Cabinet. The Question of Exempting Fractional Parts CHAPTER XX. NEGRO SOLDIERS Lincoln's Question about Opening the Mississippi. Action of the Rebel Government about Negro Sol- Executions in Texas. Van Dorn Threatens 440 Retaliation. Lincoln's Address about Fort Pillow. 470 ABRAHAM LINCOLN CHAPTER I POPE'S VIRGINIA CAMPAIGN N order to understand the unfortunate consequence of the long delay of McClellan in moving his army from the James to the Potomac, a few words of retrospect are here necessary. On June 26, 1862, General John Pope was appointed to the command of the Army of Virginia, consisting of the corps of Frémont, Banks, and McDowell. Frémont, having refused to serve under his junior, was relieved of his command, and his place taken by General Franz Sigel. McDowell and Banks, who might with much more reason have objected to the arrangement, accepted it with soldierly and patriotic promptness. General Pope, though still a young man, was a veteran soldier. He was a graduate of the class of 1842 at West Point, had served with distinction in the Mexican war, and had had a great success in the capture of Island No. 10, in the Mississippi River, in the spring of 1862. He had made a very favorable impression, not only upon the President but upon most memVOL. VI.-1 CHAP. I. CHAP. I. 1862. bers of the Cabinet. He remained in Washington for several weeks after having been assigned to his new command, awaiting the arrival of General Halleck, the new general-in-chief, and only left there on the 29th of July to put himself at the head of his troops. In the latter part of June the President, being deeply anxious in regard to the military situation, and desiring to obtain the best advice in his power, had made as privately as possible a visit to General Scott in his retirement, to ask his counsel. The only record of this visit is a memorandum from Scott approving the President's own plan of sending McDowell's command to reënforce McClellan before Richmond, a plan the execution of which was prevented by Lee's attack. It is probable that at this same interview the appointment of Halleck as general-in-chief was again suggested by General Scott. Secretary Chase says in his diary that so far as he knew no member of the Cabinet was consulted in regard to it.' The appointment when made was received with general approval. Halleck was not McClellan, which was sufficient for the more vehement opponents of that general; and he was not a Republican, which pleased the other party. In fact, he shocked the Secretary of the Warden, Treasury by saying at the first Cabinet meeting he attended, "I confess I do not think much of the negro." If Halleck never fulfilled the high expectations at first entertained of him, he at least discharged the duties of his great office with intelligence and fidelity. His integrity and his "Life of S. P. Chase," p. 448. 1 Secretary Welles, in "Lincoln and Seward," page 192, says Scott, Stanton, and Pope favored Halleck's appointment. CHAP. I. In great ability were alike undoubted. His deficiencies After General Halleck's return from the James the question of McClellan's removal from command of the Army of the Potomac was much discussed in Administration circles. The President himself was averse to it. Secretary Chase was the most prominent member of the Government in its favor. He urged it strongly upon General Halleck, thinking it necessary to the revival of the credit of the country. Halleck agreed with him in condemning McClellan's military operations, but thought that "under his orders" McClellan "would do very well." Pope, in conversation with Chase, said he had warned the President that he could not safely command the Army of Virginia if its success was to depend on the coöperation of McClellan, for he felt assured that his coöperation would fail at some time when it would be most important. But Schuckers, the resolution was taken, upon Halleck's report, to withdraw McClellan with his army. 30th, as we have seen, McClellan was ordered to send away his sick. On the 3d of August he was directed to move his army to Aquia Creek. Reiterated orders, entreaties, arguments, and reproaches were all powerless to hasten his movements or to bring him to the Potomac in less than three weeks. His first troops, Reynolds's division, joined the Army of Virginia on the 23d of August. In the mean time Pope had begun his campaign with an error of taste more serious than any error On the "Life of S. P. Chase," P. 448. 1862. |