Sunday, July 13, 2014

Major-General Oliver O. Howard to Abraham Lincoln, July 18, 1863

Unofficial
Headquarters Eleventh Corps,
Army of the Potomac.
New Berlin, July 18 1863.
To the President of the United States

Sir,

Having noticed in the newspapers certain statements bearing upon the battles of Gettysburg and subsequent operations which I deem calculated to convey a wrong impression to your mind, I wish to submit a few statements.

The successful issue of the battle of Gettysburg was due mainly to the energetic operations of our present Commanding General prior to the engagement and to the manner in which he handled his troops on the field. The reserves have never before during this war been thrown in at just the right moment, in many cases when points were just being carried by the enemy a regiment or brigade appeared to stop his progress and hurl him back. Moreover I have never seen a more hearty cooperation on the part of General officers as since General Meade took the command.

As to not attacking the enemy prior to leaving his stronghold beyond the Antietam, it is by no means certain that the repulse of Gettysburg might not have been turned upon us; at any rate the Commanding General was in favor of an immediate attack but with the evident difficulties in our way the uncertainty of a success and the strong conviction of our best military minds against the risk, I must say, that I think the General acted wisely.

As to my request to make a reconnoissance on the morning of the 14th which the papers state was refused; the facts are, that the General had required me to reconnoitre the evening before and give my opinion as to the practicability of making a lodgement on the enemy's left, and his answer to my subsequent request was, that the movements he had already ordered would subserve the same purpose.

We have, if I may be allowed to say it, a Commanding General in whom all the officers, with whom I have come in contact, express complete confidence. I have said this much because of the censure and of the misrepresentations which have grown out of the escape of Lee's army.

Very resp'y
your obt servt
O. O. Howard
Maj Genl

SOURCES: Roy P. Basler, editor, Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, Volume 6, p. 341-2; A copy of this letter can be found in The Abraham Lincoln Papers at the Library of Congress

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