write you to-day. I am not competent to criticise your news, and therefore what I offer is merely in justification of myself. Of the two, I would rather have a point on the railroad south of Cumberland Gap than Nashville-first, because it cuts a great artery of the enemy's communication, which Nashville does not; and, secondly, because it is in the midst of loyal people, who would rally around it, while Nashville is not. Again, I can not see why the movement on East Tennessee would not be a diversion in your favor rather than a disadvantage, assuming that a movement toward Nashville is the main object. But my distress is that our friends in East Tennessee are being hanged and driven to despair, and even now I fear are thinking of taking rebel arms for the sake of personal protection. In this we lose the most valuable stake we have in the South. My dispatch, to which yours is an answer, was sent with the knowledge of Senator Johnson and Representative Maynard, of East Tennessee, and they will be upon me to know the answer, which I can not safely show them. They would despair, possibly resign, to go and save their families somehow or die with them. I do not intend this to be an order in any sense, but merely as intimated before, to show you the grounds of my anxiety. Yours very truly, A. LINCOLN.

TO BRIGADIER-GENERAL D. C. BUELL, LOUISVILLE.

Washington, January 7, 1862. Please name as early a day as you safely can, on or before which you can be ready to move northward in concert with Major-General Halleck. Delay is ruin

ing us, and it is indispensable for me to have something definite. I send a like dispatch to Major-General Halleck. A. LINCOLN.

To BRIGADIER-GENERAL BUELL.

Executive Mansion, Washington, Jan. 13, 1862. My Dear Sir:-Your dispatch of yesterday is received, in which you say, "I received your letter and General McClellan's, and will at once devote my efforts to your views and his." In the midst of my many cares I have not seen, nor asked to see, General McClellan's letter to you. For my own views, I have not offered, and do not now offer them as orders; and while I am glad to have them respectfully considered, I would blame you to follow them contrary to your own clear judgment, unless I should put them in the form of orders. As to General McClellan's views, you understand your duty in regard to them better than I do. With this preliminary I state my general idea of this war to be, that we have the greater numbers and the enemy has the greater facility of concentrating forces upon points of collision; that we must fail unless we can find some way of making our advantage an overmatch for his; and that this can only be done by menacing him with superior forces at different points at the same time, so that we can safely attack one or both if he makes no change; and if he weakens one to strengthen the other, forbear to attack the strengthened one, but seize and hold the weakened one, gaining so much.

To illustrate: Suppose last summer when Winchester ran away to enforce Manassas, we had for

borne to attack Manassas, but had seized and held Winchester. I mention this to illustrate and not to criticise. I did not lose confidence in McDowell, and I think less harshly of Patterson than some others seem to. Application of the general rule I am suggesting, everv particular case will have its modifying circumstances, among which the most constantly present and most difficult to meet will be the want of perfect knowledge of the enemy's movements. This had its part in the Bull Run case; but worse in that case was the expiration of the terms of the three months' men.

Applying the principle to your case, my idea is that Halleck shall menace Columbus and "downriver" generally, while you menace Bowling Green and East Tennessee. If the enemy shall concentrate at Bowling Green do not retire from his front, yet do not fight him there either, but seize Columbus and East Tennessee, one or both, left exposed by the concentration at Bowling Green.

It is a matter of no small anxiety to me, and one which I am sure you will not overlook, that the East Tennessee is so long and over so bad a road.

Yours very truly,

A. LINCOLN.

TO MAJOR-GENERAL HALLECK.

Executive Mansion, Washington, Jan. 15, 1862. My Dear Sir:-The Germans are true and patriotic, and so far as they have got cross in Missouri it is upon mistake and misunderstanding.

Without a knowledge of its contents Governor Koerner, of Illinois, will hand you this letter. He is

an educated and talented German gentleman, as trus a man as lives.

With his assistance you can set every thing right with the Germans. I write this without his knowledge, asking him at the same time, by letter, to deliver it. My clear judgment is that, with reference to the German element in your command, you should have Governor Koerner with you; and if agreeable to you and him, I will make him a brigadier-general, so that he can afford to so give his time.

He does not wish to command in the field, though he has more military knowledge than many who do. If he goes into the place he will simply be an efficient, zealous, and unselfish assistant to you. I say all this upon intimate personal acquaintance with Governor Koerner. Yours very truly, A. LINCOLN.

TO THE SECRETARY OF WAR.

Executive Mansion, Washington, January 31, 1862. My Dear Sir:-It is my wish that the expedition commonly called the "Lane Expedition," shall be as much as has been promised at the adjutant-general's office under the supervision of General McClellan, and not any more. I have not intended, and do not now intend that it shall be a great, exhausting affair, but a snug, sober column of 10,000 or 15,000. General Lane has been told by me many times that he is under the command of General Hunter, and assented to it as often as told. It was the distinct agreement between him and me when I appointed him, that he was to be under Hunter. Yours truly,

A. LINCOLN.

SPECIAL WAR ORDER No. 1, JANUARY 31, 1862. Ordered: That all the disposable forces of the Army of the Potomac, after providing safely for the defense of Washington, be formed into an expedition for the immediate object of seizing and occupying a point upon the railroad southwestward of what is known as Manassas Junction; all details to be in the direction of the general-in-chief, and the expedition to move before or on the 22d day of February next.

A. LINCOLN.

LETTER TO GENERAL MCCLELLAN, FEBRUARY 3, 1862.

My Dear Sir:-You and I have distinct and different plans for a movement of the Army of the Potomac. Yours to be done by the Chesapeake, up the Rappahannock to Urbanna, and across to the terminus of the railroad on the York river; mine to move directly to a point on the railroad south-west of Man

assas.

If you will give me satisfactory answers to the following questions, I shall gladly yield my plan to yours:

1. Does not your plan involve a greatly larger expenditure of time and money than mine?

2. Wherein is a victory more certain by your plan than mine?

3. Wherein is a victory more valuable by your plan than mine?

4. In fact, would it not be less valuable in this; that it would break no great line of the enemy's communications, while mine would?