May 17, 1862 (Saturday): Lincoln's Secret Orders to McDowell

General Montgomery C. Meigs

WASHINGTON, D. C., May 17, 1862. 

Memorandum, in handwriting of President Lincoln, of his proposed additions to instructions of above date to General McDowell and General Meigs' indorsement thereon. (See also Part I, p.28.)

   You will retain the separate command of the forces taken with you; but while co-operating with General McClellan you will obey his orders, except that you are to judge, and are not to allow your force to be disposed otherwise than so as to give the greatest protection to this capital which may be possible from that distance.

[Indorsement.]

To the SECRETARY OF WAR:
    The President having shown this to me, I suggested that it is dangerous to direct a subordinate not to obey the orders of his superior in any case, and that to give instructions to General McClellan to this same end and furnish General McDowell with a copy thereof would effect the object desired by the President. He desired me to say that the sketch of instructions to General McClellan herewith he thought made this addition unnecessary.
Respectfully,


M. C. M.

Official Records, Series I., Vol. 11, Part 3, Page 177.

Meigs was Quartermaster General, and widely respected.  Lincoln had shown him a memo to McDowell which placed him subordinate the McClellan but advised him to not obey orders which, under his discretion, he believed might jeopardize the defense of Washington.  Meigs advice was sound, but Lincoln had developed the habit of communicating to generals directly (and without each other's knowledge) and he would not change at this point.