yourself have been conspcious in our most important successes, and for me to interfere and thus magnify a breach between you could not but be of evil effect. Better leave it where the law of the case has placed it. For me to force you back upon General Grant would be forcing him to resign. I cannot give you a new command, because we have no forces except such as already have commanders.

I am constantly pressed by those who scold before they think, or without thinking at all, to give commands respectively to Fremont, McClellan, Butler, Sigel, Curtis, Hunter, Hooker, and perhaps others, when, all else out of the way, I have no commands to give them. This is now your case, which, as I have said, pains me not less than it does you. My belief is that the permanent estimate of what a general does in the field is fixed by the "cloud of witnesses" who have been with him in the field, and that, relying on these, he who has the right needs not to fear.

Your friend, as ever,

A. LINCOLN.

[24.]

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE OHIO, Numbers 305.
Cincinnati, Ohio, August 12, 1863.

* * * * *

5. Colonel H. D. John, commanding One hundred and twenty-ninth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, will proceed with his command to Camp Nelson, Ky., and report to Major-General Burnside for orders. The quartermaster's department will furnish the necessary transportation.

* * * * *

By order of Major-General Burnside:

R. H. I. GODDARD,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

[30.]

SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS,
HDQRS. ARMY OF THE OHIO, Numbers 3.
August 5, 1863.

* * * * *

6. Colonel De Courcy, Sixteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, will proceed at once to organize a brigade to be attached to the Ninth Army Corps, at Camp Nelson, Ky., to be composed of the following regiments and battery: Eighty-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, One hundred and twenty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Neil's Ohio volunteer battery. The commanding officers of these regiments and of the battery will report to Colonel De Courcy upon his arrival at Camp Nelson. Colonel De Courcy will report to Major-General Parke, commanding Ninth Army Corps.

* * * * *

19. The First Battalion East Tennessee Cavalry (Colonel Davis) and Colonel Parson's Ninth East Tennessee Cavalry are hereby attached to the brigade to be formed under the command of Colonel De Courcy. The commanding officers will report to Colonel De Courcy on his arrival at Camp Nelson.

* * * * *

By command of Major-General Burnside:

R. H. I. GODDARD,

Captain and Aide-de-Camp, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

[30.]