January 23, 1863 (Friday): Burnside to the President

General Joseph Hooker

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, January 23, 1863-8.50 p.m.
His Excellency ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
President of the United States:
    I have prepared some very important orders, and I want to see you before issuing them. Can I see you alone if I am at the White House after midnight? I must be back by 8 o'clock to-morrow morning.


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

GENERAL ORDERS, HDQRS. ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, January 23, 1863.
I. General Joseph Hooker, major-general of volunteers and brigadier-general U. S. Army, having been guilty of unjust and unnecessary criticisms of the actions of his superior officers, and of the authorities, and having, by the general tone of his conversation, endeavored to create distrust in the minds of officers who have associated with him, and having, by omissions and otherwise, made reports and statements which were calculated to create incorrect impressions, and for habitually speaking in disparaging terms of other officers, is hereby dismissed the service of the United States as a man unfit to hold an important commission during a crisis like the present, when so much patience, charity, confidence, consideration, and patriotism are due from every soldier, in the field. This order is issued subject to the approval of the President of the United States.
II. Brigadier General W. T. H. Brooks, commanding First Division, Sixth Army Corps, for complaining of the policy of the Government, and for using language tending to demoralize his command, is, subject to the approval of the President, dismissed from the military service of the United States.
III. Brigadier General John Newton, commanding Third Division, Sixth Army Corps, and Brigadier General John Cochrane, commanding First Brigade, Third Division, Sixth Army Corps, for going to the President of the United States with criticisms upon the plans of their commanding officer, are, subject to the approval of the President, dismissed from the military service of the United States.
IV. It being evident that the following named officers can be of no further service to this army, they are hereby relieved from duty, and will report, in person, without delay, to the Adjutant-General, U. S. Army: Major General W. B. Franklin, commanding left grand division; Major General W. F. Smith, commanding Sixth Corps; Brigadier General Samuel D. Sturgis, commanding Second Division, Ninth Corps; Brigadier General Edward Ferrero, commanding Second Brigade, Second Division, Ninth Army Corps; Brigadier General John Cochrane, commanding First Brigade, Third Division, Sixth Corps; Lieutenant Colonel J. H. Taylor, assistant adjutant-general, right grand division.
    By command of Major General A. E. Burnside:


    LEWIS RICHMOND,
    Assistant Adjutant-General.
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*This order was not approved by the President, and was, therefore, never issued. It appeared in the public prints, is referred to in the correspondence between Halleck and Franklin, post, and in Burnside's testimony before the Committee on the Conduct of the War.

Official Records, Series I., Vol. 21, Part 1, Page 998-999.

For those interested in keeping score, Burnside asked for the dismissal of one Major-General (Hooker) and three Brigadier-Generals (Brooks, Newton, Cochrane), along with the removal from the Army of the Potomac of two Major-Generals (Franklin, Smith), two Brigadier-Generals (Sturgis, Ferrero) and one Lieutenant Colonel (Taylor).  It is hard to imagine Burnside believed these actions would be approved by the President, but he surely intended to put on record his understanding of the actions and character of the individuals involved. His opinion of these men, for the most part, was borne out by their later war records.