The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-01-30
SPANISH TOWNS
BADLY SHAKEN
BY BIG QUAKE
A FORGOTTEN LETTER
FROM A. LINCOLN
General o. o. Howard of Burlington
Finds Interesting Correspondence
Which He Had Thought
Lost.

Burlington, January 30.--The finding
Of an interesting autograph letter from
Abraham Lincoln TO General o. 0. How.
ard, the last surviving corps commander
OF the Civil War, brings TO mind an
incident in history which followed the
battle OF Gettysburg and in which Gen.
eral Howard had a prominent part. The
letter had lain in d pile of old papers
for more than thirty-fiye years and the
general thought IL was lost In clean
ing out his office few days ago, the
letter came OF light and will be carefully
preserved. 1t was evidently written in
full by the great emaneipator's own
hand and was entirely characteristics OF
him.
The circumstances which invited the
correspondence are as follows: After
Gettysburg, Lee took stand at the
Potomac with his army back 10 the river.
Meade's command surrounded him and
General Howard and two other corps
commanders urged an immediate attack.
A reconnaissance was ordered on July
18th and the commanders voted not TO
press the faht, General Howard and two
others being in the minority in favor Of
battle. Following the subsequent safe
escape of Lees army, there were general
murmurings among the Northerners as
to the decision Of the commanding Off.
GERS OF the army, and General Howard,
believing that someone ought to write
10 the president in reference TO the Incl
dent, did so, and the letter in question
was in reply to the one which ne penned
to President Lincoln.
The letter from General Howard TO the
president is as follows:
Headquarters llth Corps, Army of the
Potmac, near Berlin. July IS, 1863
'.To tine President of the United States.
Sir:--Having noticed in the newspapers
certain statements bearing upon the bat
tie of Gettysburg and subsequent opera
tiors, which deeme calculated to convey
a wrong impression to your mind, ! wish
to sIImbit a few statements.
"The successful issue OF the battle
Of Gettysburg was due mainly to the
energetic operations OF our present com
manding general prior to the engage
ment, and to the manner in which he
handled his troops on the field The re-
serves have never before during this war
been thrown in al just the right moment,
in many cases when points we're just be-
ing carried BY the enemy regiment or
brigade appeared to stop the progress
and hurl him back.
Moreover, | have never seen a more
hearty cooperation on the part Of gem
eral officers than since General Meade
took the command. As to not attack
ing ths enemy prior to leaving his
stronghold beyond the Antietam, it is
by no means certain that the repulse
of Gettysburg might not have beeTl
turned up us at any rate, the command
ing general was in favor Of an immediate
attack, but with the evident difficulty in
our way and uncertainty of success and
the strong conviction of our best mills
tary minds against the risk. | must say
that / think the general acted wisely.
As to my request to make q reconnois-
ance on the morning, the facts are that
the general had required me to nconnoi.
tire the evening before and give my opin-
ion as to the practicability of making a
lodgment on the enemy's left, and his
answer to my subsequent request was
that the movements he had already or
dered would subserve the same purpose.
fsW1e have, If / may be allowed to say
it. a commanding general in whom all
officers With whom | have been in con-
tact express complete confidence. have
said this much because of the censure and
of the Misrepresentation which have
grown out Of the escape Of Lees army.
Your obedient servant,
20. O. Howard, Major General"
The letter from President Lincoln to
General Howard is as follows:
Executive Mansion, Washington, 2lst
July, 1888.
My Dear General Howard;- Your let
ter Of the 18th is received. I was deeply |
mortified by the escape Of Lee across
the Potomac, because the substantial de.
strliction of his army would have ended
the war, and because I believed such de-
struction was perfectly easy, believing
had expended all the skill and toll and
blood lIp to the ripe harvest, and let the
crop SO to waste. Perhaps my mortitica |
tion was heightened because / had al
ways believed making my belief hob
by, possibly--that the main rebel army
going north OF the Potomac could never
return, if well attended to; and be-
cause ! was so greatly battered in this
belief by the operations at Gettysburg |
A few days having passed, I am now pro-
foundly grateful for what was done
without criticism for what was not done. |
General Meade has my confidence as a /
brave and skillful officer and true man.
Yours very truly,
I ;,,..f.