AL I. McDOWELL:

I am highly gratified by your alacrity in obeying my order. The change was
as painful to me as it can possibly be to you or to any one. Everything
now depends upon the celerity and vigor of your movement.

A. LINCOLN

TELEGRAM TO GENERAL J. W. GEARY.

WAR DEPARTMENT, May 25, 1862 1.45 P.M.

GENERAL GEARY, White Plains:

Please give us your best present impression as to the number of the
enemy's forces north of Strasburg and Front Royal. Are the forces still
moving north through the gap at Front Royal and between you and there?

A. LINCOLN.

TELEGRAM TO GENERAL G. B. McCLELLAN.

WASHINGTON, May 25, 1862. 2 P.M.

MAJOR-GENERAL McCLELLAN:

The enemy is moving north in sufficient force to drive General Banks
before him--precisely in what force we cannot tell. He is also threatening
Leesburg and Geary, on the Manassas Gap railroad, from both north and
south--in precisely what force we cannot tell. I think the movement is a
general and concerted one, such as would not be if he was acting upon the
purpose of a very desperate defense of Richmond. I think the time is near
when you must either attack Richmond or give up the job and come to the
defense of Washington. Let me hear from you instantly.

A. LINCOLN, President.

ORDER TAKING MILITARY POSSESSION OF RAILROADS.

WAR DEPARTMENT, May 25, 1862.

Ordered: By virtue of the authority vested by act of Congress, the
President takes military possession of all the railroads in the United
States from and after this date until further order, and directs that the
respective railroad companies, their officers and servants, shall
hold themselves in readiness for the transportation of such troops and
munitions of war as may be ordered by the military authorities, to the
exclusion of all other business.

By order of the Secretary of War.

M. C. MEIGS

TELEGRAM TO SECRETARY CHASE.

WAR DEPARTMENT, May 25, 1862.

SECRETARY CHASE, Fredericksburg, Virginia:

It now appears that Banks got safely into Winchester last night, and is
this morning retreating on Harper's Ferry. This justifies the inference
that he is pressed by numbers superior to his own. I think it not
improbable that Ewell, Jackson, and Johnson are pouring through the gap
they made day before yesterday at Front Royal, making a dash northward. It
will be a very valuable and very honorable service for General McDowell
to cut them off. I hope he will put all p