the writings-6-第4章
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WAR DEPARTMENT； May 25； 1862。
GENERAL SAXTON； Harper's Ferry：
If Banks reaches Martinsburg； is he any the better for it？ Will not
the enemy cut him from thence to Harper's Ferry？ Have you sent
anything to meet him and assist him at Martinsburg？ This is an
inquiry； not an order。
A。 LINCOLN。
TELEGRAM TO GENERAL R。 SAXTON。
WAR DEPARTMENT； May 25； 1862。 6。30 P。M。
GENERAL SAXTON； Harper's Ferry：
One good six…gun battery； complete in its men and appointments； is
now on its way to you from Baltimore。 Eleven other guns； of
different sorts； are on their way to you from here。 Hope they will
all reach you before morning。 As you have but 2500 men at Harper's
Ferry； where are the rest which were in that vicinity and which we
have sent forward？ Have any of them been cut off？
A。 LINCOLN。
TELEGRAM TO GENERAL R。 SAXTON。
WAR DEPARTMENT； May 25； 1862。
GENERAL SAXTON； Harper's Ferry：
I fear you have mistaken me。 I did not mean to question the
correctness of your conduct； on the contrary1 I approve what you have
done。 As the 2500 reported by you seemed small to me； I feared some
had got to Banks and been cut off with him。 Please tell me the exact
number you now have in hand。
A。 LINCOLN。
TELEGRAM TO GENERAL G。 B。 McCLELLAN。
＇Sent in cipher。＇
WAR DEPARTMENT； WASHINGTON CITY； D。 C。； May 25；1862。 8。30 P。M。
MAJOR…GENERAL McCLELLAN：
Your despatch received。 General Banks was at Strasburg； with about
6；000 men； Shields having been taken from him to swell a column for
McDowell to aid you at Richmond； and the rest of his force scattered
at various places。 On the 23d a rebel force of 7000 to 10；000 fell
upon one regiment and two companies guarding the bridge at Front
Royal； destroying it entirely； crossed the Shenandoah； and on the
24th （yesterday） pushed to get north of Banks； on the road to
Winchester。 Banks ran a race with them； beating them into Winchester
yesterday evening。 This morning a battle ensued between the two
forces； in which Banks was beaten back into full retreat toward
Martinsburg； and probably is broken up into a total rout。 Geary； on
the Manassas Gap railroad； just now reports that Jackson is now near
Front Royal； With 10；000； following up and supporting； as I
understand； the forces now pursuing Banks； also that another force of
10；000 is near Orleans； following on in the same direction。 Stripped
here； as we are here； it will be all we can do to prevent them
crossing the Potomac at Harper's Ferry or above。 We have about
20；000 of McDowell's force moving back to the vicinity of Front
Royal； and General Fremont； who was at Franklin； is moving to
Harrisonburg； both these movements intended to get in the enemy's
rear。
One more of McDowell's brigades is ordered through here to Harper's
Ferry； the rest of his force remains for the present at
Fredericksburg。 We are sending such regiments and dribs from here
and Baltimore as we can spare to Harper's Ferry； supplying their
places in some sort by calling in militia from the adjacent States。
We also have eighteen cannon on the road to Harper's Ferry； of which
arm there is not a single one yet at that point。 This is now our
situation。
If McDowell's force was now beyond our reach； we should be utterly
helpless。 Apprehension of something like this； and no unwillingness
to sustain you； has always been my reason for withholding McDowell's
force from you。 Please understand this； and do the best you can with
the force you have。
A。 LINCOLN。
HISTORY OF CONSPIRACY OF REBELLION
MESSAGE TO CONGRESS。
MAY 16； 1862
TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES：
The insurrection which is yet existing in the United States and aims
at the overthrow of the Federal Constitution and the Union； was
clandestinely prepared during the Winter of 1860 and 1861； and
assumed an open organization in the form of a treasonable provisional
government at Montgomery； in Alabama on the 18th day of February；
1861。 On the 12th day of April； 1861； the insurgents committed the
flagrant act of civil war by the bombardment and the capture of Fort
Sumter； Which cut off the hope of immediate conciliation。
Immediately afterward all the roads and avenues to this city were
obstructed； and the capital was put into the condition of a siege。
The mails in every direction were stopped and the lines of telegraph
cut off by the insurgents； and military and naval forces which had
been called out by the government for the defense of Washington were
prevented from reaching the city by organized and combined
treasonable resistance in the State of Maryland。 There was no
adequate and effective organization for the public defense。 Congress
had indefinitely adjourned。 There was no time to convene them。 It
became necessary for me to choose whether； using only the existing
means； agencies； and processes which Congress had provided； I should
let the government fall at once into ruin or whether； availing myself
of the broader powers conferred by the Constitution in cases of
insurrection； I would make an effort to save it； with all its
blessings； for the present age and for posterity。
I thereupon summoned my constitutional advisers； the heads of all the
departments； to meet on Sunday； the 20th day of April； 1861； at the
office of the Navy Department； and then and there； with their
unanimous concurrence； I directed that an armed revenue cutter should
proceed to sea to afford protection to the commercial marine； and
especially the California treasure ships then on their way to this
coast。 I also directed the commandant of the navy…yard at Boston to
purchase or charter and arm as quickly as possible five steamships
for purposes of public defense。 I directed the commandant of the
navy…yard at Philadelphia to purchase or charter and arm an equal
number for the same purpose。 I directed the commandant at New York
to purchase or charter and arm an equal number。 I directed Commander
Gillis to purchase or charter and arm and put to sea two other
vessels。 Similar directions were given to Commodore Dupont； with a
view to the opening of passages by water to and from the capital。 I
directed the several officers to take the advice and obtain the aid
and efficient services； in the matter； of his Excellency Edwin D。
Morgan； the Governor of New York； or in his absence George D。 Morgan；
William M。 Evarts； R。 M。 Blatchford； and Moses H。 Grinnell； who were
by my directions especially empowered by the Secretary of the Navy to
act for his department in that crisis in matters pertaining to the
forwarding of troops and supplies for the public defense。
The several departments of the government at that time contained so
large a number of disloyal persons that it would have been impossible
to provide safely through official agents only for the performance of
the duties thus confided to citizens favorably known for their
ability； loyalty； and patriotism。
The several orders issued upon these occurrences were transmitted by
private messengers； who pursued a circuitous way to the seaboard
cities； inland across the States of Pennsylvania and Ohio and the
northern lakes。 I believe by these and other similar measures taken
in that crisis； some of which were without any authority of law； the
government was saved from overthrow。 I am not aware that a dollar of
the public funds thus confided without authority of law to unofficial
persons was either lost or wasted； although apprehensions of such
misdirection occurred to me as objections to those extraordinary
proceedings； and were necessarily overruled。
I recall these transactions now because my attention has been
directed to a resolution which was passed by the House of
Representatives on the 30th day of last month； which is in these
words：
〃Resolved； That Simon Cameron；
