from the
Navy Department that the administration was exceedingly anxious to have
the Mississippi opened; and this time, taking with him Porter's mortar
flotilla and three thousand troops, he again proceeded up the river, and
a second time reached Vicksburg on June 25.

The delay, however, had enabled the Confederates greatly to strengthen
the fortifications and the garrison of the city. Neither a bombardment
from Porter's mortar sloops, nor the running of Farragut's ships past
the batteries, where they were joined by the Union gunboat flotilla from
above, sufficed to bring the Confederates to a surrender. Farragut
estimated that a cooeperating land force of twelve to fifteen thousand
would have enabled him to take the works; and Halleck, on June 28 and
July 3, partially promised early assistance. But on July 14 he reported
definitely that it would be impossible for him to render the expected
aid. Under these circumstances, the Navy Department ordered Farragut
back to New Orleans, lest his ships of deep draft should be detained in
the river by the rapidly falling water. The capture of Vicksburg was
postponed for a whole year, and the early transfer of Halleck to
Washington changed the current of Western campaigns.

XXI

McClellan's Illness--Lincoln Consults McDowell and Franklin--President's
Plan against Manassas--McClellan's Plan against Richmond--Cameron and
Stanton--President's War Order No. 1--Lincoln's Questions to
McClellan--News from the West--Death of Willie Lincoln--The Harper's
Ferry Fiasco--President's War Order No. 3--The News from Hampton
Roads--Manassas Evacuated--Movement to the Peninsular--Yorktown--The
Peninsula Campaign--Seven Days' Battles--Retreat to Harrison's Landing

We have seen how the express orders of President Lincoln in the early
days of January, 1862, stirred the Western commanders to the beginning
of active movements that brought about an important series of victories
during the first half of the year. The results of his determination to
break a similar military stagnation in the East need now to be related.

The gloomy outlook at the beginning of the year has already been
mentioned. Finding on January 10 that General McClellan was still ill
and unable to see him, he called Generals McDowell and Franklin into
conference with himself, Seward, Chase, and the Assistant Secretary of
War; and, explaining to them his dissatisfaction and distress at
existing conditions, said to them