06.08.07
Letter Found Urging Pursuit of Lee
Wow! In more than ten years of being an avid Civil War enthusiast, this is one of the most interesting news stories I have read on the subject. A priceless treasure missing for over 150 years was discovered in a drawer at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. The relic is a letter from President Abraham Lincoln written on July 7, 1863 - four days after the Battle of Gettysburg ended - to General-in-Chief Henry W. Halleck. Lincoln’s writing emphasized that recent victories by Major General Ulysses S. Grant at Vicksburg, Mississippi, and Major General George G. Meade at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, were positive steps toward the end of the war. However, Lincoln advised Halleck that Meade must vigorously pursue and destroy Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia before the desired conclusion could be reached. Lincoln had been irate - in private - about Meade’s failure to crush Lee’s army on the retreat to Virginia after Gettysburg. He had written Meade a strongly worded letter urging him to pursue Lee but did not send it as he feared he might cause the commanding general to resign.
The contents of this letter had been well known for many years as it was telegraphed to Meade at Gettysburg by Halleck. The letter verifies the contents of that telegram. The text is given below for ease of reading, followed by an image of the actual document.
“Major Genl Halleck, We have certain information that Vicksburg surrendered to General Grant on the 4th of July. Now, if Gen. Meade can complete his work so gloriously prosecuted thus far, by the litteral (sic) or substantial destruction of Lee’s army, the rebellion will be over. Yours truly, A. Lincoln”
