The National tribune., 1909-09-16
ABRAHAM LINC0LN.
CONTINUED from page one,)

to us we never can when we bear the
wastage of going to him. Ihis propo-
sition is a simple truth, and is too i'm
| portant to be lost sight OF for mo-
ment. In coming to us he tenders us
an advantage which we should not
waive. We should not so operate as to
| merely drive him away. AS we must
beat him somewhere or ran hnally, we
can do it, If at all, easier near to us
than far away. If we can not beat the
enemy where he is now, we never can,
he again being within the intrench-
ments of Richmond.
| Recurring to the idea of going to
Richmond on the inside track, the fac!i-
| ty of supplying from the side away
! from the enemy is remarkable-as IL
were by the different spokes of wheel,
extending from the hub toward the rim,
and this whether you move directly by
| the chord or on the inside. arc, hugging
the Blue Ridge more closely. The chord
| line, as you see, carries YOU by Aid1e,
Hay Market and Fredericksburg, and
you see how turnpikes. railroads and,
| finally, the Potomac, by Aquia Creek.
meet you at all points from Washing
ton: the same, only the lines lengthe ned
| little if you press closer to the Blue
| Ridge part of the way.
The gaps thru the Blue Ridge / un-
derstand to be about the following dis
tances from HarpeT's Ferry, to wit:
| Vestal's. five miles; Gregory's, 13;
Smokers. IS; Ashby's. 2S; Manassas.
3S; Chester, As, and Thorntons, 53. j
should think it preferable to take the
route nearest the enemy, disabling him
| to make an important move without
your knowledge, and compelling him to
| keep his forces together Tor dread or
you. The gaps would enable you to at
| tack if you should wish. For great
| of thp would be Dr1ct1-
caily between the enemy and both
Washington and Richmond, enabling
us to spare you the greatest number of
troops from here. When-at length run
ming for Richmond ahead of him en-
| ai,les him to move this way, If he does
so. turn and attack him in the rear.
But ! think he should be engaged long
before such point is reached. 1t is all
! easy il our troops march as we'll as the
| enemy. and 1t is unmanly to say they
cannot do il. This letter is in no sense
| an order"
| This admirable production sustains
the belief held by many that Lincoln
was easily the greatest General of the
war. When he professed TO know moth
| ing of war, he meant that he knew
nothing OF the solemn military jargon
which such Generals as Halieck and
Mcclellan had at their tongues end.
| But, as before said, Lincoln knew that
above all the science of war was simply
. the science of the highest common sense
/ applied to securing results by force.
| Looking thru this military. jargon with
| the same penetrating clearness that he
gave to the similar jargon of the law,
ne perceived the fundamental ruling
principles and readily applied them to
the case in hand. His discussion of the
military situation is unsurpassed in
| clearness. and force. The greatest mill
tary writers in the history of the world
could not have stated the case better.
| Had Mcclellan acted with reasonable
energy upon the lines which, Lincoln
laid down success was absolutely GER
tain.
Mcclellan continued to slowly ad-
vance until he reached Warrenton Nov.
IL. Lee showed his usual contempt for
what his adversary might do by. holding
in front of him only Lopgstreet's Corps
while he left Jackson's Corps IN the Val
ley, 40 miles away, to threaten any in
Ivasion of Maryland, or a flank move
nfent to interpose between the army
and Washington.
| 1t is difficult to believe that with the
army that Mcclellan himself said was
| 10000 men he should have been kept
in constant alarm by Lee, with half his
force, and his army divided by an inter
val of 40 miles.
| ,i Mcclellan Removed. |1H-
The whole Cabinet, with possibly the
exception Of Secretary Seward, was now
insistent upon McClellan's removal
| President Lincoln had promised them
and himself that II Mcclellan allowed
the opportunity to pass to intervene be-
tween Lee and Richmond he would re-
move him. 1t soon became known that
Mcclellan had reopened his house in
| Washington, and was preparing to re
sumo the social functions which had
.sll IL
the previous Winter, and that no more
energetic action could possibly be ex-
pected than that of year ago. He
| was therefore given an intimation OF
the pending blow, that he might &c
back to Warrenton and receive the or
der removing him from command, in
camp. He did so. Gen. c. P. Bucking
ham, of the Adjutant-GeneraPs Office.
carried the order, and on the evening
of Nov. Z, in the midst of snow storm
entered McClellan's tent and found him
waiting for him. With him was
Gen. Burnside, who had been designat-
ed his successor. After reading the or
der Gen. Mcclellan turned to Gen
Burnside, quietly remarking: well
Burnside, you are to command the
army" The order directed Gen. Nc
i Clellan to return to his home in Tren-
ton, ". j., and there to await orders
from the War Department. A review
was arranged for the next day. In which
he should take leave of his army.
/ Burnside I'm Command.
In lieu of any one better, the baton
of command had been handed to the
genial, affable Burnside a large, fine
looking man with side whiskers, loyal
generous in character but devoid OF
grit or aggressiveness. In some way he
had managed to get thru West Point
but had resigned his Lieutepant's com
mission to engage in the manufacture
of a breech-loading arm, which was moi
a success financially or otherwise, and
the war had found him an official in 6
railroad company. In the ordinary
course of events he would probably no;
have risen above the command of g
brigade. Mcclellan said that a brigade
was all that Burnside was capable of
and possibly regiment was nearer his
measure. Burnside had not done well
] at Bull Run, but he had gained an easy
Victory at Roanoke Island. ana this gave
: him the Major-Generaley as early as
J March, 1862, which made him senior
to almost everybody eIse.i especially in
the Army of the Potomac. jrThis and
; the fact that he had been much asso
ciated with that army seemed tC
; provide against the jealousiss which
had destroyed John Pope. He
/ had not done at an sweIf at An.
! tietam, but Haileck ;pers,Iatled Lin
coin that Burnside would at least, obey
! orders and so this man of feeble pur.
pose and moderate int.IIoo, haaa,,,a tb<