"Lincoln" legal mistake

[RJNorton]

David, please go ahead and expound if you would like. I really think Six Months at the White House is such a useful book. One of my favorite Lincoln quotes is in that book (pp. 258-259):

"If I were to try to read, much less answer, all the attacks made on me, this shop might as well be closed for any other business. I do the very best I know how - the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing so until the end. If the end brings me out all right, what's said against me won't amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference."

[L Verge]

Please do expound, David. Personally, this is why I enjoy this forum. I am weak on general Lincoln history and want to get up to speed on my education with meaningful discourse.

[David Lockmiller]

The two questions from my previous posting from President Lincoln's interview with Congressman Deming are:

1) If President Lincoln had ever despaired of the country?

President Lincoln's answer: "When the Peninsula campaign terminated suddenly at Harrison's Landing," rejoined Mr. Lincoln, "I was as nearly inconsolable as I could be and live." (The Inner Life of Abraham Lincoln, page 219.)

My reference in my previous posting to another source of information on the answer to this question has as its source General Lew Wallace (as recounted in the book by Emanuel Hertz, Lincoln Talks, a Biography in Anecdote at pages 463-64):

As I was ushered in I saw at the further end of the long room the tall form of Lincoln leaning against a window. He waved his hand, indicating that I was to take the women to a sofa, and then by another wave of the hand he motioned for me to come to him. My heart filled with sympathy for him, for I knew something was wrong. As I approached him and looked into his face it seemed to me it was the saddest and most troubled countenance I had ever beheld. There were deep lines of suffering about the face, the features were drawn and pinched. His hair was thin and uncombed. He was naturally somewhat stoop-shouldered, but seemd to be especially so on this occasion. As I drew nearer and caught his eye I was more deeply impressed with the sadness which permeated his whole being. If I were to live a thousand years I would not forget the anguish of the expression of his face.

I said: "Mr. Lincoln, I hope you are not sick."

He replied: "No, I am not sick."

I said: "You look sad. Something terrible must have happened."

He made no reply, but, calling a servant, he asked how long it would be until the boat left the wharf for Harrison's Landing. The answer was: "In thirty minutes." Then, turning to me, Lincoln siad in an undertone, and the sadness of his face deepened as he said it: "I must go on that boat to Harrison's Landing on the James River."

"What for?" I asked in surprise.

His voice dropped to a whisper as he replied: " I must go to Harrison's Landing to keep McClellan from surrendering the army."

It was after the Seven Days' Battle, and the leader of the great army was retreating before the Confederates.

At this point I introduced the women and retired. In thirty minutes Lincoln was on board the boat, speeding away on his journey. The next I heard of him he was at Harrison's Landing, and the Union Army was not surrendered.

[this vignette sounds like a scene from a Shakespeare play, does it not?]


2) Had there ever been a period in which he thought that better management upon the part of the commanding general might have terminated the war?

"Yes," answered the President, "there were three: at 'Malvern Hill,' when McClellan failed to command an immediate advance upon Richmond; at 'Chancellorville,' when Hooker fialed to reenforce Sedgwick, after hearing his cannon upon the extreme right; and at 'Gettysburg,' when Meade failed to attack Lee in his retreat at the bend of the Potomac." After this commentary, the Congressman waited for an outburst of denunciation--for a criticism, at least--upon the delinquent officers; but he waied in vain. So far from a word of censure escaping Mr. Lincoln's lips, he soon added, that his first remark might not appear uncharitable: "I do not know that I could have given any different orders had I been with them myself. I have not fully made up my mind how I should behave when minie-balls were whistling, and those great oblon shells shrieking in my ear. I might run away. (The Inner Life of Abraham Lincoln, page 219-20.)

[this interview took place in 1864, just after General Fremont declined to run against Lincoln for the presidency]

In order to follow President Lincoln's evolvement of opinion regarding Meade's failure to follow-up the victory over Lee's forces at Gettysburg, one must begin by turning to John Hay's diary entries of July 13 and 14, 1863 as reported in Professor Burlingame's book, Abraham Lincoln, A Life, Vol. Two, page 513:

On July 12, Meade caught up with Lee at Williamsport, where he could have attacked that day or the next. . . . On the night of July 13, the Confederates began crossing the river, and finished doing so the next day. On July 14, John Hay recorded in his diary: "This morning the President seemed depressed by Meade's despatches of last night. They were so cautiously and almost timidly worded--talking about reconnoitering to find the enemy's weak place and other such." Lincoln "said he feared that he would do nothing." Around midday, when Lee's escape was confirmed, Lincoln was overcome with grief and anger. Profoundly dismayed, he said: "We only had to stretch forth our hands and they were ours. And nothing I could say or do could make the Army move." His son Robert reported that Lincoln "grieved silently but deeply about the escape of Lee. He said, 'If I had gone up there I could have whipped them myself.'" For the only time in his life, Robert saw tears in his father's eyes. Lincoln had justifiably feared that it would be a repeat of Antietam, with the Army of the Potomac failing to cut off the
Confederates as they retreated.

On July 14, 1863, President Lincoln authored a stinging letter of censure addressed to General Meade that was filed but never sent, or even signed. See the Collected Works of Lincoln 6:327-328. One line of the letter reads: "I was in such deep distress myself that I could not restrain some expression of it."

According to Professor Burlingame, President Lincoln did tell the general: "The fruit seemed so ripe, so ready for plucking, that it was very hard to lose it." But a week later, when Lincoln was in a better mood, he told one of Meade's corps commanders: "I was deeply mortified by the escape of Lee." But then Lincoln added: "A few days having passed, I am now profoundly grateful for what was done, without criticism for what was not done."

[RJNorton]

Thank you very much, David. In case anyone wants to make specific references to the Lincoln letter to Meade (never sent) which you cited I thought I'd post it in its entirety:

****************************************

Executive Mansion,
Washington, July 14, 1863.

Major General Meade

I have just seen your despatch to Gen. Halleck, asking to be relieved of your command, because of a supposed censure of mine. I am very--very--grateful to you for the magnificent success you gave the cause of the country at Gettysburg; and I am sorry now to be the author of the slightest pain to you. But I was in such deep distress myself that I could not restrain some expression of it. I had been oppressed nearly ever since the battles at Gettysburg, by what appeared to be evidences that yourself, and Gen. Couch, and Gen. Smith, were not seeking a collision with the enemy, but were trying to get him across the river without another battle. What these evidences were, if you please, I hope to tell you at some time, when we shall both feel better. The case, summarily stated is this. You fought and beat the enemy at Gettysburg; and, of course, to say the least, his loss was as great as yours. He retreated; and you did not, as it seemed to me, pressingly pursue him; but a flood in the river detained him, till, by slow degrees, you were again upon him. You had at least twenty thousand veteran troops directly with you, and as many more raw ones within supporting distance, all in addition to those who fought with you at Gettysburg; while it was not possible that he had received a single recruit; and yet you stood and let the flood run down, bridges be built, and the enemy move away at his leisure, without attacking him. And Couch and Smith! The latter left Carlisle in time, upon all ordinary calculation, to have aided you in the last battle at Gettysburg; but he did not arrive. At the end of more than ten days, I believe twelve, under constant urging, he reached Hagerstown from Carlisle, which is not an inch over fiftyfive miles, if so much. And Couch's movement was very little different.

Again, my dear general, I do not believe you appreciate the magnitude of the misfortune involved in Lee's escape. He was within your easy grasp, and to have closed upon him would, in connection with our other late successes, have ended the war. As it is, the war will be prolonged indefinitely. If you could not safely attack Lee last monday, how can you possibly do so South of the river, when you can take with you very few more than two thirds of the force you then had in hand? It would be unreasonable to expect, and I do not expect you can now effect much. Your golden opportunity is gone, and I am distressed immeasurably because of it.

I beg you will not consider this a prossecution, or persecution of yourself As you had learned that I was dissatisfied, I have thought it best to kindly tell you why.

Abraham Lincoln

[Eva Elisabeth]

Lincoln once recommend the same strategy (of writing but not sending an emotional letter) to Stanton:

"To such expressions of a natural impatience Mr. Lincoln opposed a placid front. More than that, he was placid. He knew Secretary Stanton's intense, irritable nature. He knew how the excitement of the time tried men's tempers and shattered their nerves. He himself, apparently, was the only one who was not to be allowed the indulgence of giving way. So Mr. Stanton's indignation passed unnoticed. The two men were often at variance when it came to matters of discipline in the army. On one occasion, I have heard, Secretary Stanton was particularly angry with one of the generals. He was eloquent about him. 'I would like to tell him what I think of him!' he stormed.
'Why don't you?' Mr. Lincoln agreed. 'Write it all down - do.'
Mr. Stanton wrote his letter. When it was finished he took it to the President. The President listened to it all.
'All right. Capital!' he nodded. 'And now, Stanton, what are you going to do with it?'
'Do with it? Why, send it, of course!'
'I wouldn't,' said the President. 'Throw it in the waste-paper basket.'
'But it took me two days to write ---'
'Yes, yes, and it did you ever so much good. You feel better now. That is all that is necessary. Just throw it in the basket.'
After a little more expostulation, into the basket it went."

(William H. Crook: "Through Five Administrations: Reminiscences of Colonel William H. Crook", p. 34.)

I consider that a very wise strategy (I wish I would remember it more often).

[David Lockmiller]

(01-21-2014 07:46 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  Thank you very much, David. In case anyone wants to make specific references to the Lincoln letter to Meade (never sent) which you cited I thought I'd post it in its entirety:

****************************************

Executive Mansion,
Washington, July 14, 1863.

Major General Meade

I have just seen your despatch to Gen. Halleck, asking to be relieved of your command, because of a supposed censure of mine. I am very--very--grateful to you for the magnificent success you gave the cause of the country at Gettysburg; and I am sorry now to be the author of the slightest pain to you. But I was in such deep distress myself that I could not restrain some expression of it. I had been oppressed nearly ever since the battles at Gettysburg, by what appeared to be evidences that yourself, and Gen. Couch, and Gen. Smith, were not seeking a collision with the enemy, but were trying to get him across the river without another battle. What these evidences were, if you please, I hope to tell you at some time, when we shall both feel better. The case, summarily stated is this. You fought and beat the enemy at Gettysburg; and, of course, to say the least, his loss was as great as yours. He retreated; and you did not, as it seemed to me, pressingly pursue him; but a flood in the river detained him, till, by slow degrees, you were again upon him. You had at least twenty thousand veteran troops directly with you, and as many more raw ones within supporting distance, all in addition to those who fought with you at Gettysburg; while it was not possible that he had received a single recruit; and yet you stood and let the flood run down, bridges be built, and the enemy move away at his leisure, without attacking him. And Couch and Smith! The latter left Carlisle in time, upon all ordinary calculation, to have aided you in the last battle at Gettysburg; but he did not arrive. At the end of more than ten days, I believe twelve, under constant urging, he reached Hagerstown from Carlisle, which is not an inch over fiftyfive miles, if so much. And Couch's movement was very little different.

Again, my dear general, I do not believe you appreciate the magnitude of the misfortune involved in Lee's escape. He was within your easy grasp, and to have closed upon him would, in connection with our other late successes, have ended the war. As it is, the war will be prolonged indefinitely. If you could not safely attack Lee last monday, how can you possibly do so South of the river, when you can take with you very few more than two thirds of the force you then had in hand? It would be unreasonable to expect, and I do not expect you can now effect much. Your golden opportunity is gone, and I am distressed immeasurably because of it.

I beg you will not consider this a prossecution, or persecution of yourself As you had learned that I was dissatisfied, I have thought it best to kindly tell you why.

Abraham Lincoln

Thanks very much, Roger, for posting this letter. Major portions of the letter were in Professor Burlingame's book but I chose not to type it out for my post. I am a very, very poor typist and make a lot of typing mistakes that I correct somewhat. Last night, I don't know what I did, but somehow I erased everything that I had typed on the second question and I had to retype and rewrite it all over again. I had a few choice words and thoughts when I discovered (really confirmed) that there was no "undo" button by which I might recover all my lost typing.

Thanks again, Roger, for posting this letter. It leads directly to a much better and greater understanding of the character of President Abraham Lincoln.

---

(01-21-2014 07:46 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  Thank you very much, David. In case anyone wants to make specific references to the Lincoln letter to Meade (never sent) which you cited I thought I'd post it in its entirety:

****************************************

Executive Mansion,
Washington, July 14, 1863.

Major General Meade

I have just seen your despatch to Gen. Halleck, asking to be relieved of your command, because of a supposed censure of mine. I am very--very--grateful to you for the magnificent success you gave the cause of the country at Gettysburg; and I am sorry now to be the author of the slightest pain to you. But I was in such deep distress myself that I could not restrain some expression of it. I had been oppressed nearly ever since the battles at Gettysburg, by what appeared to be evidences that yourself, and Gen. Couch, and Gen. Smith, were not seeking a collision with the enemy, but were trying to get him across the river without another battle. What these evidences were, if you please, I hope to tell you at some time, when we shall both feel better. The case, summarily stated is this. You fought and beat the enemy at Gettysburg; and, of course, to say the least, his loss was as great as yours. He retreated; and you did not, as it seemed to me, pressingly pursue him; but a flood in the river detained him, till, by slow degrees, you were again upon him. You had at least twenty thousand veteran troops directly with you, and as many more raw ones within supporting distance, all in addition to those who fought with you at Gettysburg; while it was not possible that he had received a single recruit; and yet you stood and let the flood run down, bridges be built, and the enemy move away at his leisure, without attacking him. And Couch and Smith! The latter left Carlisle in time, upon all ordinary calculation, to have aided you in the last battle at Gettysburg; but he did not arrive. At the end of more than ten days, I believe twelve, under constant urging, he reached Hagerstown from Carlisle, which is not an inch over fiftyfive miles, if so much. And Couch's movement was very little different.

Again, my dear general, I do not believe you appreciate the magnitude of the misfortune involved in Lee's escape. He was within your easy grasp, and to have closed upon him would, in connection with our other late successes, have ended the war. As it is, the war will be prolonged indefinitely. If you could not safely attack Lee last monday, how can you possibly do so South of the river, when you can take with you very few more than two thirds of the force you then had in hand? It would be unreasonable to expect, and I do not expect you can now effect much. Your golden opportunity is gone, and I am distressed immeasurably because of it.

I beg you will not consider this a prossecution, or persecution of yourself As you had learned that I was dissatisfied, I have thought it best to kindly tell you why.

Abraham Lincoln

The following is a portion of the Lincoln letter posted by Roger and written by President Lincoln:

Again, my dear general, I do not believe you appreciate the magnitude of the misfortune involved in Lee's escape. He was within your easy grasp, and to have closed upon him would, in connection with our other late successes, have ended the war. As it is, the war will be prolonged indefinitely.

The following is an earlier posting that I made to the thread entitled "150th Anniversary of the Gettysburg Address" and this Lincoln coversation of November 18, 1863 took place a few months after the undelivered letter to General Meade was written. But there is almost a direct tie between the two communications.

When Lincoln was on his way to the National Cemetery at Gettysburg, an old gentleman told him that his ony son fell on Little Round Top at Gettysburg, and he was going to look at the spot.

Mr. Lincoln replied:

"You have been called on to make a terrible sacrifice for the Union, and a visit to that spot, I fear, will open your wounds afresh.

"But, oh, my dear sir, if we had reached the end of such sacrifices, and had nothing left for us to do but to place garlands on the graves of those who have already fallen, we could give thanks even amidst our tears; but when I think of the sacrifices of life yet to be offered, and the hearts and homes yet to be made desolate, before this dreadful war is over, my heart is like lead within me, and I feel at times like hiding in deep darkness."

--E. W. Andrews in "Reminiscences of Abraham Lincoln" at pages 510-11.

And, yet, President Abraham Lincoln carried on to save democracy for the world!