The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-02-08

Lincoln's Intuitiue
knowledge of
War


MSM the Army Of the Potomac
NlN after Bull Run had sent a
frightened huddle of Union
soldiers back to Washington.
Mcclellan had fought and won bat
ties in West Virginia, and the people
In Washington, looking for a leader
to replace the grave, superannuated,
egotistical General Scott, selected Nc
Clellan. Two weeks after his arrival
in Washington, in a letter to his wife,
he said: Il receive letter after letter,
have conversation after conversation,
calling on me to save the nation, al
luding to the presidency, dictatorship,
etc. AS I hope one day to be united
with you forever in heaven, / have no
such aspiration. I would cheerfully
take the dictatorship and agree to lay
down my life when the country is
saved. / am not spoiled in my une
pected new position" On another oc-
casion he remarked: my relations
with Mr.. Lincoln were generally very
pleasant and l seldom had trouble
with him when we could meet face to
face. The difficulty always arose be-
Hind my back. l believe that he liked
me personally, and certainly he was
always much influenced by me when
we were together"
There is no denying the fact that he
gave the raw, undisciplined troops *
actly the sort Of setting-up exercises
and battalion drill they needed. When
the Army of the Potomac, which was
his creature, came under the command
of Grant, the wal could have but one
conclusion. There is justification for
the statement Of General Meade:
"Had there been no Mcclellan there
could have been no Grant, for the
army made no essential improvement
under any successors"
Mcclellan repeatedly urged that the
government should send him rein
forcements for a decisive assault up
on Richmond. eff l save this army
now" he said in a dispatch to the
secretary Of war, 81 tell you plainly
that l owe no thanks to you or to any
persons in Washington; you have
done your best to sacrifice this army"
Lincoln's answer Of June % illus
trates his sympathetic readiness to
take the other mans point Of view:
''Saye your army at all events. Will
send reinforcements as fast as We
can. / feel any misfortune to you
and your army as keenly as you feel
it yourself. -"
On the 9Th of November Mcclellan
was relieved Of the command Of the
Army of the Potomac and Burnside
was put in his place.
On the oath Of February, after the
Fredericksburg fiasco, Burnside vas re-
moved from chief command and
Fighting Joe" Hooker put In his
place.
Lincoln wrote Hooker: IT have
placed you at the head Of the Army
OF the Potomac. OF course I have
done this upon what appears to me
sufficient reasons, and yet I think It
best for you to know that there are
some things In regard to which I am
not quite satisfied with you.
81 believe you to be a brave and
skilful soldier, which. of course, I like.
/ also believe you do not mix politics
with your profession, in which you are
right. You have confidence In your
self, which is a valuable, If mo- indis-
pensable, quality. You are ambitious,
which, within reasonable bounds, does
good rather than harm. But / think
that during General Burnside's COM
mand of the army you have taken
counsel Of your ambition solely and
thwarted him as much as you could,
in which you did a great wrong to the
country and to a most meritorious
and honorable brother officer. I have
heard, in such a way as to believe
it, of your saying that both the coun-
try and the army needed a dictator.
OF course it was not for this, but In
spite OF it. that / have given you the
cpmmand. Only those generals who
gain success can set themselves up as
dictators. What / ask of you Is mill
tary success, and I will risk the dicta-
torship. The government will support
you to the utmost of its ability, which
Is neither more nor less than 1t has