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I believe an increased Cavalry force would be valuable, but I have not promised that, to suit the convenience of any officer, I would, however inconvenient to the government, raise one immediately. I have tried, in regard to Gen. Schurz & Gen. Stahl, to oblige all around; but it seems to get worse & worse. If Gen. Sigel would say distinctly, and unconditionally, what he desires done, about the
command of the forces he has, I should try to do it; but when he has plans, conditioned upon my raising new forces, which is inconvenient for me to do, it is drawing upon me too severely.
Jan. 26. 1863. A. LINCOLN
[1] AES, NN. Lincoln's endorsement is written on a letter from Major General Sigel, January 23, as follows:
``The order from the War Department, assigning Gen. Schurz to the command of the Eleventh Corps has been received and promulgated by me. It was my understanding and that of the officers of the Eleventh Corps that Gen. Schurz was only to take the command of the Corps in the event of his becoming a Major General; and also that Gen. Stahel was, at the same time, to be promoted and assigned to the command of a Reserve Corps of Cavalry attached to the Grand Reserve Division.
``Under existing circumstances there is much dissatisfaction among the officers, which might be damaging to our interests in case of a battle, and Gen. Stahel feels humiliated by this arrangement, since it gives him a command inferior to that he has all along had---the command of a Division together with the Cavalry of the Corps. According to the order of the War Dept. he is now assigned to the command of the Cavalry alone, which is not so strong as it was when he had the command of his Division together with the Cavalry of the Corps.
``In order to harmonize these misunderstandings, and as an act of justice to Genl. Stahel, I would respectfully recommend that an order be immediately issued for the organization of a Reserve Cavalry Corps, to be attached to the Grand Reserve Division, and that its organization and command be assigned to Gen. Stahel.
``This would at once harmonize the differences, and be at the same time to the highest interests of the army of the Potomac.''
On January 29, Sigel replied to Lincoln's endorsement:
``I respectfully acknowledge the receipt of your endorsement on my letter of the 23d inst. I beg leave to submit to you the following statement:
``I believe that, in regard to Genl. Stahel and Genl. Schurz, the former is entitled by seniority to succeed me in the command of the 11th Corps, and so I represented my convictions to Genl. Burnside, and intended to be so understood by Your Excellency.
``In order to accommodate both of these officers, and because I believed a Cavalry Corps would be of great advantage . . . I recommended that, if such a Corps could be organized, Genl. Stahel could superintend its organization and take command of it, while Genl. Schurz could . . . command . . . the 11th Corps. . . . As, however, according to your endorsement . . . it seems not convenient to organize such a Cavalry force at present, I think it my duty . . . to renew my recommendation that Genl. Stahel succeed me in the command of the 11th Corps. . . .'' (DLC-RTL).
See also Lincoln to Halleck, January 7 and Lincoln to Stanton, January 12, supra, and Lincoln to Sigel, February 5, infra.