"
Halleck's moral and official courage, however, failed the President in
this emergency. He declined to give his military opinion, and asked to
be relieved from further duties as general-in-chief. This left Mr.
Lincoln no option, and still having need of the advice of his
general-in-chief on other questions, he indorsed on his own letter,
"withdrawn because considered harsh by General Halleck." The
complication, however, continued to grow worse, and the correspondence
more strained. Burnside declared that the country had lost confidence in
both the Secretary of War and the general-in-chief; also, that his own
generals were unanimously opposed to again crossing the Rappahannock.
Halleck, on the contrary, urged another crossing, but that it must be
made on Burnside's own decision, plan, and responsibility. Upon this the
President, on January 8, 1863, again wrote Burnside:
"I understand General Halleck has sent you a letter of which this is a
copy. I approve this letter. I deplore the want of concurrence with you
in opinion by your general officers, but I do not see the remedy. Be
cautious, and do not understand that the government or country is
driving you. I do not yet see how I could profit by changing the command
of the Army of the Potomac; and if I did, I should not wish to do it by
accepting the resignation of your commission.
Pages:
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465