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| General William B. Franklin |
ABRAHAM LINCOLN:
I have seen General Franklin, and beg to thank you for your kindness and consideration. I now understand the matter, which I did not before.
Our field guns annoyed the enemy considerably to-day. Roads and bridges now progressing rapidly. Siege guns and ammunition coming up very satisfactorily. Shall have nearly all up to-morrow.
The tranquility of Yorktown is nearly at an end.
GEO. B. McCLELLAN,
Major-General, Commanding.
Official Records, Series I., Vol., 11, Part 3, Page 98.
McClellan had received an explanation from Franklin of Lincoln's reasons for holding back forces in defense of Washington. With siege guns being brought into place and Yorktown likely to fall to him, perhaps McClellan found being magnanimous to be easier than it had previously. Franklin was a Democrat, but had good political connections, his father having been the Clerk of the House of Representatives for a time. No doubt his political instincts served him well in dealing as a bridge between the administration and McClellan.
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