Lincoln’s great generosity to his leaders was shown when, in January,
1863, he assigned “Fighting Joe” Hooker to the command of the Army of
the Potomac. Hooker had believed in a military dictatorship, and it was
an open secret that McClellan might have become such had he possessed
the nerve. Lincoln, however, was not bothered by this prattle, as he
did not think enough of it to relieve McClellan of his command. The
President said to Hooker:
“I have heard, in such a way as to believe it, of your recently saying
that both the army and the Government needed a dictator. Of course, it
was not for this, but in spite of it, that I have given you the command.
Only those generals who gain success can be dictators.
“What I now ask of you is military success, and I will risk the
dictatorship.”
Lincoln also believed Hooker had not given cordial support to General
Burnside when he was in command of the army. In Lincoln’s own peculiarly
plain language, he told Hooker that he had done “a great wrong to the
country and to a most meritorious and honorable brother officer.”
“MAJOR GENERAL, I RECKON.”
At one time the President had the appointment of a large additional
number of brigadier and major generals. Among the immense number of
applications, Mr. Lincoln came upon one wherein the claims of a certain
worthy (not in the service at all), “for a generalship” were glowingly
set forth. But the applicant didn’t specify whether he wanted to be
brigadier or major general.
The President observed this difficulty, and solved it by a lucid
indorsement. The clerk, on receiving the paper again, found written
across its back, “Major General, I reckon. A. Lincoln.”