Abraham Lincoln papers 1 From Abraham Lincoln to Joseph Hooker [Copy in John G. Nicolay's Hand] , June 16, 1863 1 This somewhat placating letter responds to Hooker to Lincoln, June 16, 1863, which was in turn a reply to Lincoln's earlier telegram in which the president suggested that Hooker's movements were too defensive (Collected Works, VI, 280). Hooker's relations with both Lincoln and General Henry Halleck were deteriorating during this period, while the exact nature of Robert E. Lee's troop movements was still unknown. Copy Private Executive Mansion, Washington, June 16, 1863. My dear General: 2 I send you this by the hand of Capt. Dahlgren. Your dispatch of 11.30 A. M. today is just received. When you say I have long been aware that you do not enjoy the confidence of the Major General 3 Commanding, you state the case much too strongly. You do not lack his confidence in any degree to do you any harm. On seeing him, after telegraphing you this morning, I found him more nearly agreeing with you than I was myself. Surely you do not mean to understand, that I am withholding my confidence from you, when I happen to express an opinion, (certainly never discourteously) differing from one of your own. I believe Halleck is dissatisfied with you, to this extent only, that he knows that you write and telegraph, (report, as he calls it,) to me. I think he is wrong to find fault with this; but I do not think he withholds any support from you on account of it. If you and he would use the same frankness to one another, and to me, that I use to both of you, there would be no difficulty. I need, and must have the professional skill of both; and yet these suspicions tend to deprive me of both. 2 Captain Ulric Dahlgren was the son of Admiral John A. Dahlgren. In March of 1864 he was killed leading a cavalry raid on Richmond intended to free Federal prisoners there, and so the Confederates claimed, to burn Richmond and assassinate Jefferson Davis. Abraham Lincoln papers http://www.loc.gov/resource/mal.2416000 3 General Henry W. Halleck I believe you are aware that since you took command of the Army, I have not believed you had any chance to effect anything till now. As it looks to me, Lee's now returning towards Harper's Ferry gives you back the chance that I thought McClellan lost last fall. Quite possibly I was wrong both then and now; but in the great responsibility resting upon me, I can not be entirely silent. Now, all I ask is that you will be in such mood, that we can get into our action the best cordial judgment of yourself and Gen. Halleck, with my poor mite added, if indeed he and you shall think it entitled to any consideration at all. Yours as ever (signed) A Lincoln [Endorsed on Envelope by Lincoln:] To Gen. Hooker. June 16. 1863. Abraham Lincoln papers http://www.loc.gov/resource/mal.2416000.