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him； I will make him a brigadier…general； so that he can afford to
give his time。 He does not wish to command in the field； though he
has more military knowledge than some 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
MESSAGE TO CONGRESS。
WASHINGTON； January 17； 1862
TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES：
I transmit to Congress a translation of an instruction to the
minister of his Majesty the King of Prussia accredited to this
government； and a copy of a note to that minister from the Secretary
of State relating to the capture and detention of certain citizens of
the United States； passengers on board the British steamer Trent； by
order of Captain Wilkes of the United States Navy。
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
TO GENERAL McCLELLAN。
DEPARTMENT OF STATE； WASHINGTON。
January 20； 1862。
MAJOR…GENERAL GEORGE B。 McCLELLAN；
Commanding Armies of the United States：
You or any officer you may designate will in your discretion suspend
the writ of habeas corpus so far as may relate to Major Chase； lately
of the Engineer Corps of the Army of the United States； now alleged
to be guilty of treasonable practices against this government。
ABRAHAM LINCOLN。
By the President：
WILLIAM H。 SEWARD。
PRESIDENT'S GENERAL WAR ORDER NO。 1
EXECUTIVE MANSION； WASHINGTON ； January 27； 1862。
Ordered； That the 22d day of February； 1862； be the day for a general
movement of the land and the naval forces of the United States
against the insurgent forces。
That especially the army at and about Fortress Monroe； the Army of
the Potomac； the Army of Western Virginia； the army near
Munfordville； Kentucky； the army and flotilla at Cairo； and a naval
force in the Gulf of Mexico； be ready for a movement on that day。
That all other forces； both land and naval； with their respective
commanders； obey existing orders for the time； and be ready to obey
additional orders when duly given。
That the heads of departments； and especially the Secretaries of War
and of the Navy； with all their subordinates； and the
General…in…chief； with all other commanders and subordinates of land
and naval forces； will severally be held to their strict and full
responsibilities for the prompt execution of this order。
ABRAHAM LINCOLN。
TO SECRETARY STANTON；
EXECUTIVE MANSION WASHINGTON； January 31； 1862
HON。 SECRETARY OF WAR。
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。
PRESIDENT'S SPECIAL WAR ORDER NO。 1。
EXECUTIVE MANSION； WASHINGTON； January 31； 1862。
Ordered； That all the disposable force of the Army of the Potomac；
after providing safely for the defence 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 discretion of the
commander…in…chief； and the expedition to move before or on the 22d
day of February next。
ABRAHAM LINCOLN。
OPPOSITION TO McCLELLAN'S PLANS
TO GENERAL G。 B。 McCLELLAN；
EXECUTIVE MANSION； WASHINGTON； February 3； 1862。
MAJOR…GENERAL MCCLELLAN。
DEAR SIR …You and I have distinct and different plans for a movement
of the Army of the Potomacyours to be down the Chesapeake； up the
Rappahannock to Urbana； and across land to the terminus of the
railroad on the York River； mine to move directly to a point on the
railroad southwest of Manassas。
If you will give me satisfactory answers to the following questions；
I shall gladly yield my plan to yours。
First。 Does not your plan involve a greatly larger expenditure of
time and money than mine？
Second。 Wherein is a victory more certain by your plan than mine？
Third。 Wherein is a victory more valuable by your plan than mine？
Fourth。 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？
Fifth。 In case of disaster； would not a retreat be more difficult by
your plan than mine？
Yours truly；
ABRAHAM LINCOLN。
Memorandum accompanying Letter of President Lincoln to General
McClellan； dated February 3；1862。
First。 Suppose the enemy should attack us in force before we reach
the Occoquan； what？
Second。 Suppose the enemy in force shall dispute the crossing of the
Occoquan； what？ In view of this； might it not be safest for us to
cross the Occoquan at Coichester； rather than at the village of
Occoquan？ This would cost the enemy two miles of travel to meet us；
but would； on the contrary； leave us two miles farther from our
ultimate
destination。
Third。 Suppose we reach Maple Valley without an attack； will we not
be attacked there in force by the enemy marching by the several roads
from Manassas； and if so； what？
TO WM。 H。 HERNDON。
EXECUTIVE MANSION； WASHINGTON；
February 3； 1862。
DEAR WILLIAM：Yours of January 30th just received。 Do just as you
say about the money matter。
As you well know； I have not time to write a letter of respectable
length。 God bless you； says
Your friend；
A。 LINCOLN。
RESPITE FOR NATHANIEL GORDON
February 4； 1862
ABRAHAM LINCOLN；
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA；
To all to whom these Presents shall come； Greeting：
Whereas it appears that at a term of the Circuit Court of the United
States of America for the Southern District of New York held in the
month of November； A。D。 1861； Nathaniel Gordon was indicted and
convicted for being engaged in the slave trade； and was by the said
court sentenced to be put to death by hanging by the neck； on Friday
the 7th day of February； AD。 1862：
And whereas a large number of respectable citizens have earnestly
besought me to commute the said sentence of the said Nathaniel Gordon
to a term of imprisonment for life； which application I have felt it
to be my duty to refuse：
And whereas it has seemed to me probable that the unsuccessful
application made for the commutation of his sentence may have
prevented the said Nathaniel Gordon from making the necessary
preparation for the awful change which awaits him；
Now； therefore； be it known； that I； Abraham Lincoln； President of
the United States of America； have granted and do hereby grant unto
him； the said Nathaniel Gordon； a respite of the above recited
sentence； until Friday the twenty…first day of February； A。D。 1862；
between the hours of twelve o'clock at noon and three o'clock in the
afternoon of the said day； when the said sentence shall be executed。
In granting this respite； it becomes my painful duty to admonish the
prisoner that； relinquishing all expectation of pardon by human
authority； he refer himself alone to the mercy of the common God and
Father of all men。
In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name and caused the
seal of the United States to be affixed。
Done at the City of Washington； this fourth day of February； A。D。
1862； and of the independence of the United States the eighty…sixth。
ABR