he should leave a rear force
at Fredericksburg, tempting you to fall upon it, it would fight in
entrenchments and have you at advantage, and so, man for man, worst you at
that point, While his main force would in some way be getting an advantage
of you northward. In one word, I would not take any risk of being
entangled up on the river like an ox jumped half over a fence and liable
to be torn by dogs front and rear without a fair chance to gore one way or
to kick the other.

If Lee would come to my side of the river I would keep on the same side
and fight him, or act on the defensive, according as might be my estimate
of his strength relatively to my own. But these are mere suggestions,
which I desire to be controlled by the judgment of yourself and General
Halleck.

A. LINCOLN.

TELEGRAM TO MRS. GRIMSLEY.

WASHINGTON, D. C., June 6, 1863.

Mrs. ELIZABETH J. GRIMSLEY, Springfield, Ill.:

Is your John ready to enter the naval school? If he is, telegraph me his
full name.

A. LINCOLN.

TELEGRAM TO GENERAL DIX,

WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, D.C., June 6, 1863.

MAJOR-GENERAL Dix, Fort Monroe, Va.:

By noticing the news you send from the Richmond Dispatch of this morning
you will see one of the very latest despatches says they have nothing
reliable from Vicksburg since Sunday. Now we here have a despatch
from there Sunday and others of almost every day preceding since the
investment, and while they show the siege progressing they do not show any
general fighting since the 21st and 22d. We have nothing from Port Hudson
later than the 29th when things looked reasonably well for us. I have
thought this might be of some interest to you.

A. LINCOLN.

TELEGRAM TO GENERAL DIX.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, June 8, 1863.

MAJOR-GENERAL Dix, Fort Monroe:

We have despatches from Vicksburg of the 3d. Siege progressing. No general
fighting recently. All well. Nothing new from Port Hudson.

A. LINCOLN.

TELEGRAM TO GENERAL DIX.

WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, D.C. JUNE 8, 1863.

MAJOR-GENERAL Dix, Fort Monroe:

The substance of news sent of the fighting at Port Hudson on the 27th we
have had here three or four days, and I supposed you had it also, when
I said this morning, "No news from Port Hudson." We knew that General
Sherman was wounded, but we hoped not so dangerously as your despatch
represents. We still have nothing of that Richmond newspaper story of
Kirby Smith cross