e. This is in no sense an order, but is merely
intended to impress you with the importance to the Army itself of your
doing all you safely can, yourself being the judge of what you can safely
do.

Yours truly,

A. LINCOLN.

INDORSEMENT CONCERNING AN EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS, SEPTEMBER 1864.

The writer of this, who appeals for his brother, is our minister to
Ecuador, and whom, if at all compatible, I would like to have obliged by a
special exchange of his brother.

A. LINCOLN.

TELEGRAM TO GENERAL P. SHERIDAN. EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, September
20, 1864

MAJOR-GENERAL SHERIDAN, Winchester, Va.:

Have just heard of your great victory. God bless you all, officers and
men. Strongly inclined to come up and See you.

A. LINCOLN.

TO GENERAL HITCHCOCK,

EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, September 21, 1864.

GENERAL HITCHCOCK:

Please see the bearer, Mr. Broadwell, on a question about a mutual
supplying of clothes to prisoners.

Yours truly,

A. LINCOLN.

TO GENERAL U.S. GRANT.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, September 22, 1864.

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL GRANT:

I send this as an explanation to you, and to do justice to the Secretary
of War. I was induced, upon pressing application, to authorize the agents
of one of the districts of Pennsylvania to recruit in one of the prison
depots in Illinois; and the thing went so far before it came to the
knowledge of the Secretary that, in my judgment, it could not be abandoned
without greater evil than would follow its going through. I did not know
at the time that you had protested against that class of thing being done;
and I now say that while this particular job must be completed, no other
of the sort will be authorized, without an understanding with you, if at
all. The Secretary of War is wholly free of any part in this blunder.

Yours truly,

A. LINCOLN.

TO POSTMASTER-GENERAL BLAIR.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, September 23, 1864.

HON. MONTGOMERY BLAIR.

MY DEAR SIR:--You have generously said to me, more than once, that
whenever your resignation could be a relief to me, it was at my disposal.
The time has come. You very well know that this proceeds from no
dissatisfaction of mine with you personally or officially. Your uniform
kindness has been unsurpassed by that of any other friend, and while it
is true that the war does not so greatly add to the difficulties of your
department as to those of some other