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aspect of affairs。
While it is true that the adoption of the proposed resolution would
be merely initiatory； and not within itself a practical measure； it
is recommended in the hope that it would soon lead to important
practical results。 In full view of my great responsibility to my God
and to my country； I earnestly beg the attention of Congress and the
people to the subject。
ABRAHAM LINCOLN。
INDORSEMENT ON LETTER FROM GOVERNOR YATES。
STATE OF ILLINOIS； EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT；
SPRINGFIELD； ILL。； March 1； 1862
HON。 EDWIN M。 STANTON；
SECRETARY OF WAR； Washington； D。 C。
SIR：The government at my special request a few months since
contracted for fourteen batteries of the James rifled gun； 6…pounder
calibre； and a limited quantity of the James projectiles； weighing
about fourteen pounds each。 The reports showing the superiority of
this gun and projectile； both as regards range； accuracy； and
execution； for field service over that of all others at the battle of
Fort Donelson； leads me to request that there be furnished to the
State of Illinois in the shortest time practicable seven batteries of
12…pounder calibre James rifled guns； with carriages； harness；
implements； etc。； complete and ready for field service； together with
the following fixed ammunition to each gun； viz。； 225 shells； 225
canister； and 50 solid projectiles； weighing about 24 pounds each；
and also 200 shells； 100 canister； and 100 solid projectiles for each
of the guns of the fourteen batteries named above； weighing about
14 pounds each； all to be of the James model。
Very respectfully；
RICHARD YATES；
Governor of Illinois。
＇Indorsement。＇
March 8； 1862。
The within is from the Governor of Illinois。 I understand the seven
additional batteries now sought are to be 6…gun batteries； and the
object is to mix them with the fourteen batteries they already have
so as to make each battery consist of four 6…pounders and two
12…pounders。 I shall be very glad to have the requisition filled if
it can be without detriment to the service。
A。 LINCOLN。
PRESIDENT'S GENERAL WAR ORDER NO。2。
EXECUTIVE MANSION； WASHINGTON
March 8； 1862。
Ordered：
1。 That the major…general commanding the Army of the Potomac proceed
forthwith to organize that part of the said army destined to enter
upon active operations （including the reserve； but excluding the
troops to be left in the fortifications about Washington） into four
army corps； to be commanded according to seniority of rank； as
follows：
First Corps to consist of four divisions； and to be commanded by
Major…General I。 McDowell。
Second Corps to consist of three divisions； and to be commanded by
Brigadier…General E。 V。 Sumner。
Third Corps to consist of three divisions； and to be commanded by
Brigadier…General S。 P。 Heintzelman。
Fourth Corps to consist of three divisions； and to be commanded by
Brigadier…General E。 D。 Keyes。
2。 That the divisions now commanded by the officers above assigned
to the commands of army corps shall be embraced in and form part of
their respective corps。
3。 The forces left for the defense of Washington will be placed in
command of Brigadier…General James S。 Wadsworth； who shall also be
military governor of the District of Columbia。
4。 That this order be executed with such promptness and dispatch as
not to delay the commencement of the operations already directed to
be underwritten by the Army of the Potomac。
5。 A fifth army corps； to be commanded by Major general N。 P。 Banks；
will be formed from his own and General Shields's （late General
Lander's） divisions。
ABRAHAM LINCOLN。
PRESIDENT'S GENERAL WAR ORDER NO。3。
EXECUTIVE MANSION； WASHINGTON； MARCH 8；1862
Ordered： That no change of the base of operations of the Army of the
Potomac shall be made without leaving in and about Washington such a
force as in the opinion of the general…in…chief and the commanders of
all the army corps shall leave said city entirely secure。
That no more than two army corps （about 50；000 troops） of said Army
of the Potomac shall be moved en route for a new base of operations
until the navigation of the Potomac from Washington to the Chesapeake
Bay shall be freed from enemy's batteries and other obstructions； or
until the President shall hereafter give express permission。
That any movements as aforesaid en route for a new base of operations
which may be ordered by the general…in…chief； and which may be
intended to move upon the Chesapeake Bay； shall begin to move upon
the bay as early as the 18th day of March instant； and the
general…in…chief shall be responsible that it so move as early as
that day。
Ordered； That the army and navy co…operate in an immediate effort to
capture the enemy's batteries upon the Potomac between Washington and
the Chesapeake Bay。
A。 LINCOLN
MEMORANDUM OF AN INTERVIEW BETWEEN THE PRESIDENT AND SOME BORDER
SLAVE STATE REPRESENTATIVES； BY HON。 J。 W。 CRISFIELD。
〃DEAR SIR：I called； at the request of the President； to ask you to
come to the White House tomorrow morning； at nine o'clock； and bring
such of your colleagues as are in town。〃
WASHINGTON； March 10； 1862。
Yesterday； on my return from church； I found Mr。 Postmaster…General
Blair in my room； writing the above note； which he immediately
suspended； and verbally communicated the President's invitation； and
stated that the President's purpose was to have some conversation
with the delegations of Kentucky； Missouri； Maryland； Virginia； and
Delaware； in explanation of his message of the 6th instant。
This morning these delegations； or such of them as were in town；
assembled at the White House at the appointed time； and after some
little delay were admitted to an audience。 Mr。 Leary and myself were
the only members from Maryland present； and； I think； were the only
members of the delegation at that time in the city。 I know that Mr。
Pearoe； of the Senate； and Messrs。 Webster and Calvert； of the
House； were absent。
After the usual salutations； and we were seated； the President said；
in substance； that he had invited us to meet him to have some
conversation with us in explanation of his message of the 6th； that
since he had sent it in several of the gentlemen then present had
visited him； but had avoided any allusion to the message； and he
therefore inferred that the import of the message had been
misunderstood； and was regarded as inimical to the interests we
represented； and he had resolved he would talk with us； and disabuse
our minds of that erroneous opinion。
The President then disclaimed any intent to injure the interests or
wound the sensibilities of the slave States。 On the contrary； his
purpose was to protect the one and respect the other； that we were
engaged in a terrible； wasting； and tedious war； immense armies were
in the field； and must continue in the field as long as the war
lasts； that these armies must； of necessity； be brought into contact
with slaves in the States we represented and in other States as they
advanced； that slaves would come to the camps； and continual
irritation was kept up； that he was constantly annoyed by conflicting
and antagonistic complaints： on the one side a certain class
complained if the slave was not protected by the army； persons were
frequently found who； participating in these views； acted in a way
unfriendly to the slaveholder； on the other hand； slaveholders
complained that their rights were interfered with； their slaves
induced to abscond and protected within the lines； these complaints
were numerous； loud and deep； were a serious annoyance to him and
embarrassing to the progress of the war； that it kept alive a spirit
hostile to the government in the States we represented； strengthened
the hopes of the Confederates that at some day the border States
would unite with them； and thus tend to prolong the war； and he was
of opinion； if this resolution should be adopted by Congress and
accepted by our States； these causes of irritation and these hopes
would be removed； and more would be accomplished toward shortening
the war than could be hoped from the greatest victory achieved by
Union armies； that he made this proposition in good faith； and
desired it to be accepted； if at all； voluntarily； and in the same
patriotic spirit in which it was made； that emancipation was a
subject exclusively under the control of the States； and must be
adopted or rejected by each for itself； that he did not claim nor had
this government any right to coerce them for that purpose； that such
was no part of his purpose in making this proposition； and he wished
it to be clearly understood； that he did not expect us there to be
prepared to give him an answer； but he hoped we would take the
subject into serious consideratio
