“General Blank asks for more men,” said Secretary of War Stanton to
the President one day, showing the latter a telegram from the commander
named appealing for re-enforcements.
“I guess he’s killed off enough men, hasn’t he?” queried the President.
“I don’t mean Confederates--our own men. What’s the use in sending
volunteers down to him if they’re only used to fill graves?”
“His dispatch seems to imply that, in his opinion, you have not the
confidence in him he thinks he deserves,” the War Secretary went on to
say, as he looked over the telegram again.
“Oh,” was the President’s reply, “he needn’t lose any of his sleep on
that account. Just telegraph him to that effect; also, that I don’t
propose to send him any more men.”