On Wednesday, May 13, 1863 Abraham Lincoln in response to a letter by Joseph Hooker, in which the general cited problems within his Union Army of the Potomac causing delayed operations since the debacle at Chancellorsville, noted that he would not restrain Hooker from renewing offensive actions but warned his general that he had indications that “some of your corps and Division Commanders are not giving you their entire confidence.”
Back in January of 1863 Lincoln by letter had acknowledged that Hooker’s ambition and actions had previously undercut Ambrose Burnside’s command, noting at the time, “I much fear that the spirit which you have aided to infuse into the Army, of criticizing their Commander….will now turn upon you.” Lincoln’s prophetic words seem to be coming true by mid-May 1863.