that "it
really seemed that McClellan wanted Pope defeated. . . . The President
seemed to think him a little crazy."(10)

But still the confidence in Pope, marching so blithely through "the
blush of dawn," stood fast. If ever an Administration was in a fool's
paradise, it was Lincoln's, in the last few days of August, while
Jackson was stealthily carrying out his great flanking movement getting
between Pope and Washington. However, the Suspicious Stanton kept his
eyes on McClellan. He decided that troops were being held back from
Pope; and he appealed to other members of the Cabinet to join with him
in a formal demand upon the President for McClellan's dismissal from
the army. While the plan was being discussed, came the appalling news of
Pope's downfall.

The meeting of the Cabinet, September second, was another revelation of
the new independence of the President. Three full days had passed since
Pope had telegraphed that the battle was lost and that he no longer
had control of his army. The Ministers, awaiting the arrival of the
President, talked excitedly, speculating what would happen next. "It
was stated," says Welles in his diary, "that Pope was falling back,
intending to retreat within the Washington entrenchments, Blair, who
has known him intimately, says he is a braggart and a liar, with some
courage, perhaps, but not much capacity. The general conviction is that
he is a failure here, and there is a belief . . . that he has not
been seconded and sustained as he should have been by McClellan . . ."
Stanton entered; terribly agitated. He had news that fell upon the
Cabinet like a bombshell. He said "in a suppressed voice, trembling
with excitement, he was informed that McClellan had been ordered to take
command of the forces in Washington."

Never was there a more tense moment in the Cabinet room than when
Lincoln entered that day. And all could see that he was in deep
distress. But he confirmed Stanton's information. That very morning
he had gone himself to McClellan's house and had asked him to resume
command. Lincoln discussed McClellan with the Cabinet quite simply,
admitting all his bad qualities, but finding two points in his
favor--his power of organization, and his popularity with the men.(11)

He was still more frank with his Secretaries. "'He has acted badly in
this matter,' Lincoln said to Hay, 'but we must use what tools we have.
There is no man in the army who can man these fortifications and li