Never Call Retreat - Civil War 03 Read Online Free PDF Page A

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    "When finished, please turn it over," Lincoln said.
    Stanton did as requested, reading Grant's addendum, "Mr. President, did you authorize this?" and handed the message back to Lincoln.
    "Sir, I think, yet agai n, there has been some miscommu nication."
    "Miscommunication?" Lincoln said softly, and shook his head. "Miscommunication? The Army of the Potomac all but annihilated and you call it a miscommunication?"
    "Sir. I suspect here that General Grant failed to properly coordinate with General Sickles regarding the intent of the plans for the campaign. I warned you of that last month when Grant first came to Washington. If he had stayed here as I requested, this never would have happened."
    Lincoln actual ly sighed and then chuckled softl y.
    Ely, outraged, struggled to contain a retort. Elihu looked over at him, and with a shake of his head communicated for him to stay out of it.
    Stanton saw the gesture and cast a withering glance at Ely.
    "Mr. President, I think we should discuss this in private." Now his gaze swept over to Elihu as well.
    "No, sir, we will discuss this now. If you wish, you can sit down and listen to all that Major Parker has told me about what happened."
    "I think, sir, there are better uses of our time than the report of a major obviously biased in favor of a general who has placed our cause in jeopardy."
    Lincoln sighed again and raised his head.
    There was a cold light in his eyes. All that Ely had heard of Lincoln never mentioned this. It was always "Old Abe," or just "Abe," but there was something different at this moment, a terrible anger that seemed ready to explode.
    "Mr. Stanton, I expect your resignation before you leave this building," Lincoln said softly.
    "What?" Stanton reddened.
    "Just that, sir. Sickles moved on your authorizatio n. I made it distinctl y clear to all that when Grant took command in the field, all orders of troop movements were to be routed through him for his approval as well. You did not do so. Nor, for that matter, did you inform me of these orders you sent to Sickles."
    He held the memo up, clenching it in a balled fist, shaking it at Stanton.
    Stanton started to speak but Lincoln cut him off.
    "We lost maybe thirty thousand or more at Gunpowder River. A fine army destroyed. What in Heaven's name am I to say to the nation about that, sir? You, sir, have placed the plans of the last month in grave jeopardy; in fact, we might very well lose this war thanks to what you did."
    "What I did?" Stanton fired back. "What I did? Mr. President, if you had but listened to me all along, we would not be in this fix. You have placed a drunkard in command of our armies."
    "That is a lie, sir," Ely snapped, no longer able to contain himself and instantly regretting his words as all three turned to gaze at him.
    "Damn you!" Stanton shouted. "You are relieved of your rank, Major. How dare you call me a liar."
    Ely did not know what to say. Stanton turned to advance on him, but Lincoln stepped between the two.
    "Mr. Stanton, you no longer have the authority to relieve anyone as of this moment. Now, sir, do I have your resignation, or do I fire you and release that information to the press waiting outside?"
    Stanton looked back at Lincoln, breathing hard.
    "I will not resign, sir."
    "Then I shall relieve you of your posting, effective as of this moment."
    Stanton now paled. For a second Ely thought he would collapse, as the man began, to wheeze, doubling over to cough.
    "Which shall it be?" Lincoln pressed, even as Stanton continued to cough.
    Stanton looked up at him.
    "Which shall it be?" Lincoln pressed.
    "Go ahead and fire me," Stanton replied coldly. "I'll take this before Congress and the Committee on the Conduct of the War. Then we shall see."
    "See what? Are you threatening me?" Lincoln snapped angrily. "Congress is not in session, nor shall I call it back into session until this crisis is finished. You can go to the newspapers and I shall counter with a copy of this memo, a