y thousand
men.
A copy of the instructions to General McDowell are with this. The specific
task assigned to his command has been to provide against any danger to the
capital of the nation.
At your earnest call for reinforcements, he is sent forward to co-operate
in the reduction of Richmond, but charged, in attempting this, not to
uncover the city of Washington; and you will give no order, either before
or after your junction, which can put him out of position to cover
this city. You and he will communicate with each other by telegraph or
otherwise as frequently as may be necessary for efficient cooperation.
When General McDowell is in position on your right, his supplies must be
drawn from West Point, and you will instruct your staff-officers to be
prepared to supply him by that route.
The President desires that General McDowell retain the command of the
Department of the Rappahannock and of the forces with which he moves
forward.
By order of the President: EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War.
MAJOR-GENERAL GEORGE B. McCLELLAN, Commanding Army of the Potomac, before
Richmond.
PROCLAMATION REVOKING GENERAL HUNTER'S ORDER OF MILITARY EMANCIPATION,
MAY 19, 1862.
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:
A Proclamation
Whereas there appears in the public prints what purports to be a
proclamation of Major general Hunter, in the words and figures following,
to wit:
(General Orders No. 11) HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH, HILTON HEAD,
PORT ROYAL, S. C., May 9, 1862.
"The three States of Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina, comprising the
military department of the South, having deliberately declared themselves
no longer under the protection of the United States of America, and
having taken up arms against the said United States, it became a military
necessity to declare martial law. This was accordingly done on the
25th day of April, 1862. Slavery and martial law in a free country are
altogether incompatible. The persons in these three States: Georgia
Florida, and South Carolina--heretofore held as slaves are therefore
declared forever free.
"By command of Major-General D. Hunter: "(Official.)ED. W. SMITH, "Acting
Assistant Adjutant-General."
And whereas the same is producing some excitement and misunderstanding:
therefore,
I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, proclaim and declare
that the Government of the United States, had no knowledge, information,
or
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