em from
reinforcing Vicksburg. I hope, however, that they will do still better and
be able to join you.

It may be proper to give you some explanation of the revocation of your
order expelling all Jews from your department. The President has no
objection to your expelling traitors and Jew peddlers, which, I suppose,
was the object of your order; but as it in terms proscribed an entire
religious class, some of whom are fighting in our ranks, the President
deemed it necessary to revoke it.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. W. HALLECK, General-in-Chief.

TELEGRAM TO GENERAL BURNSIDE.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, January 23, 1863

GENERAL BURNSIDE:

Will see you any moment when you come.

A. LINCOLN.

ORDER RELIEVING GENERAL A. E. BURNSIDE AND MAKING OTHER CHANGES.

(General Orders No.20.)

WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, WASHINGTON, D.C. JANUARY 25,
1863.

I. The President of the United States has directed:

1st. That Major-General A. E. Burnside, at his own request, be relieved
from the command of the Army of the Potomac.

2d. That Major-General E. V. Sumner, at his own request, be relieved from
duty in the Army of the Potomac.

3d. That Major-General W. B. Franklin be relieved from duty in the Army of
the Potomac.

4th. That Major-General J. Hooker be assigned to the command of the Army
of the Potomac.

II. The officers relieved as above will report in person to the
adjutant-general of the army.

By order of the Secretary of War: D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General

TO GENERAL J. HOOKER.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, D. C., January 26, 1863.

MAJOR-GENERAL HOOKER.

GENERAL:--I have placed you at the head of the Army of the Potomac. Of
course I have done this upon what appear to me to be sufficient reasons,
and yet I think it best for you to know that there are some things in
regard to which I am not quite satisfied with you. I believe you to be a
brave and skillful soldier, which of course I like. I also believe you do
not mix politics with your profession, in which you are right. You have
confidence in yourself, which is a valuable if not an indispensable
quality. You are ambitious, which within reasonable bounds does good
rather than harm; but I think that during General Burnside's command of
the army you have taken counsel of your ambition and thwarted him as much
as you could, in which you did a great wrong to the country and to a most