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can send you another man within a month。 Under these circumstances
the defensive for the present must be your only care。 Save the army
first； where you are； if you can； secondly； by removal； if you must。
You； on the ground； must be the judge as to which you will attempt；
and of the means for effecting it。 I but give it as my opinion that
with the aid of the gunboats and the reinforcements mentioned above
you can hold your present positionprovided； and so long as； you can
keep the James River open below you。 If you are not tolerably
confident you can keep the James River open； you had better remove as
soon as possible。 I do not remember that you have expressed any
apprehension as to the danger of having your communication cut on the
river below you； yet I do not suppose it can have escaped your
attention。
Yours very truly；
A。 LINCOLN。
P。S。If at any time you feel able to take the offensive； you are not
restrained from doing so。
A。L。
TELEGRAM TO GENERAL H。 W。 HALLECK。
WAR DEPARTMENT； July 4； 1862。
MAJOR…GENERAL HALLECK； Corinth； Mississippi：
You do not know how much you would oblige us if； without abandoning
any of your positions or plans； you could promptly send us even
10；000 infantry。 Can you not？ Some part of the Corinth army is
certainly fighting McClellan in front of Richmond。 Prisoners are in
our hands from the late Corinth army。
A。 LINCOLN。
TELEGRAM TO GENERAL J。 A。 DIX。
WASHINGTON CITY； July 4；1862。
MAJOR…GENERAL Dix； Fort Monroe：
Send forward the despatch to Colonel Hawkins and this also。 Our
order and General McClellan's to General Burnside being the same； of
course we wish it executed as promptly as possible。
A。 LINCOLN。
TELEGRAM TO GENERAL G。 B。 McCLELLAN。
WASHINGTON； July 5； 1862。 9 A。M。
MAJOR…GENERAL GEORGE B。 McCLELLAN：
A thousand thanks for the relief your two despatches of 12 and 1 P。M。
yesterday gave me。 Be assured the heroism and skill of yourself and
officers and men is； and forever will be； appreciated。
If you can hold your present position； we shall have the enemy yet。
A。 LINCOLN
TO GENERAL H。 W。 HALLECK。
WAR DEPARTMENT； WASHINGTON CITY； D。C。； July 6； 1862。
MAJOR…GENERAL HALLECK； Corinth； Mississippi。
MY DEAR SIR：This introduces Governor William Sprague； of Rhode
Island。 He is now Governor for the third time； and senator…elect of
the United States。
I know the object of his visit to you。 He has my cheerful consent to
go； but not my direction。 He wishes to get you and part of your
force； one or both； to come here。 You already know I should be
exceedingly glad of this if； in your judgment； it could be without
endangering positions and operations in the southwest； and I now
repeat what I have more than once said by telegraph： 〃Do not come or
send a man if； in your judgment； it will endanger any point you deem
important to hold； or endangers or delays the Chattanooga
expedition。〃
Still； please give my friend； Governor Sprague； a full and fair
hearing。
Yours very truly；
A。 LINCOLN。
MEMORANDUM OF AN INTERVIEW BETWEEN THE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL
McCLELLAN AND OTHER OFFICERS DURING A VISIT TO THE ARMY OF THE
POTOMAC AT HARRISON'S LANDING； VIRGINIA。
July 9； 1862。
THE PRESIDENT： What amount of force have you now？
GENERAL McCLELLAN： About 80；000； can't vary much； certain1y 75；000。
THE PRESIDENT：＇to the corps commanders＇
What is the whole amount of your corps with you now。
GENERAL SUMNER： About 15；000。
GENERAL HEINTZELMAN： 15；000 for duty。
GENERAL KEYES： About 12；500。
GENERAL PORTER： About 23；000fully 20；000 fit for duty。
GENERAL FRANKLIN： About 15；000。
THE PRESIDENT： What is likely to be your condition as to health in
this camp？
GENERAL McCLELLAN： Better than in any encampment since landing at
Fortress Monroe。
PRESIDENT LINCOLN：＇to the corps commanders＇
In your present encampment what is the present and prospective
condition as to health？
GENERAL SUMNER： As good as any part of Western Virginia。
GENERAL HEINTZELMAN： Excellent for health； and present health
improving。
GENERAL KEYES： A little improved； but think camp is getting worse。
GENERAL PORTER： Very good。
GENERAL FRANKLIN： Not good。
THE PRESIDENT： Where is the enemy now？
GENERAL McCLELLAN： From four to five miles from us on all the roads
I think nearly the whole armyboth Hills； Longstreet； Jackson；
Magruder； Huger。
THE PRESIDENT： ＇to the corps commanders＇ Where and in what condition
do you believe the enemy to be now？
GENERAL SUMNER： I think they have retired from our front； were very
much damaged； especially in their best troops； in the late actions；
from superiority of arms。
GENERAL HEINTZELMAN： Don't think they are in force in our vicinity。
GENERAL KEYES： Think he has withdrawn； and think preparing to go to
WASHINGTON。
GENERAL PORTER： Believe he is mainly near Richmond。 He feels he dare
not attack us here。
GENERAL FRANKLIN： I learn he has withdrawn from our front and think
that is probable。
THE PRESIDENT： ＇to the corps commanders＇ What is the aggregate of
your killed； wounded； and missing from the attack on the 26th ultimo
till now？
GENERAL SUMNER： 1175。
GENERAL HEINTZELMAN： Not large 745。
GENERAL KEYES： Less than 500。
GENERAL PORTER： Over 5000。
GENERAL FRANKLIN： Not over 3000。
THE PRESIDENT： If you desired could you remove the army safely？
GENERAL McCLELLAN： It would be a delicate and very difficult matter。
THE PRESIDENT： ＇to the corps commanders＇ If it were desired to get
the army away； could it be safely effected？
GENERAL SUMNER： I think we could； but I think we give up the cause if
we do。
GENERAL HEINTZELMAN： Perhaps we could； but I think it would be
ruinous to the country。
GENERAL KEYES： I think it could if done quickly。
GENERAL PORTER： Impossiblemove the army and ruin the country。
GENERAL FRANKLIN： I think we could； and that we had betterthink
Rappahannock the true line。
THE PRESIDENT： ＇to the corps commanders＇ Is the army secure in its
present position ？
GENERAL SUMNER： Perfectly so； in my judgment。
GENERAL HEINTZELMAN： I think it is safe。
GENERAL KEYES： With help of General B。 ＇Burnside＇ can hold position。
GENERAL PORTER： Perfectly so。 Not only； but we are ready to begin
moving forward。
GENERAL FRANKLIN： Unless river can be closed it is。
ORDER MAKING HALLECK GENERAL…IN…CHIEF。
EXECUTIVE MANSION； WASHINGTON； July 11；1862。
Ordered； That Major…General Henry W。 Halleck be assigned to command
the whole land forces of the United States； as general…in…chief； and
that he repair to this capital so soon as he can with safety to the
positions and operations within the department now under his charge。
A。 LINCO