The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1912-02-10
7 X X X X X X \ i X X x X X X X :,
Lincoln S Intuitiue
Knowledge of
War
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MIh.S was "a years of age when
X1N he was given command Of
N$EM the Army of the Potomac
~g after Bull Run had sent
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 leader
to replace the grave, superannuated,
egotistical General Scott, selected Nc
Clellan. Two weeks after his arrival
In Washington, in letter to his wife,
he said: II receive letter after letter,
have conversation after conversation,
calling on me to save the nation, al
luding to the presidency, dictatorship,
etc. As l hope one day to be united
with you forever In heaven, have no
such aspiration. would cheerfully
take the dictatorship and agree to lay
down my life when the country is
saved. am not spoiled in my unex-
pected new position" On another &C.
casion he remarked: my relations
with Mr.. Lincoln were generally very
pleasant and seldom had trouble
with him when we could meet face to
face. The difficulty always arose be-
hind my back I 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 OK
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 war 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. IF I save this army
now" he said In dispatch to the
secretary Of war, II tell you plainly
that i 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 tho other mans point of view:
Save your army at all events. Will
send re1nforcements as fast as we
can. =. feel any misfortune to you
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 Gath of February, after the
Fredericksburg flasco. Burnside was re.
moved from chief command and
Fighting Joe" Hooker put in his
place. s:
Lincoln wrote Hooker: II have
placed you 1T tho head of the Army
of tho Potomac. OF course I have
done this upon what appears to me
SUFFICIENT reasons, and yet think It
best for you to know. that there are
some things In regard to which am
not quite satisfied with you. -
Il believe you to be brave and
skilful soldier. which, Of course, like.
I also believe you do not mix politics
with your profession, in which you are
right. You have confidence in your
self, which is valuable, If not indis.
pensable, quality. You are ambitious,
which, within reasonable bounds, does
good rather than harm. But I think
that during General Burnsides 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 great wrong to the
country and to a most merit0rious
and honorable brother officer. have
heard, in such way as to believe
1t, Of your saying that both the coun
try and the army needed dictator
OF course it was not for this, but in
spite of it, that have given you the
command. Only those generals who
gain success can set themselves up az
dictators. What I ask Of you is mill
tary success. and / will risk the dicta
torship. The government will support
you to the utmost of its ability, which
is neither more nor less than it has
done and will do for all its command.
ers.
II much fear that the spirit which
you have aided to infuse into the army
of criticising their commander and
Withholding confidence from him will
now turn upon you, and shall assist
you as far as can to put It down
Neither you nor Napoleon, If he were
alive again, could get any good out OF
an army while such a spirit prevails
In It.
"And now, beware Of rashness, but
with energy and sleepless vigilance &c
forward and give 10 victories.
Yours very truly,
= III Z