President Lincoln Seeks to Redress Grievances

January 13, 1862

“At night went to the Presidents with Mr. Robert Bushnell, who had been dismissed from the Naval School, to try and get him reappointed,” recalled Senator Orville H. Browning.  “ He reached here Monday morning with letters from his father soliciting my aid.  I procured an order from the President for his reappointment to enter the class on the first of October.’

President Lincoln wrote Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton: “Dr. Thomas Sim, has been dismissed from the service for being in this City contrary to a general order. His afflicted wife assures me he had a pass from Gen. Sickles, commander of his Division, for 48 hours, and that within the 48 hours he was refused the 15 days absence he asked, and reported to Gen. Sickles, who extended his time so as to take the Dr. with him, and that he reached the army in less than twelve additional hours, to the original 48, allowed him. Please see the lady.”

President Lincoln ordered Attorney General Edward Bates to prepare a pardon for Robert B. Nay, a chief detective under General Benjamin F.  Butler in New Orleans who had been convicted by fraud.

Worries continue about the Union expedition to capture Vicksburg on the Mississippi River.   Navy Secretary Gideon Welles writes: “Accounts from Vicksburg are unfavorable and vague. I fear there has been mismanagement, but we must wait official reports. It is said that Sherman has been superseded by [General john] McClernand. I know not how this is. At the commencement of this campaign, as early as last September, it was understood that McClernand was to have command of the army which was to go down the river and cooperate with our naval commander, [David Dixon] Porter. The President had confidence in him, and designated the appointment, which was acceptable to Porter, who had a particular dislike of West-Pointers. For this I cared but little, because it was confessedly without knowledge of the officers individually and their merits, a close and a sweeping condemnation of all, — partly, I think, because he did not know them, and feared he should be compelled to play a subordinate part with them, while with a civilian general he would have superiority. For three months, while Porter has been organizing the Squadron, nothing has been heard of McClernand until since the attack on Vicksburg, and now it is merely to tell us he has abandoned the place and withdrawn his forces.”

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