The president expressed great satisfaction over Richmond’s fall. He told Admiral David Porter—the man who had done so much to capture Vicksburg two years earlier—that he wanted to see the Confederate capital. Porter knew it was hopeless to try to prevent Lincoln from this, but Secretary of War Stanton telegraphed from Washington, saying it was premature. Richmond had fallen, but there was no way of knowing how many Confederates remained in the city or their sentiments. Lincoln went right ahead.