Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln. Volume 6 [Dec. 13, 1862-Nov. 3, 1863].

To John A. McClernand1Jump to section

Major General McClernand: Executive Mansion,
My dear Sir: Washington, August 12, 1863.

Our friend, William G. Greene, has just presented a kind letter in regard to yourself, addressed to me by our other friends, Yates, Hatch, and Dubois. I doubt whether your present position is more painful to you than to myself. Grateful for the patriotic stand so early taken by you in this life-and-death struggle of the nation, I have done whatever has appeared practicable to advance you and the public interest together. No charges, with a view to a trial, have been preferred against you by any one; nor do I suppose any will be. All there is, so far as I have heard, is Gen. Grant's statement of his reasons for relieving you. And even this I have not seen or sought to see; because it is a case, as appears to me, in which I could do nothing without doing harm. Gen. Grant and yourself have been conspicuous in our most important successes; and for me to interfere, and thus magnify a breach between you, could not but be of evil effect. Better leave it where the law of the case has placed it. For me to force you back upon Gen. Grant, would be forcing him to resign. I can not give you a new command, because we have no forces except such as already have commanders. I am constantly pressed by those who scold before they think, or without thinking at all, to give commands respectively to Fremont, McClellan, Butler, Sigel, Curtis, Hunter, Hooker, and perhaps others; when, all else out of the way, I have no commands to give them. This is now your case, which, as I have before said, pains me, not less than it does you.

My belief is that the permanent estimate of what a general does in the field, is fixed by the ``could of witnesses'' who have been with him in the field; and that relying on these, he who has the right needs not to fear. Your friend as ever A. LINCOLN

Annotation

[1]   ALS, IHi. See Lincoln to Stanton, August 10, supra. William G. Greene, Lincoln's old friend of New Salem days, was a prominent Union Democrat. The letter of August 6 which he brought from Governor Yates, Hatch and Dubois, explained that ``there is a deep and general feeling of regret; nay dissatisfaction at the dismissal of Gen'l McClernand from his late command. . . . His

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name is indissolubly blended with . . . the great military actions and events occuring in the South West. . . . The popular verdict is irreversibly in his favor as a General. . . .'' (DLC-RTL).

On August 24, McClernand replied to Lincoln's letter of August 12:

``Your kind favor, by the hand of Mr. Green, is received. Please accept my grateful acknowledgments for the friendly assurances it contains. If my humble efforts in behalf of the country have in any degree, met your approbation I am rejoiced. I only regret that I am debarred the privilege of continuing them in the same form.

``Feeling that I have done my duty I shrink from no charges that Genl. Grant may prefer. On the contrary . . . I challenged investigation both of his and my conduct. . . . I only ask . . . for an impartial court. Such investigation would bring to light . . . many things, both military and personal, which are unwritten or unheeded. . . .'' (DLC-RTL).

On September 14, Stanton replied to McClernand's letter of September 5 in which he repeated his request for a court of inquiry:

``Your letter of the 5th instant has been submitted to the President, who directs me to say that a court of inquiry embracing any one of the subjects specified in that letter would necessarily withdraw from the field many officers whose presence with their commands is absolutely indispensable to the service, and whose absence might cause irreparable injury to the success of operations now in active progress. For these reasons he declines at present your applications, but if hereafter it can be done without prejudice to the service, he will, in view of your anxiety upon the subject, order a court.'' (OR, I, XXIV, I, 169).

On January 14, 1864 , McClernand wrote Lincoln, enclosing a copy of his resignation as major general, ``an office which for more than six months past, has neither afforded me an opportunity to combat the rebellion, nor to defend myself against the proscription and calumnies of . . . Maj. Genl. U. S. Grant.'' (DLC-RTL).