TELEGRAM TO GENERAL BUTTERFIELD. War Department, Washington, D. C., MAJOR-GENERAL BUTTERFIELD: The news you send me from the Richmond Sentinel of the 3d must be greatly if not wholly incorrect. The Thursday mentioned was the 28th, and we have despatches here directly from Vicksburg of the 28th, 29th, 30th, and 31st; and, while they speak of the siege progressing, they speak of no assault or general fighting whatever, and in fact they so speak as to almost exclude the idea that there can have been any since Monday the 25th, which was not very heavy. Neither do they mention any demand made by Grant upon Pemberton for a surrender. They speak of our troops as being in good health, condition, and spirits. Some of them do say that Banks has Port Hudson invested. A. LINCOLN. TO SECRETARY STANTON. EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, HON. SECRETARY OF WAR. MY DEAR SIR:-I have received additional despatches, which, with former ones, induce me to believe we should revoke or suspend the order suspending the Chicago Times; and if you concur in opinion, please have it done. Yours truly, A. LINCOLN. TELEGRAM TO GENERAL HOOKER. MAJOR-GENERAL HOOKER: WASHINGTON, June 5, 1863. Yours of to-day was received an hour ago. So much of professional military skill is requisite to answer it that I have turned the task over to General Halleck. He promises to perform it with his utmost care. I have but one idea which I think worth suggesting to you, and that is, in case you find Lee coming to the north of the Rappahannock, I would by no means cross to the south of it. If he should leave a rear force at Fredericksburg, tempting you to fall upon it, it would fight in intrenchments and have you at advantage, and so, man for man, worst you at that point, while his main force would in some way be getting an advantage of you northward. In one word, I would not take any risk of being entangled up on the river like an ox jumped half over a fence and liable to be torn by dogs front and rear without a fair chance to gore one way or to kick the other. If Lee would come to my side of the river I would keep on the same side and fight him, or act on the defensive, according as might be my estimate of his strength relatively to my own. But these are mere suggestions, which I desire to be controlled by the judgment of yourself and General Halleck. A. LINCOLN. TELEGRAM TO MRS. GRIMSLEY. WASHINGTON, D. C., June 6, 1863. MRS. ELIZABETH J. GRIMSLEY, Springfield, Ill. : Is your John ready to enter the naval school? If he is, telegraph me his full name. A. LINCOLN. TELEGRAM TO GENERAL DIX. WAR DEPARTMent, WashinGTON, D. C., June 6, 1863. MAJOR-GENERAL DIX, Fort Monroe, Va.: By noticing the news you send from the Richmond Dispatch of this morning you will see one of the very latest despatches says they have nothing reliable from Vicksburg since Sunday. Now we here have a despatch from there Sunday and others of almost every day preceding since the investment, and while they show the siege progressing they do not show any general fighting since the 21st and 22d. We have nothing from Port Hudson later than the 29th when things looked reasonably well for us. I have thought this might be of some interest to you. A. LINCOLN. TELEGRAM TO GENERAL DIX. EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, MAJOR-GENERAL DIX, Fort Monroe: We have despatches from Vicksburg of the 3d. Siege progressing. No general fighting recently. All well. Nothing new from Port Hudson. A. LINCOLN. TELEGRAM TO GENERAL DIX. WAR DEPARTMent, WashingTON, D. C June 8, 1863. MAJOR-GENERAL DIX, Fort Monroe: The substance of news sent of the fighting at Port Hudson on the 27th we have had here three or four days, and I supposed you had it also, when I said this morning, "No news from Port Hudson." We knew that General Sherman was wounded, but we hoped not so dangerously as your despatch represents. We still have nothing of that Richmond newspaper story of Kirby Smith crossing and of Banks losing an arm. TELEGRAM TO J. P. HALE. A. LINCOLN EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, HON. JOHN P. HALE, Dover, N. H.: I believe that it was upon your recommendation that B. B. Bunker was appointed attorney for Nevada Territory. I am pressed to remove him on the ground that he does not attend to the office, nor in fact pass much time in the Territory. Do you wish to say anything on the subject? A. LINCOLN TELEGRAM TO MRS. LINCOLN. EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, MRS. LINCOLN, Philadelphia, Pa.: Think you had better put "Tad's" pistol away. I had an ugly dream about him. A. LINCOLN. TELEGRAM TO GENERAL HOOKER. WASHINGTON, D. C. June 9, 1863. MAJOR-GENERAL HOOKER: I am told there are 50 incendiary shells here at the arsenal made to fit the 100-pounder Parrott gun now with you. If this be true would you like to have the shells sent to you? A. LINCOLN TELEGRAM TO GENERAL HOOKER. WASHINGTON, D. C., June 10, 1863. MAJOR-GENERAL HOOKER: Your long despatch of to-day is just received. If left to me, I would not go south of the Rappahannock upon Lee's moving north of it. If you had Richmond invested to-day you would not be able to take it in twenty days; meanwhile your communications, and with them your army, would be ruined. I think Lee's army, and not Richmond, is your true objective point. If he comes towards the upper Potomac, follow on his flank, and on the inside track, shortening your lines while he lengthens his. Fight him, too, when opportunity offers. If he stay where he is, fret him and fret him. A. LINCOLN. TELEGRAM TO MRS. LINCOLN. EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, June 11, 1863. MRS. LINCOLN, Philadelphia: Your three despatches received. I am very well and am glad to know that you and "Tad" are so. A. LINCOLN. |