Posted by
L Gravel on Monday, August 28, 2006 11:47:50 PM
To those who undermine the Commander in time of war...
Executive Mansion,
Washington, January 26, 1863
Major General Hooker:
General.
I have placed you at the head of the Army of the Potomac. Of
course I have done this upon what appear to me to be 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. I believe you to be a brave and a skilful soldier, which, of
course, I like. I also believe you do not mix politics with your
profession, in which you are right. You have confidence in
yourself, which is a valuable, if not an indispensable quality.
You are ambitious, which, within reasonable bounds, does good rather
than harm. But I think that during Gen. Burnsides's command of
the Army, you have taken counsel of your ambition, 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 way as to believe it, of your recently saying that both
the Army and the Government needed a Dictator. Of course it was
not for this, but in spite of it, that I have given you the
command. Only those generals who gain successes, can set up
dictators. What I now ask of you is military success, and I will
risk the dictatorship. The government will support you to the
utmost of it's ability, which is neither more nor less than it has done
and will do for all commanders. I 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. I
shall assist you as far as I 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. Beware of rashness, but with energy,
and sleepless vigilance, go forward, and give us victories. Yours
very truly,
Abraham Lincoln
From the Selected Writings of Abraham Lincoln
A Bantam Classic Book / July 1992