could nave had with the
possible exception of Grant. The first
battle of Bull Run occurred on July u.
1861. Two days afterward Mr.. Lincoln
made for the Secretary of Wa the fol-
lowing Memorandum of Military Pro-
gramme:"
1. Let the plan for making the blockade eff
fective be pushed forward with all possible
dispatch.
and vicinity, under General Butler. be con-
stantly drilled, disciplined and instructed
without move ior the present.
3. Let Baltimore be held as now. With a
4 Let the force now under Patterson or
Banks be strengthened and made secure In
3. Let the forces in western Virginia act
till further orders according to Instructions.
or orders from General Mcclellan.
s. Let General Fremont push forward his
organization and operations I'm the West as
rapidly as possible, giving rather special at
tention TO Missouri.
4. Let the forces before Manassas. except
the three months men. be organized as rap
idly as possible In their camps. here asid
about Arlington.
s. Let the three months forces who decline
to enter the longer service be discharged as
rapidly as circumstances Will permit.
3. Let the new volunteer forces De brought
forward as fast as possible. and especially
into the camps on the two sides OF river
here.
July q. 1ss1.-when the foregoing shall
have been substantially attended to: 1. Let
Manassas Junction, or some point on one Or
the other OF the railroads nearest IL. and
Strasburg. be seized and permanently held,
with an open line from Washington TO Man
assas. and an open line from Harper's Ferry
10 Stras6urg.
2. This done. a joint movement from Cairo
on Memphis. and from Cincinnati on Ten
nessee.
This shows a far better grasp OF the
situation than any military man in the
country had at that time. The first bat
tie of the war had been lost. Washing
ton was overrun with a routed army.
and its streets swarmed with stragglers.