Page 354
To Henry W. Halleck1Jump to section
Major General Halleck: Washington, July 29, 1863.
Seeing Gen. Meade's despatch of yesterday to yourself, causes, me to fear that he supposes the government here is demanding of him to bring on a general engagement with Lee as soon as possible. I am claiming no such thing of him. In fact, my judgment is against it; which judgment, of course, I will yield if yours and his are the contrary. If he could not safely engage Lee at Williamsport, it seems absurd to suppose he can safely engage him now, when he has scarcely more than two thirds of the force he had at Williamsport, while it must be, that Lee has been re-inforced. True, I desired Gen. Meade to pursue Lee across the Potomac, hoping, as has proved true, that he would thereby clear the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and get some advantages by harrassing him on his retreat. These being past, I am unwilling he should now get into a general engagement on the impression that we here are pressing him; and I shall be glad for you to so inform him, unless your own judgment is against it. Yours truly A. LINCOLN.
Annotation
[1] ADfS, DLC-RTL; LS, IHi. General Meade telegraphed Halleck at 3 P.M. on July 28:
``I am making every effort to prepare this army for an advance. . . . I am in hopes to commence the movement to-morrow, when I shall first throw over a cavalry force to feel for the enemy, and cross the infantry as fast as possible. . . .
``No reliable intelligence of the position of the enemy has been obtained. He pickets the Rappahannock from Fredericksburg to Rappahannock Station. These pickets, however, seem to be mere `lookouts,' to warn him of my approach.
``Contradictory reports . . . place the main body, some at Gordonsville, others say at Staunton and Charlottesville, and some assert the retreat has been extended to Richmond. My own expectation is that he will be found behind the line of the Rapidan. . . .
``P.S. 4 p.m.---A scout just returned . . . reports the enemy have repaired the railroad bridge across the Rapidan, and are using the road to Culpeper Court-House; that Lee has been re-enforced by D. H. Hill, reported with 10,000 men, and that he intends to make a stand at Culpeper or in its vicinity.'' (OR, I, XXVII, I, 103-104).
At 10 A.M., Halleck communicated Lincoln's note to Meade (ibid., p. 105).