Lincoln, the unknown

LINCOLN THE UNKNOWN • 143walked into the war-office then, Stanton would have rushed athim and knocked him down.Chase was even more bitter. He didn't want to hit McClellan.He said the man ought to be shot.And the pious Chase wasn't speaking figuratively. Neitherwas he exaggerating. He literally wanted McClellan blindfolded,backed up against a stone wall, and a dozen bullets sent crashingthrough his heart.But Lincoln, with his understanding nature and Christ-likespirit, condemned no one. True, Pope had failed, but hadn't hedone his best? Lincoln, himself, had met defeat too often toblame any one else for failure.So he sent Pope out to the Northwest to subdue an uprisingof Sioux Indians, and gave the army back to McClellan. Why?Because, Lincoln said: "There is no man in the army who canlick these troops of ours into shape half as well as he. . . . Ifhe can't fight, himself, he excels in making others ready tofight." The President knew that he would be condemned for restoring"little Mac" to command. And he was—bitterly. Evenby his Cabinet. Stanton and Chase actually declared that theywould rather have Washington captured by Lee than to see thetraitorous and contemptible McClellan given command of thearmy again.Lincoln was so hurt at their violent opposition that he saidhe would resign if the Cabinet wished it.A few months later, after the Battle of Antietam, McClellanabsolutely refused to obey Lincoln's orders to follow Lee andattack him, so the army was taken away from him again; andhis military career was ended forever.The Army of the Potomac must have another leader. Butwho was he? Where was he? No one knew.In desperation, Lincoln offered the command to Burnside.He wasn't fit for it, and he knew it. He refused it twice; and,when it was forced upon him, he wept. Then he took the armyand made a rash attack on Lee's fortifications at Fredericksburg,and lost thirteen thousand men. Men uselessly butchered,for there wasn't the faintest hope of success.Officers as well as privates began to desert in large numbers.So Burnside, in turn, was relieved, and the army given toanother braggart, "Fighting Joe" Hooker."May God have mercy on Lee," he vaunted, "for I shall not."