General Halleck, referring to what I may think in the
present emergency, is shown me. General Halleck says we have absolutely no
force here fit to go to the field. He thinks that with the hundred-day
men and invalids we have here we can defend Washington, and, scarcely,
Baltimore. Besides these there are about eight thousand, not very
reliable, under Howe, at Harper's Ferry with Hunter approaching that point
very slowly, with what number I suppose you know better than I. Wallace,
with some odds and ends, and part of what came up with Ricketts, was so
badly beaten yesterday at Monocacy, that what is left can attempt no more
than to defend Baltimore. What we shall get in from Pennsylvania and New
York will scarcely be worth counting, I fear. Now, what I think is, that
you should provide to retain your hold where you are, certainly, and bring
the rest with you personally, and make a vigorous effort to destroy the
enemy's forces in this vicinity. I think there is really a fair chance
to do this, if the movement is prompt. This is what I think upon your
suggestion, and is not an order.

A. LINCOLN.

TELEGRAM TO GENERAL U.S. GRANT. WASHINGTON, July 11, 1864. 8 A.M.

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL GRANT, City Point, Va.:

Yours of 10.30 P.M. yesterday received, and very satisfactory. The enemy
will learn of Wright's arrival, and then the difficulty will be to unite
Wright and Hunter south of the enemy before he will recross the Potomac.
Some firing between Rockville and here now.

A. LINCOLN.

TELEGRAM TO GENERAL U.S. GRANT. WASHINGTON, D. C., July 12, 1864. 11.30
AM.

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL GRANT, City Point, Va.:

Vague rumors have been reaching us for two or three days that Longstreet's
corps is also on its way [to] this vicinity. Look out for its absence from
your front.

A. LINCOLN.

TELEGRAM AND LETTER TO HORACE GREELEY. EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, July
12, 1864.

HON. HORACE GREELEY, New York:

I suppose you received my letter of the 9th. I have just received yours of
the 13th, and am disappointed by it. I was not expecting you to send me a
letter, but to bring me a man, or men. Mr. Hay goes to you with my answer
to yours of the 13th.

A. LINCOLN.

[Carried by Major John Hay.]

EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, JULY 15, 1864.

HON. HORACE GREELEY.

MY DEAR SIR:-Yours of the 13th is just received, and I am disappointed
that you have not already reached here with those commissioners