To Whom It May Concern1Jump to section
Whom it may concern. Washington, February 11, 1863.
Major General Butler, bearer of this, visits the Mississippi River, and localities thereon, at my request, for observation. The Military and Naval Commanders, whom he may meet, will please facilitate his passage from point to point, and make him as comfortable as possible during his stay with them respectively. I will thank them also to impart to him such information as they may possess, and he may seek, not inconsistent with the military service.
A. LINCOLN
Annotation
[1] ADS, DLC-Butler Papers. See Lincoln to Stanton January 23 and to Butler January 28, supra. A draft of an order is preserved in the Lincoln Papers with emendations in Stanton's autograph and dated February 17, 1863, which ordered (1) Butler's return to command of the Department of the Gulf and the creation of a separate department in Texas under command of General Nathaniel P. Banks; (2) the creation of a new department ``as soon as the navigation of the Mississippi is opened . . . to consist of the Department of the Gulf,---and so much of the Mississippi valley as is contained south of Cairo, in the States of Missouri and Arkansas on the west Bank and of Kentucky west of the Cumberland River, Western Tennessee and Mississippi on the Eastern Bank of the River, . . . to be called the Department of the Gulf and the Mississippi. . . . command assign[ed] to Maj. Gen. Butler,'' and (3) authorized Butler ``to enlist and organize such forces as he may deem expedient within these Departments. . . .'' (DLC-RTL). The order was never issued, however, and Butler did not return to New Orleans.