oad
southwest of Manassas.

If you will give me satisfactory answers to the following questions, I
shall gladly yield my plan to yours.

_First._ Does not your plan involve a greatly larger expenditure of time
and money than mine?

_Second._ Wherein is a victory more certain by your plan than mine?

_Third._ Wherein is a victory more valuable by your plan than mine?

_Fourth._ In fact, would it not be less valuable in this, that it would
break no great line of the enemy's communications, while mine would?

_Fifth._ In case of disaster, would not a retreat be more difficult by
your plan than mine?

I have just assisted the Secretary of War in framing part of a despatch
to you, relating to army corps, which despatch of course will have
reached you long before this will.

I wish to say a few words to you privately on this subject. I ordered
the army corps organization, not only on the unanimous opinion of the
twelve generals whom you had selected and assigned as generals of
division, but also on the unanimous opinion of every _military man_ I
could get an opinion from (and every modern military book), yourself
only excepted. Of course I did not on my own judgment pretend to
understand the subject. I now think it indispensable for you to know how
your struggle against it is received in quarters which we cannot
entirely disregard. It is looked upon as merely an effort to pamper one
or two pets and to persecute and degrade their supposed rivals. I have
had no word from Sumner, Heintzelman, or Keyes. The commanders of these
corps are of course the three highest officers with you, but I am
constantly told that you have no consultation or communication with
them,--that you consult and communicate with nobody but General Fitz
John Porter, and perhaps General Franklin. I do not say these complaints
are true or just, but at all events it is proper you should know of
their existence. Do the commanders of corps disobey your orders in
anything?

... Are you strong enough--are you strong enough, even with my help--to
set your foot upon the necks of Sumner, Heintzelman, and Keyes, all at
once? This is a practical and a very serious question for you.

_Lincoln's Proclamation revoking General Hunter's Order setting the
Slaves free. May 19, 1862_

... General Hunter nor any other commander or person has been authorized
by the Government of the United States to make proclamation declaring
the slaves of any State free,