Page 595
To Samuel L. Casey1Jump to section
My dear Sir: Washington, Feb. 8, 1864.
Please call on the Sec. of State, and Sec. of War, in turn, and talk with them fully. I have told them you will. Yours truly
A. LINCOLN
Annotation
[1] ALS, owned by Samuel Stager, Cadnius Book Shop, Inc., New York City. Casey replied: ``I have Recd your letter of this date and and (sic) will do as you direct.'' (DLC-RTL). With Lincoln's letter is an account by Casey's son, George F. Casey of Greenville, Illinois, May 18, 1928, contending it was Lincoln's plan to send his father to General E. Kirby Smith, CSA, at Shreveport on the Red River ``to negotiate for the disbanding of his troops, thus releasing . . . forces under Banks from guard duty'' and to purchase ``three years' crops of cotton.'' Successful in his mission, Casey left for Washington, but at Vicksburg learned of Banks' expedition up the Red River, and the ultimate destruction of the cotton by the Confederates. See Fred H. Harrington, Fighting Politician Major General N. P. Banks (1948), pp. 161-62; also Lincoln's order of December 14, 1863 and draft of order concerning Casey, February 29, 1864 (VII, 63 and 213-14, supra).