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.