December 16, 1862 (Tuesday):The President Desires

Part of the Potomac Flotilla in Action at Aquia Creek (history.navy.mil)

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, December 16, 1862.
Major-General BURNSIDE, Falmouth, Va.:
     The President desires that you report the reasons of your withdrawal as soon as possible.


     H. W. HALLECK,
    General-in-Chief.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, December 16, 1862-5.30 p.m. [Received 6 p.m.]
     Your dispatch is received. The army was withdrawn to this side of the river because I felt the positions in front could not be carried, and it was a military necessity either to attack or retire. A repulse would have been disastrous to us.
     I hope this explanation will be satisfactory to the President. The army was withdrawn at night, without the knowledge of the enemy, and without loss either of property or men.
     I have sent Colonel Aspinwall to you this afternoon, who can give you full accounts of the affairs at the present moment. I will send you a more full dispatch to-morrow.


    A. E. BURNSIDE,
    Major-General, Commanding.


Off Oaken Brow, Va., December 16, 1862.
General AMBROSE E. BURNSIDE,
Commanding the Army, &c.:
    MY DEAR GENERAL: I had the pleasure last evening of inclosing a copy of my notification to the authorities at Port Royal, and also a copy of Lieutenant-Colonel McGruder's reply.
We were all ready this morning, and some of the vessels under way to go to the town, when your message came that you were recrossing the Rappahannock, and that both Colonel Davis and myself must be governed accordingly.
     As we heard no firing above, and as all the effect of our feint had been produced as far as a diversion of troops was concerned, I deemed the destruction of the town at present unnecessary, and I therefore decided not to attack it. We are now lying as before, within twenty minutes' steaming of Port Royal, and awaiting further instructions from you.
     I am, your obedient servant,


     SAMUEL MAGAW,
     Lieutenant-Commander, &c.

Official Records, Series I., Vol. 21, Part 1, Pages 66, 858.

As usual, Lincoln was meeting with various military leaders, most recently Generals Irwin McDowell and Herman Haupt (the engineer par excellence).  Haupt was advancing the idea of a seven man council to plan campaigns.  There was also discussion about this time of a cabinet restructuring.  Lincoln is often portrayed as the calm voice of reason in military councils, but a review of this period of the war shows he was struggling to find generals he could have confidence in and was prone to second guessing the ones he had.  The second item here describes a neglected aspect of the Fredericksburg campaign, which is the Navy's role.  With ships laying off Pratt's Bluff (where the Confederates had batteries), the Navy was prepared to head up river with the Potomac flotilla and destroy the town, if requested.  But, as Burnside had already retreated, this was not done.