A. Lincoln.

TO GENERAL H. W. HALLECK.

Executive Mansion, Washington
January 7, 1863.

Major-general Halleck.

My dear sir:—­What think you of forming a reserve cavalry corps of, say, 6000 for the Army of the Potomac?  Might not such a corps be constituted from the cavalry of Sigel’s and Slocum’s corps, with scraps we could pick up here and there?

Yours truly,

A. Lincoln.

TELEGRAM TO B. G. BROWN.

Washington, D. C., January 7, 1863. 5.30 P.M.

Hon.  B. Gratz Brown, Jefferson City, Mo.: 

Yours of to-day just received.  The administration takes no part between its friends in Missouri, of whom I, at least, consider you one; and I have never before had an intimation that appointees there were interfering, or were inclined to interfere.

A. Lincoln.

CORRESPONDENCE WITH GENERAL A. E. BURNSIDE, JANUARY 8, 1863.

Headquarters army of the Potomac
January 5, 1863.

His excellency the president of the united states:  Since my return to the army I have become more than ever convinced that the general officers of this command are almost unanimously opposed to another crossing of the river; but I am still of the opinion that the, crossing should be attempted, and I have accordingly issued orders to the engineers and artillery to prepare for it.  There is much hazard in it, as there always is in the majority of military movements, and I cannot begin the movement without giving you notice of it, particularly as I know so little of the effect that it may have upon other movements of distant armies.

The influence of your telegram the other day is still upon me, and has impressed me with the idea that there are many parts of the problem which influence you that are not known to me.

In order to relieve you from all embarrassment in my case, I inclose with this my resignation of my commission as major-general of volunteers, which you can have accepted if my movement is not in accordance with the views of yourself and your military advisers.

I have taken the liberty to write to you personally upon this subject, because it was necessary, as I learned from General Halleck, for you to approve of my general plan, written at Warrenton, before I could commence the movement; and I think it quite as necessary that you should know of the important movement I am about to make, particularly as it will have to be made in opposition to the views of nearly all my general officers, and after the receipt of a despatch from you informing me of the opinion of some of them who had visited you.