"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 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 meritorious and honorable brother officer.
"I have heard in such a way as to believe of you recently saying
that both the army and the Government needed a dictator. Of course
it was not for this, but in spite of it, that I gave you the
command. Only those generals who gain successes can set up as
dictators.
"What I now ask of you is military success, and I will risk the
dictatorship.
"The Government will support you to the utmost of its
ability--which is neither more nor less than it has done and will
do for all commanders. I much fear that the spirit which you have
aided to infuse into the army of criticising their commander and
withholding confidence from him, will now turn upon you.
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