Selected Correspondance of Abraham Lincoln 1863 Telegram To General J. Hooker
by Abraham Lincoln
WASHINGTON, D. C. May 8, 1863. 4 P.M.
MAJOR-GENERAL HOOKER:
The news is here of the capture by our forces of Grand Gulf--a large
and very important thing. General Willich, an exchanged prisoner
just from Richmond, has talked with me this morning. He was there
when our cavalry cut the roads in that vicinity. He says there was
not a sound pair of legs in Richmond, and that our men, had they
known it, could have safely gone in and burned everything and brought
in Jeff Davis. We captured and paroled 300 or 400 men. He says as
he came to City Point there was an army three miles long
(Longstreet's, he thought) moving toward Richmond.
Muroy has captured a despatch of General Lee, in which he says his
loss was fearful in his last battle with you.
