Book Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1894 edition. Excerpt: ... OF THE CIVIL WAR. JVR. LINCOLN was, under the Constitution, the Commanderin-Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, yet neither the one nor the other was in existence on the day when he took the oath of office and assumed the responsibility of defending the life of the Republic. Almost his first duty was to call, out and arm soldiers and to obtain and equip vessels of war. No other president, excepting Washington, was ever compelled to be actually the general-in-chief, supervising, if need should be, all subordinate generals. His communications with commanders in the field were more complete than was at any time possible before the creation of the military telegraphsystem. They were, for altogether the greater part, conducted through the War Office, including, with the Secretary of War, the successive ranking generals, from Scott to Grant. There were a few written epistles, mere epistolary dispatches, perpetual inquiry, counsel, encouragement, but now that the occasions for them and the communications themselves have been subjected to careful study and analysis, the positions taken and the advice or directions given by the president are wonderfully vindicated. All that his contemporary critics described as his "interference with military affairs," may be better summed up in the language Of General Grant, May i, 1864. "From my first entrance into the volunteer service of the country to the present day, I have never had cause of complaint.... I have been astonished at the readiness with which everything asked for has been yielded, without even an explanation being asked." Apart from direct communications with military commanders, relating to campaign operations, there were many things said of a more general nature, ...