A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents. Volume 6, part 1: Abraham Lincoln
History
A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents. Volume 6, part 1: Abraham Lincoln
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865; Presidents -- United States; United States -- History -- Sources; United States -- Politics and government
The capture of New Orleans, Norfolk, and Corinth by the national forces
has enabled the insurgents to concentrate a large force at and about
Richmond, which place we must take with the least possible delay; in
fact, there will soon be no formidable insurgent force except at
Richmond. With so large an army there, the enemy can threaten us on the
Potomac and elsewhere. Until we have reestablished the national
authority, all these places must be held, and we must keep a respectable
force in front of Washington. But this, from the diminished strength of
our Army by sickness and casualties, renders an addition to it necessary
in order to close the struggle which has been prosecuted for the last
three months with energy and success. Rather than hazard the
misapprehension of our military condition and of groundless alarm by a
call for troops by proclamation, I have deemed it best to address you in
this form. To accomplish the object stated we require without delay
150,000 men, including those recently called for by the Secretary of
War. Thus reenforced our gallant Army will be enabled to realize the
hopes and expectations of the Government and the people.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
JUNE 28, 1862.
The PRESIDENT:
The undersigned, governors of States of the Union, impressed with the
belief that the citizens of the States which they respectively represent
are of one accord in the hearty desire that the recent successes of the
Federal arms may be followed up by measures which must insure the speedy
restoration of the Union, and believing that, in view of the present
state of the important military movements now in progress and the
reduced condition of our effective forces in the field, resulting from
the usual and unavoidable casualties in the service, the time has
arrived for prompt and vigorous measures to be adopted by the people in
support of the great interests committed to your charge, respectfully
request, if it meets with your entire approval, that you at once call
upon the several States for such number of men as may be required to
fill up all military organizations now in the field, and add to the
armies heretofore organized such additional number of men as may, in
your judgment, be necessary to garrison and hold all the numerous cities
and military positions that have been captured by our armies, and to
speedily crush the rebellion that still exists in several of the
Southern States, thus practically restoring to the civilized world our
great and good Government. All believe that the decisive moment is near
at hand, and to that end the people of the United States are desirous to
aid promptly in furnishing all reenforcements that you may deem needful
to sustain our Government.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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