Yale University Library

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Personal Reminiscences

OF THE

Rebellion

1861-1866

BY
LE GRAND B. CANNON
COL., U. S. A.

NEW YORK
1895

Burr Printing House, New York.

(j-J^lJ^h

H)e5icateD to ms Cbtl&ren.

This volume is printed for private distribution among
my family and friends.

CONTENTS.

PAGE
Introductory  ^
CHAPTER I.
Causes and Commencement of the Rebellion  g
CHAPTER II.
The Awakening of Loyal Sentiment in New York. ... 14
CHAPTER III.
With General Wool in New York City  21
CHAPTER IV.
With General Wool in the Department of Virginia.. 45
CHAPTER V.
The Earliest Emancipation and Use of Negroes in
Military Service  54
CHAPTER VI.
The Monitor and Merrimack  75
CHAPTER VII.
First Service of Negroes in the Union Forces  loo
CHAPTER VIII.
Negotiating for an Exchange of Prisoners  115
CHAPTER IX.
The Rebel Post-Office and Prisoners' Letters  120

6 CONTENTS.
CHAPTER X. PAGE
Flags of Truce, Spies, and Contraband ; Various Inci
dents  126
CHAPTER XI.
McClellan's Campaign on the Peninsula  144
CHAPTER XII.
The President at Fort Monroe, and Capture of Nor
folk  153
CHAPTER XIII.
Personal Reminiscences of President Lincoln  167
CHAPTER XIV.
With General Wool in the Department of the East.. 176
CHAPTER XV.
The Union League Club and the Rebellion  185
CHAPTER XVI.
At Lake Champlain and Burlington  196
CHAPTER XVII.
Some Other Reminiscences and Personal Episodes  .. 200
CHAPTER XVIII.
In Conclusion  221

INTRODUCTORY.

Being now in the eightieth year of my life, I
am induced to coraply "with the repeated urgings
of my family and not a few of my friends, to make
a record of my public life in the service of the
United States during the Rebellion, and of my
personal experiences with the military and civil
powers of the Government. It has been a custom
with the members of my family, which for near
two and a half centuries has been identified with
the progress of the country, to leave to their de
scendants something of a record of their lives and
services, and to transmit to the eldest son of the
senior line these mementoes of the family. By
this observance I am the inheritor of the records
of the family — Huguenot emigrants from France
— and of the ancient family plate, used in the
motherland three hundred and fifty or more years
ago. In these circumstances and with an observ
ance of this custom of our forefathers, I am influ-

8 INTRODUCTORY.
enced to continue to my children such a record
of some events in my life which may be interest
ing if not profitable to them.
The original letters, despatches, and orders con
nected with my military experiences and the inci
dents related in this book, together with other
like personal documents and papers, are contained
in a manuscript scrap-book bearing the title ' ' Le
Grand B. Cannon, CoL and A.D.C., U.S.A.;
Letters, Orders, and Reports, the Rebellion, 1861
to 1866," which is in the possession of my family,
and to which reference may be made.

Personal Reminiscences of tlie Rebellion.

CHAPTER I.
CAUSES AND COMMENCEMENT OF TIIE REBELLION.
The great embarrassment of the fathers of this
country was in the effort to establish and main
tain a system of government under two widely
different forms of civilization, the one based on
freedom and the other on slavery. The advance
in wealth and population of the free States of the
North over the slave States created a natural an
tagonism between the slave States and the free
States, which intensified year by year with the
broadening of the differences between the two
sections of the country. The sentiment of the
North in this direction was aggravated b}"^ the
weakness and imbecility of the representatives of
the Democratic Party of the North in being sub
missive to the demands of the politicians of the

10 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
South, and was further aggravated by the viola
tion of the Missouri Compromise, by the pass.age
of the Fugitive Slave Law, and by the attempt to
impose slavery in the Territory of Kansas. All
this resulted in a weakening of the Democratic
Party in the North by the defection of the anti-
slavery and independent element in it, and, finally,
in the formation of the Republican Party, "which
practically absorbed the Whig Party and culmi
nated in the election of Abraham Lincoln as Presi
dent in i860.
The election of Lincoln was deeply resented by
the people of the South, and South Carolina took
the lead in expressing the bitterness of the resent
ment, first by threats, and finally by the passage
of the ordinance of secession, which was quickly
followed by the passage of similar ordinances of
secession by all the slave States excepting Mary
land, Kentucky, Missouri, and Delaware, the lat
ter having a strong loyal sentiment and the three
former being occupied immediately by United
States forces, which prevented any legislative act
of disloyalty. The secession ordinances declared
in effect that the Union was simply a confederacy,

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. II
and that these States passing the ordinances would
separate themselves from the free States of the
North and West, and establish an independent
government. These acts were quickly followed
by the seizure of Federal property by the South,
and later by the firing on the flag of the Union
and the capture of Fort Sumter, the first step in
the actual Rebellion.
But there were other matters worthy of note
that led up to this climax. After the election of
Lincoln and previous to his inauguration, so fee
ble, imbecile, and disloyal was the then existent
administration of President Buchanan that the
public credit was prostrated. The Government
was verging on bankruptcy and had not money to
pay even the necessary expenses of administration.
The Secretary of the Treasury, Philip F. Thoraas,
came to New York to negotiate a temporary loan
of three million dollars to enable the Goverrtment
to pay the current expenses of the administration.
He was ready to submit to any terms. The banks
of the city held a meeting to consider the matter,
and so low was the credit of the Government, and
so great the distrust of the administration, that

12 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
they refused to loan the money on any terms
whatever. It was evident that the nation would
become bankrupt, and a few thoughtful, patriotic
men immediately after this refusal urged upon the
attention of the banks, that if public credit were
gone private credit would quickly follow, and that
it would be policy to let the Government have
the loan on any conditions, even if the money
were lost. The banks then consented to make a
temporary loan of three million dollars, at twelve
per cent interest, on the express condition that
the raoney should be used simply and solely to
meet the current expenses of administration. The
Secretar)' of the Treasury, a notoriousl}'" disloyal
man, violated that contract by making a heavy
draft to be deposited in a New Orleans bank.
The bankers of New York advised the Govern
ment they would not pa}^ any more drafts of that
kind on this loan, and demanded, furthermore,
that the Secretary of the Treasury, responsible
for this breach of faith, be dismissed and a raan
appointed in his place in whom they could have
confidence. Their protest resulted in the retire
ment of Thomas from the Cabinet and the ap-

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 13
pointment of Major-General John A. Dix as Secre
tary of the Treasur}'.
The Government wanted yet more money, and
General Dix appealed to the New York bankers
to show their confidence in him and in his loyalty
by making a further loan. Their response was
prompt and conclusive. General Dix obtained
the money he needed at the rate of ten and a
half per cent interest.
These facts are related as a necessary connec
tion of events to show the lamentable condition of
the country ; that the national laws were set at
defiance in the Southern States, and that the na
tional credit was practically destroyed. Lincoln
assumed the office of President with all these em
barrassments before him ; with an armed resist
ance to the law and a bankrupt Treasury ; with a
North greatly divided in opinions and a solidly
hostile South.

CHAPTER IL
THE AWAKENING OF LOYAL SENTIMENT IN NEW
YORK.
The effect of the capture of Fort Sumter by
the South was immediately recognized by Presi
dent Lincoln, and he at once issued his call for
75,000 troops to raaintain the integrity of the na
tion. The call was received coldly in New York
City. The city had very large business interests
with and was a great creditor of the South. The
banking interests, represented in a great degree
by a foreign element, was naturally timid, or in
strong syrapathy with the deraands of the South.
So prevalent and aggressive was the disloyal syra
pathy, that the loyal raen of the city were de
graded by the term of " Black Republicans."
There was practically no immediate public re
sponse in the city of New York to the call of the
President of the United States. The only re
sponse was the order of the Republican Governor

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 1 5
of the State sending forward the organized militia
regiments for the protection of Washington. The
day after the President issued his call not a flag
was visible in the city, and there was no public,
patriotic response.
A few earnest, patriotic men, feeling that the
Government should have immediate and adequate
support, met in the office of Mr. Simeon Draper
on the day following the issue of the call, April
i6th, 1861. These men were Mr. Moses H. Grin
nell, Mr. Milford Blatchford, Mr. Christopher R.
Robert, Mr. Richard H. McCurdy, Mr. Samuel
Sloan, and myself. They met to determine what
action should be taken to support the Federal
Government in maintaining the integrity of the
nation, and to take steps to determine the public
opinion and sentiraent of the city.
Perhaps no better evidence of the dominant
sentiment of New York City can be offered than
the flagrantly disloyal act of the mayor of the
city, Fernando Wood, in this crisis. Large quan
tities of arms had been ordered in the city by the
revolted State of Georgia. The orders were
filled, and the arms were in the course of ship-

l6 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
ment when the police authorities of the city inter
posed and stopped them. The mayor apologized
to the State of Georgia for this act of the police,
expressed his regret, and excused himself on the
ground that he had no power over the police force
of the city, and could not prevent their action in
the matter.
Furthermore, a regiment was being recruited
in this city, in defiance of all law, to be used for
the purpose of aiding the South in her resistance
to Federal authority.
The meeting at Mr. Draper's ofifice decided to
adjourn to the house of Mr. Richard H. McCurdy,
on Union Square, and raet there again that same
evening. There were a few other gentlemen at
this second meeting besides those who first started
the project at Mr. Draper's office. Included
among these were Mr. William M. Evarts and
General John A. Dix. It was determined that a
public raeeting of the citizens of New York should
be called to declare their sentiments in support of
the nation. Mr. William M. Evarts and General
Dix were appointed a coraraittee to draft a call.
It was decided that the call should be on so broad

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 1/
a basis that no loyal person could refuse to sign
it. As adopted by the meeting the call was in
the following words :
" Citizens of New York in favor of maintaining
the laws and Constitution of the LTnited States are
requested to assemble in Union Square on Satur
day, April 2oth, at two o'clock."
As a matter of policy it was considered best
that leading Deraocrats of the city should be
prominently identified with the movement to hold
the meeting. Mr. Samuel Sloan, an original
Democrat, but an intensely loyal raan, volunteered
to get the names of leading Deraocrats subscribed
to the call. The meeting adjourned to reconvene
the following day at the rooms of the Charaber of
Commerce, to learn what progress had been made.
Mr. Sloan appeared at the meeting next day
greatly depressed, and stated that several leading
men of the city, notably Mr. Belmont, Mr. Sam
uel J. Tilden, Mr. Royal H. Phelps, and others
had refused to sign the call for a meeting in favor
of the maintenance of the laws and Constitution
of the United States.
There had been- no expression of public opinion

1 8 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
in New York City in reference to the situation
confronting the nation, and no medium had been
provided for an expression of the popular will.
The outlook was gloomy, and a pall seemed to
fall upon the city. The various possibilities in the
raatter were discussed, when suddenly, as with a
burst of inspiration, Mr. Simeon Draper, a very
prominent citizen and a conspicuous member of
the Republican Party, exclaimed :
" Damn the swallow-tails ; let's go for the
ground tier !"
In a short conference between Mr. Draper and
myself it was decided to send for one of his
friends, Mr. Elder, a prominent, working politi
cian, who had a large following in the lower wards
of the city. When Mr. Elder carae we explained
to hira our plan for getting an expression of public
sentiment. He was to collect a considerable body
of men — stevedores, laborers, and such people
frora about the docks — get a fife and drum and an
American flag, and have the raen, with the flag
in the fore and headed by the fife and drum,
march in procession frora the Battery up Broad
way the next day. Our object was to see what

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. I9
would be the effect on the people generally of the
sight of the flag thus borne, as a kind of patriotic
proclamation of their loyalty to the Union, by
this element of society. It was arranged that
some of our party should be at Broadway and
Wall Street to meet the procession, to take ad
vantage of whatever might result.
All this was done as arranged. Fifty or sixty
men gathered in the lower part of the city and
started up Broadway in procession, a small Ameri
can fiag waving at the head of the column, the
fifer playing patriotic tunes and the drummer
beating a rousing accompaniment to the steps of
the marchers. The curious procession immedi
ately attracted great attention. Broadway was
crowded. At the top of Wall Street forty or fifty
gentlemen joined the procession and raoved down
Wall Street. The effect was electrical. All Wall
Street eraptied out and cheered for the flag, and
in immensely augmented nurabers the procession
started for the Journal of Commerce office. That
paper had been very disloyal, and a demand was
made that the American flag should promptly be
displayed on the building. There was but litlle

20 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
hesitation before the flag was hung out. Then
the procession started for the office of the New
York Herald, a dense mass of cheering enthusiasts.
Long before the procession reached the office a
dozen flags were flying from the building. Then a
move was made on the ofifice of the Ne-ws ; and so
on until every newspaper in the city that had
shown a hesitant or doubtful spirit had been com
pelled to display the Union flag. Within twenty-
four hours the flag was flying from every church-
steeple in the city, and the whole place was ablaze
with patriotic enthusiasra.
Thus was the loyal sentiment of New York City
aroused by the siraple device of the flag.
The great mass-raeeting in Union Square which
followed was a marvellous success. The enthusi
asm there aroused resulted in the forraation of the
Union Defence Committee, composed of the lead
ing men of the city, in public and private life, or
ganized to give all possible aid to the Government
in its efforts for the maintenance of the Union
with men, money, and material.

CHAPTER IIL
WITH GENERAL WOOL IN NEW YORK CITY.
Major-General John Ellis Wool was at this
time in command of the Department of the East,
United States Army, with headquarters at Troy.
Some time previous, and following closely on the
secession of the Southern States, all General
Wool's staff, with the exception of the late Gen
eral Arnold, A.D.C., had deserted him ; had re
signed from the United States Army and gone
into the service of the Confederacy. Having
served with General Wool, on his staff, many
years before, he requested rae to again becorae a
member of his staff. I at once accepted, and on
April 23d, i86[, was appointed Volunteer Aide-
de-Camp to General Wool. General Wool also
appointed as volunteer aides on his staff Mr. Alex
ander Hamilton and Mr. George Schuyler.
Major-General Scott was Commander-in-Chief
of the Army, with headquarters at Washington.

22 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
The city of New York was cut off from any com
munication with Washington through the destruc
tion of roads, bridges, and telegraph wires. There
was no responsible officer of the Government in
New York to muster in troops and provide for
supplies, transportation, and the like. General
Wool at once transferred his headquarters from
Troy to New York City, and took command here
a few days after the Union Square meeting. He
at once began most active work, in co-operation
with the Union Defence Committee, in mustering
troops, securing supplies, and forwarding men.
His prompt measures resulted in the providing of
a military force at Washington sufificient to ensure
the defence of the capital against the threatened
attacks of the rebel troops from Virginia and
Maryland. He was most energetic in fostering
the loyal sentiment of the people of New York,
raaking arrests of men who indulged in disloyal
talk, and encouraging in every way the upbuild
ing of a patriotic enthusiasm for the defence and
preservation of the Union. All this he, of course,
did without any orders or authority from Wash
ington. It was impossible to communicate with

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 23
the heads of the Government and War Depart
ment, and he acted, as he believed to be for the
best interest of the country, on his own responsi
bility. But his great success and consequent popularity
aroused the seeraingly not altogether disinterested
disapproval of General Scott— disapproval encour
aged doubtless by his son-in-law. Colonel Scott,
Adjutant-General on his staff, a disloyal man, who
left the service of the United States shortly after
ward. General Wool was rebuked by General
Scott and ordered back to Troy to re-establish
his headquarters there. The very remarkable
letter in which General Scott ordered General
Wool back to Troy indicates that other than raere
railitary reasons were prominent in inducing the
action. On his return to Troy General Wool addressed
the following letter to me :
He.^dquarters of the East,
Troy, May 4, 1861.
Dear Colonel Cannon : Presuraing that you
may be of service to the Union Defence Commit
tee in New York City, I have to request that you
will, until further orders, place yourself in com-

24 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
munication with thera, to afford such aid and ad
vice, unofficially, as may be requested, and report
to me from time to time at this place.
John E. Wool,
Major- General.
The highly important and interesting events of
General Wool's brief command in the city of New
York, and the whole of the circumstances of his
coming, his work here, and his recall, are told in
the following personal letter from General Wool
to myself : Troy, N. Y., July lo, 1861.
My Dear Colonel : I have frequently been
asked why I am not in the field battling against
the traitors of the Union.
The causes may be found in the following con
densed history of the services 1 rendered in the
execution of important and responsible duties,
assumed on ray part at a raoraent of great peril
to the country, and when the Federal Capital was
in imminent danger of being taken possession of
by the rebels from Virginia aud Maryland.
You will recollect the attack of a Massachusetts
regiraent passing through Baltiraore, which re
sulted in destroying several long bridges between
Baltiraore and Philadelphia, of divers railroad
tracks,, and cutting the telegraph wires leading
from Washington to the North, prevented for six
days any coraraunication with the latter city and
the Northern States. It was under these circum-

reminiscences OF THE REBELLION. 25
stances I visited Governor Morgan. I found hira
in a state of alarm for the safety of the capital,
which he was apprehensive would be taken pos
session of by the secessionists. While with him
he received a telegraph despatch to hurry troops
with all possible haste to Washington. He also
received a despatch tendering the services of Col
onel Ellsworth's regiraent, with a request to ac
cept it, which he coraplied with at ray earnest
recoraraendation ; when I gave orders to Colonel
Torapkins, United States Quartermaster at New
York, to furnish transportation, and Major Eaton,
Commissary of Subsistence, thirty days' rations
to each soldier, for as many regiments as might
be ordered by the Governor at Washington. I
ordered that number of rations because the troops
could only reach Washington by either the Poto
mac or Chesapeake Bay.
, Governor Morgan left the same evening, Satur
day, April 20th, for New York. I informed him
I would follow on Monda}'. On the next day the
Governor transmitted by telegraph the following
letter : New York, April 21, 1861.
General John E. Wool, Troy, N. V. :
I am glad to learn that you will proceed to New
York to-morrow to superintend the forwarding of
troops from this and other States mustered into
the service of the General Government. It is
eminently proper that a high ofificer of the Array
of the United States should discharge this impor
tant duty. E. D. Morgan.

26 reminiscences OF THE REBELLION.
On the same day I received the following letter
by telegraph from Thurlow Weed :
New York, April 21, 1861.
General John E. Wool, Troy, N. V. :
Understanding you are to be here, I deem it
advisable frora instructions I have from the Sec
retary of War, General Cameron, that you should
be at the Astor House with me. Thurlow Weed.
By Mr. Weed's letter you will perceive that I
was expected to be with him at the Astor House,
which I could not assent to from the circumstance
that I had already engaged quarters at the St.
Nicholas Hotel, to which place I had directed all
letters, telegrams, etc., intended for me to be sent.
On Monday, April 22d, I proceeded to New
York and took quarters at the St. Nicholas. Soon
after ray arrival Mr. Weed called on me and urged
me to take quarters at the Astor House, previous
to which I had been earnestly requested to do so
by Mr. Stetson, to which I dechned, and from
the fact that it would produce confusion, as tele
graph despatches were constantly being received
from the Governors of States and other persons.
On the 23d the Union Defence Coraraittee called
on me, araong whom were General Dix, Chair
man ; Mr. Draper, Vice-Chairman ; ex-Governor
Fish, Messrs. Evarts, Wetmore, Dehone, Grin
nell, Blatchford, Marshall, Sloan, and others.
They desired to know what I was prepared to do

reminiscences OF THE REBELLION. 27
in this hour of great peril to the country, the
capital being in imrainent danger of being taken
by the rebels ; I replied anything that would save
the capital, for the preservation of the Union de
pended on its safety. A progrararae was soon
arranged, which I approved of in behalf of the
United States, and immediately set about carry
ing it into effect. In this place it may be proper
to say I reminded the committee that I had as
suraed a fearful responsibility, and that probably
I would be the only victim, but under the circum
stances I was prepared to raake the sacrifice if by
it the capital could be saved.
It raust not be forgotten that at this time the
citizens of the whole North, East, and West were
in the highest state of excitement, from apprehen
sions that the capital of the Union would fall into
the possession of the rebels of the South ; and in
the city of New York they were ready to de
nounce the administration, and even threatened
to overturn the Governraent and elect a dictator,
because of the loss of Norfolk with the navy
depot, which had cost many millions, and Harper's
Ferry, where we had an armory for the manufac
ture of arms, and the Federal Capital in danger
of sirailar fate ; and all, as was asserted, from the
gross neglect of the administration to provide the
necessary means for their protection.
It was under such circumstances, with all com
munications closed between Washington and the
North, that I entered, in conjunction with the
Union Defence Committee, upon the important

28 reminiscences of the rebellion.
duties which the emergency seemed to demand.
No time was to be lost, as it appeared to every
one with whora I held conversation, in forwarding
troops for the defence and protection of the capi
tal. The whole country was organizing and arm
ing with a determination to march to Washington.
On my arrival at New York I found requisitions
from the Governors of nine States for arms and
ammunition, all of whom by my orders were fur
nished with a greater or less number of arms, and
as many rounds of ammunition as could be spared.
Prorapt and energetic measures were adopted by
myself as well as the coraraittee to secure the
capitaL. Ships were chartered, supplies furnished,
and troops forwarded with the utraost despatch
to Washington via the Potomac River and Chesa
peake Bay to Annapolis, steamers were sent to
protect the ships from capture by two privateers
reported to be off Cape Henry. All vessels carry
ing troops and supplies were either armed or con
voyed to their places of destination ; in all which
we were supported and greatly aided by Commo
dore Breese. The steamship Quaker City, after
landing her troops at Annapolis, was ordered to
report to Colonel Dimick, commanding Fortress
Monroe, to prevent the transportation of cannon,
etc., from Norfolk to Old Point Comfort to be
siege that fortress, and also to look out for priva
teers and to protect our vessels going up the
Potoraac and Chesapeake Bay.
On the requisitions of Colonel Dimick I ordered

reminiscences of the rebellion. 29
provisions, carriages, ammunition, and imple
ments to Fortress Monroe.
Being informed that the troops at Washington
were short of provisions, I ordered Major Eaton,
until otherwise directed, to send by Perrysville
to Annapolis 30,000 rations daily. All which was
proraptl3% efficiently, successfully, and without
any accident whatever executed ; and, as was re
ported, saved the metropolis from, the ravages of
war and capture by the rebels of Virginia and
Maryland. Instead of ordering arms to the Governor of
Illinois, as applied for, I requested him to take
possession of the arsenal at St. Louis. I also tele
graphed ex-Governor Banks to assist the Governor
in taking the arsenal ; and for the sarae purpose
I sent a special raessenger to the Hon. F. P. Blair,
with the request that he would assist in securing
the arsenal. With the return of the messenger I
received the thanks of Mr. Blair for the interest
I manifested in the people of the West ; and the
Governor of Illinois telegraphed me that he had
received from the arsenal 21,000 stand of arms
and 1 10,000 rounds of ammunition, two 6-pounder
guns and ammunition for the same. I also, upon
application of the Governor, ordered 32-pound-
er cannon, carriages, etc., to be prepared atthe
Allegheny Arsenal for Cairo.
I authorized the Governor of New Hampshire
to place the navy depot and harbor of Portsmouth
in a state of defence without incurring any un
necessary expenses.

30 reminiscences of the rebellion.
I also gave Governor Andrew perraission to
occupy the forts in Boston Harbor for the pur
pose of driUing and disciplining volunteers in
tended for Washington.
I gave authority to the Mayor and Coramon
Council of New Bedford to erect defences on
Clark's Point, for the protection and defence of
the city and harbor, at the cost of the city, but to
be surrendered up to the United States whenever
required by proper authority. I approved of
placing into Fort Adams volunteers for the pro
tection of the harbor and town of Newport by
Governor Sprague, of Rhode Island.
In order to ascertain if my .services in connec
tion with the Union Defence Committee met the
approbation of the General-in-Chief, as well as
the Secretary of War, I reported to Lieutenant-
General Scott on April 23d and 25th what I had
done and was doing. On the 25th I also wrote to
the Secretary of War, when I informed hira that
I had transmitted to Lieutenant-General Scott
several despatches of what I was doing without
receiving any reply, and I concluded my letter by
saying, " / am extremely anxious to know tlie vieivs
of the administration and what it desires. f am
running without rudder or compass." By this ex
pression I intended to be understood that I was
executing high and important functions without
orders, but which the eraergency required, the
Capital of the Union being in imrainent peril of
being captured by Southern rebels.
Receiving no acknowledgments, and anxious to

reminiscences of the rebellion. 31
knoiv how -my conduct was viewed by the authorities
at Wasliington, T sent a special messenger. Colonel
Schuyler, Volunteer Aide-de-Carap, to call upon
Lieutenant-General Scott, the Secretary of War,
and the President, and to inform each and all the
part I vvas performing and to obtain their replies.
He was unsuccessful, and returned, after much
trouble and delay on the road, on the raorning of
May 1st, and reported to rae that he had been
unable to obtain any information on the subject of
his mission.
To all which it may not be inappropriate to add
that, while receiving, by request, a passing re
view of Colonel Ellsworth's Regiment of Zouaves
on its route to erabark for Washington, Major-
General Sandford, with one of his staff, in a hur
ried and excited manner, presented me with an
order from Governor Morgan forbidding the em
barkation of the regiment, unless reduced to the
number prescribed — "jj to a company — and urged
me to order the whole to embark, as no part of
the regiment would go unless all were included.
The regiment was escorted by 5000 firemen. The
order of the Governor produced intense excite
ment. I replied to the General that I would not
be the first to check the noble and patriotic en
thusiasm of the citizens of New York. The regi
ment as it was should embark. This announce
ment caused the most enthusiastic cheering of the
regiraent, the fireraen, and the tens of thousands
jof spectators, which continued long after the im
posing spectacle had passed in review.

32 reminiscences of the rebellion.
I have thus detailed the most essential part of
the services which I perforraed in conjunction with
the Union Defence Committee frora April 23d to
May 1st, inclusive, when late in the evening of
the latter day I received a communication from
Lieutenant General Scott, through his Assistant
Adjutant- General, E. D. Townsend, in which he
recommended that I should ' ' return to Troy to
conduct the ordinary routine duties of my depart
raent and for the recovery of ray health, known
to be feeble," when at the tirae my health was
perfect, as it has been ever since. No sick or
feeble person could have performed the services
demanded by the universal uprising of the people
of the free States, north of. the border States, in
consequence of the threatened danger of the Fed
eral Capital by rebels from Virginia and Mary
land. The loss of the capital might lead to the break
ing up permanently of the Union. It was this
that caused an excitement that could not be re
strained. The people rose in their raajesty, de
termined, no matter what raight be the sacrifice,
to save the capital and with it the Union. Believ
ing what every person believed, that the capital
was in danger, and without being able to commu
nicate with the authorities at Washington, I as
sumed the responsibility of carrying out «ot only
the views and wishes of the Union Defence Cora
raittee, but those of the whole people of the North,
which erabraced no less the Federal capital than
the whole Union.

reminiscences of the rebellion. 33
On May 7th, after I had left New York for my
headquarters, as required by Lieutenant-General
Scott, T received frora the Secretary of War the
following letter, not, however, in reply to any
letter from rayself : War Department,
Washington, May 5, 1861.
To Major-General John E. Wool, Troy, N. Y. :
My Dear Sir : Appreciating as I do your long,
able, and faithful services and loyalty to the cause
of the country, I write merely-to request that no
requisition for troops or orders for their reraoval
be hereafter issued without first communicating
with this department.
You will, my dear sir, not consider this any re
flection on anything you raay have heretofore
done, but merely to avoid any conflict of orders
or confusion of arrangeraents, and that the de
partment raay at all times know the number of
troops called out, and how they may be made
available at the shortest notice without interfering
with any previous orders.
With sentiments of the highest personal regard,
and the strongest appreciation of your valor and
patriotism, I have the honor to be.
Very truly.yours,
Simon Cameron,
Secretary af War.
This letter I acknowledged in the following
words :

34 reminiscences of the rebellion.
Headquarters Department of the East,
Troy, N. Y., May 9, 1861.
Hon. Simon Cameron, Secretary of War :
My Dear Sir : Be pleased to accept my grate
ful acknowledgments for your communication of
the 6th instant. It is especially gratifying to
learn that my conduct hitherto in relation to the
affairs of the Union meets your high approbation.
Although I am aware that with the press of
business you have little time to read letters, yet
as my conduct in connection with the Union De
fence Committee of the citizens of New York may
not be perfectly understood or appreciated by all
in authority at Washington, I avail myself of this
occasion to present you with a condensed history
of the part I performed in the forwarding of troops
and supplies for the protection and defence of
Washington, which at the time was reported to
be in imrainent peril.
To vvhich I added a history of ray action with
the Union Defence Committee, as represented in
this communication, with the omission of order
ing Colonel Ellsworth's regiment to embark and
a few others of no importance, and concluded my
letter as follows :
"It is reported in New York that I was en
gaged in making contracts for supplies of various
kinds to further the objects of the Union Defence
Committee, and that the reports have reached
Washington. It is due to myself to say that I
made no contracts of any kind whatever for the
committee or in behalf of the Gos'ernment. At

reminiscences of the rebellion. 35
the request of the committee, however, I signed
two charter parties for the ships. I understood
the committee paid the expenses out of the city
funds." To this letter I received from the Secretary of
War the following reply : War Department,
Washington, June 7, 186 1.
Major-General John E. Wool, Troy, N. Y. :
Dear Sir : I have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of your letter of the 9th ult., and I beg
you to believe that nothing but a desire to give
that careful consideration, which I found myself
unable to do, at an earlier moment, has delayed
ray acknowledging of its receipt.
You state that it is reported in New York that
you were engaged in raaking contracts for sup
plies of various kinds to further the objects of the
Union Defence Committee, and that these reports
have reached Washington, and you explain the
extent of your participation in the proceedings of
that committee in regard to the contracts. This,
I beg to assure you, was unnecessary on 3'our
part. No such rumors or reports have reached
this department, and if they had would have re
ceived no consideration unfavorable to your char
acter. Your own high personal character, as well
as your patiiotic devotion to the country and
long-tried services in its defence, afforded a sufifi
cient shield to protect you against idle reports
and vague ruraors.

36 reminiscences of the rebellion.
After giving a condensed history of the part
you perforraed in forwarding of troops and sup
plies for the protection and defence of Washing
ton, and which, as you state, were performed
without orders from any quarter, you say you re
ported what you had done and were doing to
Lieutenant-General Scott, without obtaining any
repl}"", and that you remained ignorant of the
wishes of the authorities until 3'Ou received a
coraraunication from the General-in-Chief direct
ing you to repair to headquarters at Troy. You
express an anxiety to learn whether the part you
performed met the approbation of the General-in-
Chief or the War Department ; and though you
do not expressly say that the letter of the General-
in-Chief leaves you in doubt on the subject, your
letter justifies this inference, and I therefore deem
it but due to you to say that this department has
no disposition to find fault with or make com
plaint of your conduct in the emergency to which
your letter refers. On the contrary, it believes
that you were prompted by patriotic raotives, and
that you did nothing but what you, at the tirae,
were fully persuaded was necessary and under
the circurastances proper. The order of the Gen
eral-in-Chief could therefore not have been in
tended to reflect upon your conduct while acting
in conjunction with the Union Defence Coraraittee
in the city of New York, though a self-constituted,
but patriotic body.
In answering you thus frankly, in order to put
your mind at rest as to the views of this depart-

reminiscences of the rebellion. 37
ment, it is due to it, as well as to you, that I
should add in the same spirit that you were or
dered to return to your headquarters at Troy, be
cause the issuing of orders by you on the applica
tion of the various Governors for arms, ararauni
tion, etc., without consultation, a detailed account
of which you gave in your letter, seriously em-.
harrassed the prompt and proper administration
of the department, and could not be permitted to
be continued without a disregard of law as well
as the disarrangements of its operations. This
alone was sufficient to order your return to head
quarters. Although the War Department had no
disposition to find fault with your motives, unau
thorized as were your acts, feeling assured that it
was the result of patriotic raotives, it was itself,
in its ordinary course of official business, attend
ing to the same matters through its properly au
thorized ofificers, and you. General, so experi
enced an ofificer as you are, must adrait on reflec
tion that it could not permit a continuance of
operations so conflicting with its own, however
pure and patriotic might be the motives which in
duced them. I am, sir, very respectfully,
Simon Cameron,
Secretary of War.
The concluding paragraph of this letter, I must
confess, surprises me. Indeed, I find myself un
able to reconcile what is there said with the letter
of May 6th. In this Secretary Cameron declares

38 reminiscences of the rebellion.
he appreciates my zeal, long, able, faithful, and
loyal services to the country, with the assurance
that. in saying what he did he intended no reflec
tion on anything that I had heretofore done. In
the letter of June 7th the Secretary says that I
was ordered to return to my headquarters at Troy
because the issuing of orders by me, on the appli
cation of the various Governors for arras, ammu
nition, etc, without consultation — a detailed ac
count of which I gave him in my letter —seriously
embarrassed the prorapt and proper administra
tion of his department, and could not be permitted
to be continued without a disregard of law, as
well as the disarrangement of its operations.
" This alone was sufficient to order 3'our return
to headquarters." He, however, believes that I
was prompted by patriotic motives, and that I
did nothing but what I at the time was fully per
suaded was necessary and under the circurastances
proper. The Secretary, while penning the causes
which sent me to my headquarters, rnust have
overlooked the fact that at the time I was issuing
orders to supply the various Governors with arras
and ammunition no communication could be had
with the authorities at Washington, and therefore
he could not be consulted. Nevertheless, I made
efforts to consult hira by reporting what I was
doing to Lieutenant-General Scott, at the same
time writing to him, anxious to know the wishes
and desires of the administration. Finally, I sent
a special raessenger to Washington, who returned
without obtaining any information on the subject.

reminiscences of the rebellion. 39
But the Secretary says I seriously embarrassed
the prompt and proper adrainistration of its oper
ations, and that it was itself in its ordinary course
of business attending to the same matters through
Its propfrly authorized officers. (See Cummings'
letter, which follows, for "authorized officers.")
How could this be when all coraraunications be
tween Washington and the Northern States were
prevented by the rebels in Baltimore? If, how
ever, arrangements were made in relation to the
movements of troops, or of arming the militia
with reference to future operations in the field or
the protection of Washington, as indicated by the
Secretary, I, as commander of the Eastern De
partment, and next in rank to Lieutenant-General
Scott, ought to have been notified of the fact.
This would have been no less in accordance with
the usual practice than it was due to the high
character so frankly awarded to me in the several
communications of the Secretary. Again, my ex
perience in organizing and preparing volunteers
for the field would of itself have been sufficient to
have designated me for the services which the
perilous state of the capital seemed to demand.
I, however, received no orders in the case. To
hurry troops to Washington was not sent to me,
but, as it would appear, to the Union Defence
Committee of New York and the Governors of
States. The emergency demanded prompt action.
It was called for by the free States of the North,
from apprehension that not only the Federal Capi
tal, but the Union was in danger of a total disso-

40 reminiscences of the rebellion.
lution. The services which I performed were in
accordance with the wishes and desires of the
people of the States horth of the border States,
and approved and urged by Vice-President Ham
lin, Governor Morgan, Senator Sherman, of
Ohio ; Senator Chandler, bf Michigan ; Senator
Foote, of Vermont; Senator Baker, of Oregon;
to which I might add all the Governors of the
Northern free States. The requisitions on rae of
the various Governors were in consequence of
not being able to communicate vvith the authori
ties at Washington. If I had failed or hesitated
to perform what the whole country required, I
would have been denounced for wanting in zeal
and firmness, if not as an enemy to the coun
try. I received no instructions from the Secretary of
War, and heard of none, except in the despatch
of Thurlow Weed, dated April 21st, and what
will be found in the following letter :
War Department, April 21, 1S61.
Alexander Cummings, Esq. :
This department needs at this moment an in
telligent, experienced, and energetic man, in whom
it can rely to assist in pushing forward troops,
ammunitions, and supplies. You are acquainted
with the internal arrangement and connections of
the railroads in Pennsylvania, over which, for the
present, they will have to come ; and while I am
aware that your private affairs may demand your

reminiscences of the rebellion. 41
time, I am sure your patriotism will induce you
to aid me even at some loss to yourselL
With this view I will thank 3'Ou, in consultation
with the ofificers of the array and navy, to assist
in getting vessels or arranging with the railroad
companies, for the accommodation of the troops,
as fast as they are ready to raarch to their destina
tion, and also to assist thera in raaking purchases
or other arrangeraents, and to communicate at the
earliest raoment any information of service to this
department. Very respectfully,
Simon Cameron,
Secretary of War.
The above letter vvas endorsed b}' rae as fol
lows :
" Alexander Curaraings will confer with Col
onel Tompkins and Major Eaton, who will give
such instructions as will enable hira to carr}' out
the instructions of the Secretary of War. He
will also confer with the Union Defence Corarait
tee, who will eraploy hira in the capacity and in
the discharge of the duties indicated in the in
structions of the Secretary of War."
By examination of Secretary Cameron's letter
to Alexander Cummings, Esq., it will be perceived
that a civilian was charged with the execution of
duties that properly belonged to the staff-officers
stationed in the city of New York — viz., Colonel
D. D. Tompkins, Assistant Quartermaster-Gen-

42 reminiscences of the rebellion.
eral, Major Eaton, Commissary of Subsistence,
and Major Thornton, of Ordnance, all capable,
efificient, and prompt in the discharge of every
duty required of them, and under my orders per
forraed the duties assigned to Mr. Curaraings.
The railroads to Washington could not be used
for the transportation of troops or suppHes, owing
to the destruction of bridges, etc., by rebels from
Baltimore ; hence they were sent by way of the
Potomac and Chesapeake Bay. I ordered Col
onel Tompkins to send two vessels to ply between
Perrysville and Annapolis, for the purpose of
transporting troops and supplies to the latter
place as soon as it could be done with safety.
Arrangeraents accordingly were made with the
railroad companies, and General Patterson sent
troops to Perrysville to guard that place. There
fore, as it appears to me, I in no wise interfered
with any arrangements made by Secretary Cam
eron with Mr. Curaraings. On the contrary, I
think all that he expected of the latter gentleman
was more than anticipated by the measures adopt
ed under my orders. Why should Mr. Cummings
be employed when we had staff-officers to perform
the duties required of him ?
In thus presenting my views in regard to ray
conduct while in connection with the Union De
fence Coraraittee, and in relation to the orders of
Lieutenant-General Scott and Secretary Caraeron,
I would not be understood to complain of being
sent to my headquarters at Troy, or of not being

reminiscences of the rebellion. 43
ordered into the field to battle against the traitors
of the LTnion.
The President having the power, has, of course,
the right to judge of the fitness of officers for
command, whether for the field or any other raili
tary position. But I think I have just cause to
complain of being placed in the position I find
rayself, and for no other reason than I made efforts
and furnished means to save the Federal Capital.
In ordering arms and ammunition to be issued to
various Governors, I did no more, and for the
sarae reasons, than what the President has done.
It vvas a " necessity" demanded by the whole peo
ple of the North, arising from the perilous state
of the country, all communication with Washing
ton being closed.
Therefore is it just that I should be confined at
ray headquarters, when the LTnion Defence Coin-
mittee, with whom I was associated and who ap
probated ray conduct in the most exalted terms,
receive raore than the thanks of the administra
tion, without allusion to myself, for the forces
that arrived so opportunely at the capital ; that
civilians should be appointed to take rank over
rae in the array, and that I should be refused a
command, although named for one — as I am in
forraed — by Lieutenant-General Scott ?
Permit me to ask, is such loyalty and devo
tion to country to be spurned by this adminis
tration ? I feel that the people of the North will
not sanction such conduct, nor will they ever

44 reminiscences of the rebellion.
abandon their best and devoted friend, who has
never faltered in vindicating their interests, honor,
or welfare. Your friend,
John E. Wool.
To Colonel Le Grand B. Cannon, Burlington, Vt.

CHAPTER IV.
with general wool in the department of
virginia. «
The people of the East and West greatly appre
ciated General Wool's valuable work in New York
City in behalf of the Union cause, and were very
indignant that he should have been relieved frora
active duty. The general indignation was very
prominently and powerfully expressed, and so
great was the pressure of public opinion upon the
administration, that General Wool was very
shortly afterward called again into active service,
and on August 17th, 1861, he was assigned to the
command of the Department of Virginia, with
headquarters at Fort Monroe. This was practi
cally the most iraportant coraraand in the cduntry.
Fort Monroe was not only the greatest fortress,
but it wa««^MaaiiMiif the key to the entire South
ern coast.
In the mean time the staff of the array had be-

46 reminiscences of the rebellion.
come greatly reduced through the resignation of
many officers who went over to take service in
the forces of the Confederacy. It was a prime
necessity that the staff be brought up to its proper
strength and standard, and an act designed to
accoraplish this was one of the first railitary meas
ures adopted at the extra session of Congress.
The bill provided that the staff of the army should
be increased by the appointraent of officers norai
nated by Major-Generals Scott and Wool, with the
approval of the President and Senate.
On assuraing command of the Department of
Virginia General Wool at once nominated me as
a staff-ofificer, with the rank of Major ; and also
norainated Mr. Alexander Hamilton, with the
rank of Major, and Mr. William Jay, with the
rank of Captain, with orders to report to him im
raediately at Fort Monroe. I reported to General
Wool at once, and was assigned as his confidential
aide and Chief of Staff.
Iraraediately after the secession of Virginia
great numbers of fugitive slaves escaped and took
refuge within our lines at Fort Monroe. There
was great apprehension among the people of the

reminiscences of the rebellion. 47
North that they would be overrun with negroes
as a result of a war. The Federal Government
had refused to take any decided action with refer
ence to the fugitive slaves, and had endeavored
to take a stand amounting to non-interference with
the existing regime. It evinced a great timidity
about interfering in any way with the slave ques
tion. It had rebuked General Fremont, in the
State of Missouri, for protecting fugitives, and
also General Hunter, in South Carolina, for pro
posing to make use of the fugitive negroes. So
sensitive was the Government about meddling
with the negro in any way, that no less than two
hundred and fifty stevedores were sent frora New
York and the East to Fort Monroe to unload our
transports and to do other such civil work, at a
cost of two dollars and a half a day each and
rations, while there were hundreds of able-bodied
negroes sheltering in our lines and living in idle
ness at the public expense. The inpouring of
fugitive slaves into our lines increased to such an
extent that repeated requests were raade to Wash
ington for instructions as to what should be done
with thera. It would have been disastrous to

48 reminiscences of the rebellion.
have repelled them from coming into our lines.
The War Department refused to give any instruc
tions, but, on the contrary, adopted a policy which
seemed fatal in its bearings. The following inci
dent will illustrate the situation.
An Illinois regiment, stationed in Maryland,
was transferred to our department. General Dix
was in comraand of the District of Maryland. A
coraplaint was made b}' a loyal slaveholder that
one of his slaves, a woraan, had been abducted by
this regiraent and carried off to Fort Monroe.
General Dix made a report of the matter to Gen
eral Wool by the slaveholder, and stated that it
was highly important that the slave should be
surrendered to her owner. This was the first
case of the kind that had arisen, and it tended to
place General Wool in the position of surrender
ing the first fugitive slave. General Wool ad
dressed a spirited reply to General Dix, saying
that it was no part of his duty to find fugitive
slaves and surrender them to their raasters ; and,
furtherraore, suggesting that General Dix would
have all he could do to perfect discipline and efifi-
ciency in his own command, without undertak-

reminlscences of the rebellion. 49
ing to demoralize discipline in another depart
ment. General Dix coraplained to the Secretary of
War, Mr. Siraon Cameron, saying it was of the
last importance that the loyal people of Maryland
who owned slaves should be protected in their
property. He submitted the correspondence with
General Wool, and suggested that instructions
should be given from the War Department to
General Wool calling for the surrender of the
slave in question. In the course of a week the
owner of the woman again came to Fort Monroe
with an order from the Secretary of War. The
coraraunication stated that it was alleged this
woraan had been carried off by the ofificers of the
Illinois regiment, and was held for purposes of
prostitution. The Secretary ordered that the
woman should be delivered up on the facts being
established. The slave-owner presented the order to General
Wool in my presence. I saw at once by the ex
pression of General Wool's face, as he read the
order, that he was deeply incensed, and that there
was danger of an explosion of ire that m.ight lead

50 reminiscences of the rebellion.
to serious consequences. Tn order to avert the
trouble that threatened, I interrupted the reading
by saying to General Wool :
"General, I have something of very great im
portance to communicate to you immediately ;
may I ask that this gentleman retire for a few
raoments ?"
General Wool acquiesced, and when the slave
owner was gone I suggested to the General that
he turn the matter over to me, and I would under
take that it should be satisfactorily settled, and
that the slave should not be surrendered. Gen
eral Wool assented to this, and calling the slave
owner in, told hira that the matter had been turned
over to me and was altogether in my hands. I
told the man I would look the papers over, and
asked him to come to see me later in the day.
Then I sent for the Colonel of the Illinois regi
ment which was accused of abducting the woman,
explained the raatter to him, and showed hira the
Secretary's order.
"Now, Colonel," I said, "this is a personal
matter with you. It is a serious reflection on
you and your officers, as well as on your men ;

reminiscences of the rebellion. 51
but, first of all, it is a reflection on yourself, and
you see the inference that must be drawn if this
man's statement is established. I leave the matter
in your hands."
The Colonel saw the point at once. I called in
the slave-owner, told hira that the Secretary's
order would, of course, be promptly obeyed. I
endorsed the order to the Colonel of the regiraent,
instructing him to investigate the matter, and if
the facts were proven as alleged, to deliver up the
woman to her owner, and then sent the raan with
the order to see and settle with the ColoneL
When the slave-owner went over to the Illinois
regiraent he ran into -a hornet's nest. The Col
onel received him, read the order, the statement
of alleged facts, and my endorsement, and then
broke out in indignant denunciation. He told the
owner that his statement of iramorality in the
regiment was a personal insult to himself, as head
of the regiment, and would have to be settled
with him personally. Then he sent for all his
officers and read the stateraent and order to them.
They received it as he had done, and within five
minutes the astounded slave-owner had a dozen

52 reminiscences of the rebellion.
challenges on his hands. He had no actual proof
of his allegations, of course, and was dreadfully
frightened at the turn of events. He tried to
withdraw and offered every apology, and ended
by writing out a full and complete withdrawal of
his charges, and expressing the belief that he was
mistaken and that the woman was not with the
regiraent. I saw the man next morning as he
went aboard the boat that took hira home, and he
looked as though he had been sick with a severe
attack of cholera morbus.
Shortly afterward I went to Washington with
despatches and saw Thomas L. Scott, First As
sistant Secretary of War.* After delivering my
despatches Mr. Scott suddenly asked me :
" Why are not the orders of the department
obeyed by General Wool?"
" General Wool is too old and too. good a soldier
ever to disobey an order," I replied. " Besides,"
I continued, " I happen to be cognizant of all
orders received by General Wool from the de
partment, and I do not know of any that have not
been properly obeyed."
Secretary Scott recited the case of the fugitive

reminiscences of the rebellion. 53
slave, and I told him I Jaf^BHBri Uk knJLv every
thing about that case, and explained that the order
from the Secretary was turned over to the Col
onel of the regiraent involved and the raatter fully
investigated, and that the slave-owner had made
a complete withdrawal of the charge. Secretary
Scott said he understood that the man was bullied
and coerced into making the withdrawal ; but
the matter was dropped.
That evening I dined with Secretary of State
Seward, and I explained to him the whole affair,
just as it happened. I told him frankly that the
United States Array could not be used for the
purpose of hunting down and returning fugitive
slaves, and that a repetition of such an order as
was sent to General Wool vvould cause the mutiny
of every soldier in the army.
The order was never repeated, and the War
Department withdrew from its position on the
matter of fugitive slaves.

CHAPTER V.
the earliest emancipation and use of negroes
in militai^y service.
As the war progressed in the closing months of
1861 there was a continually increasing number
of fugitive slaves coraing into our lines at Fort
Monroe. The nuraber becarae so great that the
fact of so raany raen, women, and children living
in idleness in close contact with our troops exer
cised a very demoralizing influence on both
negroes and soldiers, and serious difficulties of
raorals and discipline arose. The efficiency of the
troops was in great danger of vital irapairraent,
and the situation of the negroes was lamentable.
The Government would do nothing in the matter,
standing aloof from the whole question, as pre
viously related. Under these circumstances of
great erabarrassraent General Wool decided to
institute a rigid investigation into the actual con
dition of affairs and the causes, with a view of

reminiscences of the rebellion. 55
finding some solution of the very diflficult prob
lem of what to do with the fugitive slaves.
On January 30th, 1862, General Wool appointed
Colonel T. J. Cram and myself a commission to
inquire into this matter under the following order :
Headquarters, Department of Virginia,
Fort Monroe, Va., January 30, 1862.
General Order No. 5.
I. Colonel T. J. Cram, Inspector-General, and
Major Le Grand B. Cannon, Aide de-Camp, are
hereby appointed and constituted a commission
for the purpose of making a critical examination
of the condition of the persons known as vagrants
or " contrabands," who are employed in this de
partment under Departraent General Order No.
34, of 1861, in reference to their pay, clothing,
subsistence, raedical attendance, shelter, and treat
ment, physical and moral.
II. Chiefs of the several departraents, their sub
ordinates and employes, will furnish to the Com
raission such reports and information as the Cora
mission raay require to enable it to perform the
duties imposed, the object being to do justice to
the clairas of humanity in the proper discharge of
the grave responsibility thrust upon the military
authorities of this department in consequence of
numerous persons— men, women, and children —
already congregated and daily increasing, being
abandoned by their masters or having fled to this
military command for protection and support.

56 reminiscences of the rebellion.
III. The Commissioners will also examine into
the condition of such of the foregoing specified
class of persons as have been or are employed
under Department Special Order No. 72, of 1861,
and will further examine whether the several
chiefs of departments have a sufficiency or an ex
cess of employes or laborers to enable them to
discharge with proper economy and efficiency
and despatch their respective duties, and if a
greater or less nuraber than are now eraployed
can be econoraically eraployed for these duties.
It having been reported that the said class of per
sons known as vagrants or " contrabands" have
not been properly treated in all cases by those
having them in charge, the Commissioners cannot
be too rigid in its examination in order that jus
tice may be done to them as well as to the public
service. IV. The result of the investigations will be re
ported by the Commissioners to these headquar-
ters as early as practicable, with such suggestions
as the Coraraissioners may deem proper for the
improvement of these persons, and the Coramis
sion is authorized to employ such clerical assist
ance as it may need to be detailed from this com
mand. By coramand of Major-General Wool.
(Signed) William D. Whipple,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
Major William P. Jones, A.D.C., was appointed
a member of the Commission a few days later.

reminiscences of the rebellion. 57
Special Order No. 72 and General Order No.
34, referred to in the order appointing the Cora
mission, were issued some three raonths previous,
in an effort to prevent the irretrievable vagrancy
of the fugitive negroes by compelling them to do
whatever work was within their scope, and so as
far as possible support themselves.
Special Order No. 72 provided that all colored
persons known as " contrabands," employed as
servants by officers or others at Fort Monroe,
should be furnished with their subsistence and at
least eight dollars per month for males and four
dollars for females. So much of this money as
might be needed for their clothing was to be ap
plied for that purpose, and the remainder to bc
paid into the hands of the Chiet Quarterraaster to
create a fund for the support of those contrabands
unable to work for their own support.
General Order No. 34 designated the pay and
allowance, to be raade to contrabands at work in
the military departments at Fort Monroe, as
laborers and the like. Able-bodied negro raen so
eraployed were to be allowed ten dollars a month,
and negro boys were to be allowed five dollars a

58 reminiscences of the rebellion.
raonth ; in both cases with one ration and neces
sary clothing. But this raoney was not to be paid
to the negroes earning it, but was to be turned
over to the Quartermaster to be added to the fund
mentioned above for the support of the woraen
and children and those other negroes unable to
work. As an incentive to good behavior, how
ever, each able-bodied negro was allowed two
dollars a raonth, and each negro boy one dollar a
month for their own personal use.
But while the intent and purpose of these or
ders, of preventing the negroes from becoming
irredeemable vagrants and a complete public
charge, was to some extent achieved, yet, as the
wages of their labor was in no way under their
own control, the condition of the contrabands was
practically the same as when in slavery. Further,
the investigations of the Coraraission showed that
they did not, to any great extent, receive even
the slight personal and individual reward and in
centive of the one or two dollars a month pro
vided in the order.
The Comraission, after a raost searching and
thorough investigation, rnade its report on Mai^ch

reminiscences of the rebellion. 59
20th, 1862. The report covered the whole sub
ject minutely, and entered into and explained
every detail of the condition and treatment of the
fugitive negroes. The Commissioners found that
the negroes were suffering from many abuses,
partly due to individual culpability, but mainly
to the unfortunate systera, or rather lack of sys
tem, in dealing with them, to the condition natu
rally resulting frora the entirely new character of
the situation by which the military coramand was
confronted, and the attitude of the administration
which had practically forbidden any effort at
solving the problem.
It was at this fundamental difificulty, the crux
of the whole situation, that the chief efforts of the
Coramission were directed, in trying to devise a
plan by which " to do justice to the claims of hu
manity in the proper discharge of the grave re
sponsibility thrust upon the railitary authorities
of this department." The conclusions reached
and the suggestions offered by the Coraraissioners
were stated in the closing clauses of the report as
follows :

6o reminiscences of tiie 'rebellion.
' ' Suggestions for the Improvement of their
Condition. — Your Commission, after a careful
review of the reports and suggestions accompany
ing them, and a personal examination of the con
dition of the people, also after an examination of
the laws of Congress, together with the question
of railitary necessity, are forced to the conclusion
that the practical working of the systera inaugu
rated is highly objectionable, raainly wrong, and
now entirely unnecessary.
" I. Want of Power. — Without discussing the
laws of Congress bearing on this subject, the
question of State rights or anything covering the
question of title — which are matters entirely to be
determined by civil power — though all of which
raight, with propriety, be considered, if necessary,
even by a military comraission ; your Commission
believe there is want of authority in Government
to hold these people and compel thera to be re
cipients of its charity.
" 2. Military Necessity. — We suppose it cannot
be urged as a railitary necessity to retain them,
for identically the same voluntary labor can be
obtained at as cheap or a less rate. It will hardly
be denied that more is not perforraed by a person
who has a voice in the wages of his labor than one
who has not ; besides, the military necessity could
not extend to the women and children, and those
who are sick and infirra. The position of all
would be one of quasi-slavery, without being
compelled to do their full work.
" But admitting the military necessity of using

reminiscences of the rebellion. 6l
those whose labor the military power requires,
where is the authority for fixing a price by which
others raay employ them, using the wages of such
labor to support those who do not or cannot sup
port themselves ?
The plan of giving the same pay to all alike is
discouraging to the skilful, honest, industrious
laborer, who fully earns his wages, while it only
confirms the lazy and shiftless in their laziness.
There is no motive for the industrious to labor
with diligence in his regularly appointed task.
No matter ho"»v great their industry or perfect
their skill, they can gain no more than the sloth
ful or unskilful ; and if they are not absolute
drones, they get as much as if they gave their
best exertions to the task. There is no incentive
to ambition, to improve themselves as good work
men. Is it just to make the industrious and single
work to accommodate a fund to support the lazy
raan's family ? It is no argument against these
people's ability to provide for themselves, that
under their discouragements they do not show an
activity as great as the white man under the in
centive of proportional remuneration ; for if white
raen were placed in the same situation, who can
prove the result would not be the same ?
" It is destructive to the energies of an individ
ual or a people to assure thera of charity when
ever they apprehend difificulty. Witness the
effect of Irish soup-houses and all socialistic insti
tutions. Better by far to let one here and there
fall by the wayside than to encourage the hope

62 reminiscences of the rebellion.
that the Herculean arm of the nation is to be
wielded in clearing their path.
" 3. The deraand for Governraent labor at this
post is liraited, but the Governinent would have,
as its army advances, almost no lirait to the de
raands on its charity. The systera is therefore
incapable of expansion, and cannot, frora its very
expensiveness to Governraent, be carried on with
a rauch larger nuraber. Is it well to establish a
precedent for the benefit of an inferior race which
has always been refused, and cannot be granted,
to a superior race ? and thus to establish a system
that would be quoted against the Govemraent by
all parties— by its foes for its failure, by its friends
for its expense, and by the recipients of its charity
because it was not continued, and taught them to
rely on a hope which could not be realized.
" As a verification of the force of our argument,
reference is made to the tabular statement under
head VIL, from which it will be found that for
the months of Noveraber and December the num
ber of rations issued to woraen and children and
infirm brought the cost of subsistence on those
who labored to thirty-three and one half cents per
capita per day, and in the raonths of January and
February, when, it will be recollected, these
issues to women and children were very largely
suspended, the cost of subsistence on those who
labored was twenty cents per capita per day.
This decreased cost of labor is owing entirely to
a curtailment of this charity, which compelled

reminiscences of the rebellion. 63
these people to rely on their own exertions, and
yet no distress has occurred in consequence.
" 4. Your Commission are assured by educated
and philanthropic gentleraen that there is no
necessity for any governmental charity to these
people ; that the societies at the North will under
take to provide for all their proper wants in con
nection vvith their moral and intellectual culture.
We earnestly recommend that it be left, as gov
ernments leave all similar deraands, to the intelli
gence and generosity of the people. The Com
raission also recommend, as suggested under head
VI. , the use of the contrabands' quarters, near the
fort, to be granted under the direction of a person
vvho may be appointed as the superintendent, for
daily schools for children and evening schools for
adults and for Divine service on Sundays, pro
viding that the hours selected for these purposes
shall not interfere with messing and hours of labor
for the men, and always subject to the military
authorities. They also recomraend, as indicated
in VI. , that a site be granted for the purpose of
erecting a school-house and chapel, providing
that all structures erected for them be built and
sustained without expense to the Governraent,
and to be removed whenever the military authori
ties require, without claim on the Government
for such reraoval ; that all blacks or contrabands
not in the employ of the Governraent, of officers,
or others connected with the railitary service at
the fort be removed — if they remain in this vicin-

64 reminiscences of the rebellion.
ity — beyond Mill Creek ; that no more buildings
be erected at the Governraent expense, except for
the shelter 'of those who are in Governraent ser
vice ; ' that the wages of their labor be paid to
these people for their own use and enjoyment ;
prices to be determined by individual skill, indus
try, and abihty, and regulated by supply and de
raand, or by any other standard systera which
governs the departments of the army ; as part of
the corapensation that each laborer receives one
ration per day and quarters in all respects sirailar.
to the usage heretofore obtaining with white or
black free labor.
"5. The Comrnission would earnestly recora
raend the appointment by Government or the
Comraanding General of a person, as already in
dicated, always subordinate to the military au
thorities, though unconnected with the military
service, a man of elevated raoral character, high,
social position and intelligence, who vvould con
sent to serve frora raotives of philanthropy — such
a person would be "most fit — and recommend that
the railitary authorities protect him in all proper
efforts to improve these people physically, morally,
and religiously, to inculcate the virtues indispensa
ble to this end, such as honesty, industry, temper
ance, economy, patience, and obedience to all
rightful authority, leaving out of the question
their social and political rights, believing that
these questions belong more properly to the Gov
ernraent.

reminiscences of the rebellion. 65
" 6. Your Commission would likewise urgently
recommend the appointraent by the proper au
thority of a Provost Judge, who, clothed with
civil power and railitary authority, could protect
these ignorant people frora. being abused in their
persons and enforce the recovery, from all who
employ them, of their just dues.
" This officer is also indispensably necessary in
this military department, in the absence of all civil
law, to protect loyal citizens from continual
marauding by the soldiers and negroes. All
officers, soldiers, and attaches of the army who
have had the services of these people should be
corapelled to pay them the wages of their labor
by virtue of Special Order No. 72.
" 7. Your Commission are aware that their
suggested reforms conflict in a considerable degree
with the present system, which was doubtless the
plan of a benevolent and patriotic heart, and per
haps the best that could be devised for the tirae
being. It was a new thing to all beset with
difificulties and antagonisras on all sides, but,
like all systems, requiring practical results to
develop its weak points and time to remedy its
errors. " In conclusion your Commission are conscious
of having taken much time in the examination of
this most deHcate but interesting question, but feel
a consciousness that they have founded their
opinions entirely upon facts presented.
"We, the undersigned Commission, have the

66 reminiscences of tiie rebellion.
honor to be, with the highest consideration, your
most obedient servants,
"T. J. Cram,
Colonel Topographical Engineers,
Inspector -General, and A.D. C.
" Le Grand B. Cannon,
Colonel U.S.A. and A.D.C.
" William P. Jones,
Major U.S.A., A.D.C, and
Provost Marshal."
This report was drawn by myself, and it re
quired no little effort to have my associates in the
Commission sign it. Although naturally admit
ting all the facts obtained and the conclusions
reached, they hesitated about signing the report
to the Commanding General, influenced no doubt
by a consideration of the rebuke which the ad
ministration had visited upon other officers under
similar circumstances.
General Wool hesitated about adopting the re
port and issuing the orders it called for, because
of the experience of General Fremont and General
Hunter, whose attempts to deal practically with
this question had not been supported by the Gov
ernment, but, on the contrary, had been rebuked.
While the approval of this report by General

reminiscences of the rebellion. 67
Wool was in abeyance the late William E. Dodge
and the late John Jay came to Fort Monroe to see
their sons, who were in the service. These gen
tlemen were very prominent in public life, and
possessed in a high degree the confidence of the
people of the North, with whom they had de
servedly great influence. They held different
views of slavery, Mr. Dodge being an eraancipa-
tionist and Mr. Jay an abolitionist, but both were
men of intense loyalty.
It occurred to me to take the responsibility bf
confidentially reading the report to these two
gentlemen, and asking their views as to how it
would be received by the North and by the ad
ministration. I felt that if they approved of this
line of policy their influence wOuld be great with
the administration in securing the latter's endorse
ment for it. I took Mr. Dodge up to my roora
and read the report to him, enjoining upon hira
profound secrecy. After reading it to hira I also
took Mr. Jay into ray confidence, and read the re
port to hira also. Both of these gentlemen, neither
knowing that the other had seen the report, en
dorsed it in most enthusiastic terms, saying they

68 reminiscences of the rebellion.
believed that it would solve the whole question of
the negro's status. I then said to these gentle
raen :
" Your influence would be very great in getting
General Wool to sign this report, and as you are
to dine with us this evening, I believe that 1 can
induce General Wool to ask you to hear this re
port read and to get your views on it."
At the close of the dinner at headquarters that
evening I went quietly round to General Wool
and raade the suggestion, that these two gentle
men were men of such position that their views
on the problem before us and our suggested solu
tion would be very valuable, and asked him what
he thought of confidentially reading the report of
the Comraission to thera. The General immedi
ately assented to my proposition. In a few mo
ments he ordered the servants from the room,
and then requested me to get the report, explain
ing to Mr. Dodge and Mr. Jay that he wanted to
have it read to them in order to get their views
about it.
During the reading Mr. Dodge and Mr. Jay
made frequent expressions of earnest approval.

reminiscences of the rebellion. 69
and at the close both gentlemen, in a most em
phatic and enthusiastic manner, urged General
Wool to immediately approve it, for, they said,
it would add more to his reputation than all of his
military record, for he would have solved this
great question which the administration had ut
terly failed to do. General Wool had explained
to them, as of course they very well knew, that
other officers had not been supported in their
efforts to deal with the matter. But Mr. Dodge
and Mr. Jay were so emphatic in their approval
of the course suggested in our report, that Gen
eral Wool finally said :
" Well, gentlemen, I will approve this report
to-night on one condition, and that is, that you
will go with my Chief of Staff, Colonel Cannon,
to the War Office with this report, and that you
will induce the Secretary of War and the Presi
dent of the United States to sanction it ; other
wise I cannot sign it."
Both gentleraen replied: "We will go, and
will do as you desire with the greatest pleasure."
1 went up to Washington the next evening, ac
companied by Mr. Dodge and Mr. Jay. We went

70 reminiscences of the rebellion.
together to the Secretary of War. He read the
report carefully, and turning to these two gentle
men asked :
" What does General Wool want ?"
" He wants your approval of this report," they
replied. The Secretary approved the report.
General Wool immediately issued to the depart
ment the following order, which defined the status
of the negro, whether in railitary or civil service,
and which practically, and in direct, immediate
effect, emancipated the negroes sheltered in our
lines at Fort Monroe.
This was more than nine months previous to the
issuing of the Eraancipation Proclamation by
President Lincoln, and was a general order of
emancipation without condition.
Headquarters, Department of Virginia,
Fort Monroe, Va., March i8, 1862.
General Order No. 22.
The Chiefs of the Engineers, Ordnance, Medical,
Subsistence, and Quartermasters departments
employing vagrants or persons known as ' ' con
trabands," by virtue of General Order No. 34,
also all officers, sutlers, citizens, and others em
ploying thera by virtue of Special Order No. 72,

GENERAL WOOL AND STAFF. Plate i.

Capt. Joseph C. Audenried. Major Lawrence Kip. Capt. Frank E. Howe.
Major John B. Fkothingham. Col. T. J. Cram. Maj.-Gen. John E. Wool. Col. Le Grand B. Cannon.

reminiscences of the rebellion. 71
will forthwith report the names of such vagrants
or contrabands, together with the names of any
heretofore employed by them, to Mr. Charles B.
Wilder, who has been appointed to superintend
all things relating to and necessary to their wel
fare and condition.
The Chiefs of the several departraents will fur
nish to the Superintendent, Mr. Wilder, a state
raent of the amounts paid and the amounts re
raaining due to each person so employed by thera
under the following heads — viz.:
I. Amounts earned by each.
2. Amounts paid in clothing to each.
3. Amounts paid in money to each.
4. Amounts earned for extra labor by each.
5. Amounts paid in raoney for extra labor to
each. 6. Amounts due for extra labor to each.
7. Gross amounts due for monthly and extra
labor to March 15th, 1862, inclusive.
In addition to which a return will be made em
bracing all labor performed by contrabands in the
several departments anterior to Special Order
No. 72 and General Order No. 34, and the
amounts, if any, paid to them during the sarae.
Special Order No. 72 and General Order No.
34 are hereby revoked, to take effect on and after
March 15th, 1862. Hereafter all wages earned
by persons of African blood in this department
will be paid to thein for their own use and sup
port, under such regulations as may be devised
by the Superintendent, prices to be determined

72 reminiscences of the rebellion.
by individual skill, industry, and ability, and regu
lated by the standard usual in such cases which
raay govern the several departments of the army
at or near Fort Monroe. As a part of the com
pensation each laborer will receive one ration per
day and quarters until otherwise ordered.
The fund raised by Special Order No. 72 and
General Order No. 34, in the hands of Captain
Talmadge or any other person, for the support of
the poor and needy of the so-called " contra
bands," will be used for that purpose, or any
other purpose which may be necessary for their
benefit or comfort, under the direction of the
Superintendent, with discretionary powers, but
subject to the approval of the military commander
of the department.
(Signed) John E. Wool,
Major- General.
Mr. Charles B. Wilder, who was appointed in
the foregoing order as Superintendent of the
negroes, vvas an abolitionist and a philanthropist,
who had come down to Fort Monroe to look into
the condition of the fugitive slaves. He was in
duced to accept this position, to take full charge
and have the entire care of the negroes, and was
made Quartermaster, with the rank of Captain.
The immediate result of the order adopted
through our report was the dismissal of all the

reminiscences of the rebellion. 73
white stevedores. at Fort Monroe. About three
hundred and fifty negroes, mostly field hands,
were detailed to take the place of the stevedores
and lo do other civil work about the post.
Two years after the inauguration of this new
ri^gime I received the following letter from Cap
tain Wilder : Fort Monroe, Va., March 14, 1864.
Colonel Cannon :
Dear Sir : Having twice failed to see you when
passing through New York, I take this method
of expressing to you my most sincere thanks for
the stand you so successfully took and carried
through in the report made to General Wool, and
which vvas approved by hira, the Secretary of
War, and Congress, and made the basis of nearly
all our operations from that day to this in regard
to the condition and rights of the colored people
in this departraent. The position you took was
in advance of public sentiment and the age, and is
now being acted upon ' ' without let or hindrance.
Under General Butler we are getting on very
successfully. All opposers of any kind have been
removed. We have had several investigating
comraittees from Washington and elsewhere, and
all agree that, notwithstanding the opposition of
enemies, the condition of the contrabands here is
better than in any other department within Iheir
knowledge. The army has taken off nearly all

74 reminiscences of the rebellion.
our able-bodied men, and all others we are get
ting on to rebel plantations, and soon expect they
will become self-supporting.
I have the honor to be, Colonel,
Yours very truly,
C. B. Wilder,
Captain and A.Q.M.

CHAPTER VI.
THE monitor and MERRIMACK.
The rebels were in possession of Norfolk, of
the iraportant Navy Yard at Portsmouth, of the
raouth of the Elizabeth River, and all the defences
thereabouts, and it was quite well known that
they had taken the United States frigate Merri
mack, had dismantled her, and were fitting her
out as an ironclad. When the Norfolk Navy
Yard was abandoned by Coraraodore Paulding in
April, 1861, and was immediately occupied by the
rebels, all the loyal men employed there left with
hira, with the exception of one man, an iron-fin
isher, who was frora the East. He assumed to
sympathize with the rebels and remained in their
shops. This man managed to coraraunicate with
General Wool, through a flag of truce, and kept
us informed of the progress being made on this
new ironclad.
About the second week in February, 1862, an

"J^ REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
Irishman appeared in the aides' room at head
quarters in Fort Monroe, and asked to see the
General. The aides asked what his business was,
and not being able to get anything out of him,
sent him in to me.
" I want to see the General," was all he would
say. " You can't see the General," I answered.
" What do you want to see him for ? Where did
you come from, and how did you get into the
fort?" " Sure, I walked in, sor," he said.
" Of course you walked in. I didn't suppose
you came in on a flying machine," I said. " How
did you get by the guards? You can't see the
General. What you have to tell him you must
tell to me."
He protested that he could not do so ; that it
was as much as his hfe was worth. I threatened
to have him locked in the casemate unless he
quickly told his business, and finally he consented
to tell rae. I sent every one out of the roora but
the Irishman, and then, still protesting about the
risk he was taking, he asked me to take my knife

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. TJ
and rip open the sleeve of his coat. I cut the
cloth as he indicated, and found, on a piece of
cotton cloth sewed inside the lining, a communi
cation from the loyal workman in the Norfolk
Navy Yard.
He said the Merrimack, rechristened the Vir
ginia, had been launched, but it was found she
drew a foot less water than they had intended.
She was to receive another coat of mailing, and
would be out in a month. Then they were^Biil|f
to attack and destroy the Cumberland and the
Congress, off Newport News, which had been
armed especially to meet her. Simultaneously
General Magruder was ^pHi§i to come down from
Yorktown and attack General Mansfield, at New
port News, and clean out all the Union forces in
the neighborhood. The account of the rebel
plans vvas most minute.
We relied on the loyalty of our informant, and
General Wool,' being ill prepared to sustain such
attacks as arranged by the- rebels, sent me to
Washington as a bearer of despatches, to inform
the War Office of the situation. On reporting at
the War Office I found that Secretary of War

78 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
Stanton, who had just been appointed, was very
ill. Second Assistant Secretary of War Watson
received me. I was accredited as a living de
spatch, and I refused to dehver my despatches to
Mr. Watson. He said Mr. Stanton was at horae
and could not attend to departmental affairs in
his present condition. I said the despatches I
bore were of the utraost iraportance, and that
there were verbal raessages to be given with
theffl* which I alone could give. We went to
Secretary Stanton's house, and as he lay in bed
I read ray despatches and related the messages I
brought as a living despatch.
Secretary Stanton at once appreciated what the
consequences vvould be if the information was cor
rect, and directed that I should be taken to
the President. I saw the President, told him
my raission, and he deeraed the raatter of such
iraportance that he suraraoned a Cabinet council
to convene at once. All the members of the
Cabinet were present, including Captain G. V.
Fox, First Assistant Secretary of the Navy, the ac
tive head of the department. Captain Fox heard
ray despatches, and turning to Ihe President said :

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 79
" Mr. President, you need not give yourself
any trouble whatever about that vessel. I raade
a cruise in her, and know her well. She drew
twenty-four feet of water, and this despatch says
she only draws nineteen and a half feet."
" Well, Colonel Cannon, what do you say to
that?" asked the President.
I said that I could not give any professional
opinion, but that it seemed to me the structural
changes that had been raade would account for
the change in draft, but that, in any event, we
had every confidence in the accuracy of our in
formation, and were well convinced of the prob
able consequences.
But the Assistant Secretary of the Navy en
deavored to raake light of the whole affair, and
to show that we raust be entirely raistaken.
Eventually the whole raatter was disraissed, the
opinion of the Assistant Secretary being taken as
of raore weight than anything we could offer.
The Washington authorities were lulled into in
sensibility, and I had to return.
But the meraorable events that followed in
Hampton Roads quickly brought vindication, and

8o REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION,
showed that the inforraation I carried to Wash
ington was accurate in all particulars.
I was an eye-witness of those events ; of the
first day's onslaught by the Merrimack and of the
duel between the Monitor and the Merriraaek on
the following day, being aboard the Monitor in
ray official capacity irnraediately before and after
the historic fight. The story of those events, as
I saw them, is told in the following extracts frora
a paraphlet entitled " Recollections of the Iron
clads Monitor and Merrimack, and Incidents of
the Fights," written by me in October, 1875, at
the request of the Hon. G. V. Fox, ex-Assistant
Secretary of the Navy, and published by Captain
Fox in the American Cyclopcedia of 1876 :
" The Governraent, therefore, was not taken
by surprise when the Merriraaek appeared, though
they were alarmingly startled by her first day's
success, and greatly exaggerated her ability as a
cruiser, as she had proved herself that day invin
cible against wooden vessels and their armament.
" Thecom.mand at Fort Monroe being in winter
quarters was naturally more interested in the
active operations of the navy in the waters of

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 8 1
Virginia, and in the presence of vessels of war
representing European nations. Flags of truce
were frequent between Norfolk and Fort Monroe,
and foreign officers were perraitted to pass and
repass between the hostile forces. The officers
of two French corvettes, at anchor off the fort,
availed of this privilege very often, and our staff-
officers, on their return from such visits, made
efforts to obtain information as to the condition
of affairs at Norfolk, but without any measures of
success. On Friday, March 7th, our flag of truce
brought over three or four of these French offi
cers. The next morning, Saturday, our signal
officer's report to headquarters noted that the
French corvettes were ' stearaing up," and as no
notice had been sent the day previous that they
were going to sea (to entitle them to a salute), the
fact excited a supicion that the Merrimack was
coming out, and the Frenchraen, knowing it, were
prepared to move, as they were at anchor in the
line of fire.
" General Mansfield, comnxAnding at Newport
News, was telegraphed to keep a sharp look-out.
" About noon the Merrimack vvas sighted com-

82 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
ing out of the Elizabeth River, and steaming up
the James River to Newport News. The Minne
sota and Roanoke, screws, and the St. Lawrence,
sailing frigate, got imraediately under weigh, but
both the former took the ground about two miles
from Newport News, and could only engage the
Merrimack at long range. The two latter vessels,
after the loss of the Cumberland and Congress,
returned to their anchorage below the fort, the
Minnesota remaining hard aground.
" Anticipating an attack by General Magruder
on Newport News, General Wool ordered up the
troops at Camp Hamilton to the support of Gen
eral Mansfield. Rebel forces appeared and threat
ened an attack, but retired on the appearance of
the supports. Captain Catesby R. Jones, in his
article in the Southern Magazine, December, 1874,
gives the reasons why Magruder failed to make
the attack with the land forces, showing, conclu
sively, that the information received by General
Wool in February, and sent to the War Office,
was accurate in all particulars.
" The Cumberland was at anchor about one
thousand feet from the shore, under the guns of

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 83
'a battery on the Bluff at Newport News (this
battery mounted five or six guns, two of which
were 6-inch rifles, and the others 8-inch Rod
mans), the Congress being at anchor about the
same distance below the Cumberland.
' ' The Merrimack, in passing up, fired a broad
side into the Congress, and continued on to attack
the Cumberland. After firing a few shots she ran
into her, striking her near the bow with her iron
ram, and forcing in her planking and timbers be
low the water-line, frora the effect of which she
commenced sinking rapidly ; but although com
manded to surrender, her heroic coraraander,
Morris, refused, and kept up an active fire until
the last, firing his guns till she went down with
her flag flying at the peak. The Congress had in
the meanwhile slipped her cable and drifted
ashore, when the Merrimack, taking a raking
position, attacked her with terrible effect, sweep
ing her decks and setting her on fire. Her com
mander. Lieutenant Smith, was killed, and to
continue so hopeless a fight was simply madness.
Her flag was struck and a prize crew thrown on
board from a rebel gunboat.

84 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
" It is proper to explain here that the battery
on the Bluff kept up a continuous fire on the Mer
rimack, and frora its elevation — about thirty feet
above the water— and at the short range the fire
was alraost perpendicular to the sloping roof of
the Merrimack, but the effect of this battery's
shot was not damaging. General Mansfield also
detailed a force of infantry to the beach, who
kept up a sharp fire on the ports of the Merri
mack. A section of artillery was also engaged in
the fight, and on the Congress being boarded by
a prize crew, opened on the prize with a raking
fire of grape, which obliged the prize crew to
abandon her. Then it vvas that the Merrimack
reopened fire on the Congress, a circumstance
which has led to no little controversy, but vvhich
finds its justification in the precedent of Nelson at
Copenhagen. The Merrimack, after the loss of
the Cumberland, opened fire on the shore battery
and carap at Nesvport News, without rauch effect,
although one of her shells demolished General •
Mansfield's headquarters, half burying the Gen
eral under the debris. Two of her unexploded
shells were, after the fight, picked up, one of

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 85
which is in Washington and the other in posses
sion of the writer.
" During the engagement the Merrimack vvas
joined by two armed steamers from up the James
River, and all these vessels turned their next at
tention to the Minnesota, hopelessly aground
about two miles below. The fire of the Minne
sota kept off the wooden vessels, but the Merri
mack continued firing on her at about a mile
range until dark, but without inflicting much
damage. " The whole aspect at headquarters was gloomy.
The garrison was entirely composed of infantry
volunteers, the armament was old-fashioned and
of small cahbre, and the experience of that day's
fight showed that practically our batteries were
as useless as musket-balls against the ironclad.
Our magazines were shot-proof only from the sea
side ; the parade in the fort was filled vvith quar
termaster and commissary stores, with slight pro
tection from the weather; the barracks were of
wood ; there were no means of extinguishing
fire, and outside the fort an immense quantity of
naval ammunition for the coast fleets, all utterly

86 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION."
unproteeted, and with no raeans of removal to
meet the emergency.
" The success of the Merriraaek gave her the
control of the Roads, and if she could get suffi
cient elevation to her guns, she had the ability to
shell and destroy the vast stores in and about the
fort without the least power on our part to resist
her. " Captain Van Brunt, coramanding the Minne
sota, through Lieutenant Grafton, first officer, re
ported at headquarters the result of their engage
ment, and as- all efforts to get her afloat had failed,
it was proposed to land a part of her crew (to
save unnecessary slaughter), fight her to the last,
and in an emergency blow her up. Tbe surviv
ing officers and crews of the Cumberland and
Congress had been brought into the fort, and vol
unteered to serve our guns. The garrison was,
therefore, reduced to about eight hundred men,
the magazines from the bay side banked up with
earth from the parade and raade secure, and every
precaution taken to stand a shelling.
"About 9 o'clock p.m. Port Captain Milward
reported at headquarters that the ironclad Moni-

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 87
tor had been signalled entering the Roads, and
was dropping anchor at the Horseshoe. General
Wool ordered the writer to take an armed tug and
report to her commander the result of the day's
conflict and the perilous condition of the Minnesota.
" I boarded her about 10.30 p.m., finding the
news anticipated from the fleet, and Captain Wor
den, with an overworked crew from her perilous
passage, vvas about lifting anchor to go up to the
Minnesota. We remained alongside until she got
under weigh, with her guns shotted and her men
at quarters. She reached the Minnesota about
I o'clock without seeing the Merrimack. Thus
closed to us a sadly eventful day.
" Sunday raorning (March 9th) opened with a
low fog hanging over the waters. About 7 o'clock
a column of black sraoke was visible off Sewell's
Point, and soon after the top of the sraoke-stack
of the Merrimack appeared. The fog dissipated,
and a calm, cloudless, warm Sunday morning
broke upon us, not a breath of air disturbed the
waters, and the singular transparency of the at
mosphere rendered objects distinct for a great dis
tance from our elevation on the ramparts.

88 REMINISCENCES OF TIIE REBELLION.
" Immediately after the clearing of the fog the
rebel fleet, consisting of the Merrimack, two side-
wheel steamers, and two gunboats (screws), got
under weigh, standing up the river, and opened
fire on the Minnesota, the latter briskly returning
the fire. The Monitor stood out under the bow
of the Minnesota and bore down on the Merri
mack, opening her battery at about half-mile
range. The rebel wooden consorts soon deter
mined that it was an entertainment they were not
invited to, and took refuge under their shore
batteries. Thus coraraenced this grand naval
duel, witnessed by more than 40,000 armed raen
on either shore, no one of whora was insensible to
the results of this mighty combat. The engage
raent between the ironclads continued at close
quarters for about two hours, broadsides being
frequently exchanged, as appeared to the observer,
with the vessels almost in contact, and without
advantage to either. After a close and rapid
countering the vessels separated, the Monitor
steaming up the river toward the Minnesota and
followed for a short distance by the Merrimack,
but soon stopped and was approached by two of

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 89
the consorts, firing meanwhile having been sus
pended. The Monitor remained out of action half
an hour or more. With our glasses we could see
men on her deck about the pilot-house, and, as
afterward appeared, she had received a shot which
broke one of the wrought-iron logs of the pilot
house, the same shot wounding Captain Worden.
This injury was the cause of her retiring from
action, but it vvas soon ascertained not to be vital,
and she again bore down on the Merrimack. The
latter, it appeared, had got aground, but floated
before the Monitor came up with her. The Moni
tor re-engaged and forced the fight by 13'ing
athwart the stern of the Merrimack, delivering
her fire rapidly and with telling effect, as with
our glasses we could see that the Merrimack was
settling by the stern. The Merrimack, unable to
shake her off or to stand the pounding, com
menced the retreat to Norfolk ; then went up the
excited exclamation of the officers on the rara-
parts, ' She is sinking ! ' and the apostrophe of
the late Captain Talraadge (our Chief Quarter
master), ' She sticks to her like a king-bird to a
hawk,' quaintly illustrating the intrepid action of

90 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
the little two-gun raft as she outfought a chara
pion which twenty-four hours before convulsed
the nation and astonished the world by her achieve
ments. The Monitor pursued the Merrimack until
she was brought under the fire of the rebel bat
teries, and then retired with her purpose accom
plished. " At the invitation of Captain Fox, Assistant
Secretary, I boarded the Monitor before her decks
were cleared. The ship's corapany were mus
tered, and the Secretary made a brief and forcible
address to the officers and crew, thanking them,
in the name of the department, for their gallantry
and success, and inquiring if any special act of
gallantry had been exhibited. Lieutenant Green
replied that all had done their duty, but if any
one was conspicuous it was the Quartermaster,
who had steered the ship and never left the wheel
during the engagement, and was by Worden's
side when he was wounded. The Secretary or
dered the man to step forward, complimented
hira on his steadiness and courage, and asked if
he would Hke proraotion. This young fellow was
a Dane, singularly inodest, and so overcome by

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 9I
the recogniiion that he could not find his voice to
reply. Lieutenant Green, seeing his era^barrass-
ment, repeated the Secretary's question, when
aside and in a low voice he said something which
Lieutenant Green repeated : ' He says, sir, he
would like the master to give him a paper,'
which, interpreted, means that he would like a
written acknowledgment that he had done his
duty. The Secretary replied : ' Yes, my lad, you
shall have the paper, and you are a boatswain.'
" The Secretary received a verbal report from
Lieutenant Green of the fight, and his irapression
as to the injury inflicted on the Merriraaek, stating
that the Monitor was ready to go into action
again, excepting only strengthening the pilot
house. It was Lieutenant Green's opinion that
the Monitor's charges and shot did not penetrate
the armor of the Merrimack, and he asked if he
should increase the charge and use the wrought-
iron shot in case she came out again. The Secre
tary replied, ' You know Coraraodore Dahlgren
has limited the service charge of the guns, and
such are the orders of the departraent ; but if I
was fighting a ship and found ray araraunition in-

92 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
effective, and had something better, I should try
it in the emergency. '
" Thus closed March 9th, 1862, with a disaster
of one day changed into a success which assured
us a control of our waters to the end of the con
test. " The following day I went up to. Washington
as a bearer of despatches with the Secretary.
His estimate of the fight was that it had been
nearly equal, but had not the Merrimack retreated
the Monitor would have sunk or captured her,
and that the Monitor raust be held to act strictly
on the defensive until we had raore of the same
machines." The following facts concerning the injustice
done to Lieutenant Green in connection with the
Monitor should be recorded here.
When the Monitor went out of action, because
of the injury to her pilot-house and the wounding
of Captain Worden, Lieutenant Green took com
mand, repaired the damage, took her back into
action again, and won the fight. In his report to
Captain Fox he said that he would be prepared to

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 93
again go into action in three days, after the re
pairs to the pilot-house had been properly raade.
His success in the action with the Merriraaek was
so conspicuous that the staff oificers of the, array
immediately invited hira to a dinner in his honor,
which he was compelled to decline, as he did not
feel that he could leave his ship in the contingency
of the Merrimack reappearing.
Yet with this undisputed record of his ability
and success he was relieved of his command, and
Captain Jeffers was appointed to the coramand of
the Monitor in his place. The officers of the army
felt that it was a grave act of injustice ; and it may
be said that there were no officers of the navy
familiar with the circumstances but agreed that it
vvas unjust. For if such signal success did not
warrant an officer continuing in his command,
even if it did not call for promotion, what possible
incentive could there be to stimulate the ambition
of an officer in a military or naval command ?
Lieutenant Green doubtless felt that his services
were not appreciated, by this failure of official
recognition, and the circumstances no doubt had
an influence on his after life ; and not unlikely

94 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
they were a potent factor in the sad causes of his
unfortunate and untimely death.
It occurs to rae that a brief history of the Moni
tor might be of interest in this connection.
Captain J. Ericsson, through a friend of his, a
Mr. C. F. Bushnell, submitted to the Navy De
partment, very soon after the firing on Fort Sum
ter, a plan of a turreted ironclad of his own de
sign. The idea was not received with favor by
the Navy Department. The opposition of the
Assistant Secretary of the Navy was especially
conspicuous and influentiaL This man subse
quently called the attention of certain members of
the Naval Committee of the House of Representa
tives to Ericsson's suggestion, and succeeded in
enhsting the support of Mr. John A. Griswold, a
prominent member of Congress. Mr. Griswold
became so rauch interested in the matter that he,
in conjunction with Mr. JohnF. Winslow, induced
the Navy Department to make a contract with
them to complete the vessel, according to the
designs. It is especially due to the memory of the late

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 95
Mr. John A. Griswold and his associates, Mr.
Bushnell and Mr. Winslow, lo record that the
Navy Department was extremely reluctant about
consenting to the building of the Monitor, solely
because of lack of confidence in Ericsson's inven
tion. Its consent was finally given only on the
conditions that the Monitor should be proved to
be bomb-proof in a trial in actual engageraent, and
that it should be corapleted in one hundred days
from the date of the contract. Governed strictly
by patriotic motives, and with no selfish ends in
view, these gentlemen assumed the risk of the
construction of the new vessel.
It is a memorable fact, of which this is a notable
illustration, that not a few of the signal successes of
the Governraent in suppressing the rebellion, in
arms and in political policy, were due to the intel
ligence and sagacity of Icyal citizens not officially
connected with the Government. No history of
Ericsson's invention of the turreted war vessel
would be complete if it failed to record the agency
and the conditions under which the Monitor was
built. On her completion, the Monitor was immedi-

96 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
ately despatched to the Chesapeake River to
engage a rebel battery at Sandstone Point in
order to test her. She was practically at that
time a private vessel, although raanned by the
Navy Departraent.
She appeared at Fort Monroe on the evening of
|Mp 8th, the day of the Merriraack's destruction
of the Cumberland and the Congress. She put
in there for a harbor, having encountered violent
weather on her way down, during which she was
barely saved from foundering by the greatest ex
ertions. Her appearance at Fort Monroe on that
evening, arriving there after such a day of dis
aster to the Federal forces, would seem to have
«
been providential. As has been related, she went
into action the following day, and for the first
time in history a great duel between ironclads
was fought.
It is especially notable that on one day there
appeared one new type of warship — a vessel of
ten guns, with a sloping roof of armor — which
proved superior to any vessel or vessels in the
navies of the world ; and that on the following
day another vessel, of an entirely different type —

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 97
also an ironclad, but with only two guns — ap
peared and proved to be superior to the first. I
think it may be said with certainty that this was
the most important event in the history of naval
warfare of the world, as it led to the abandon
ment of all previous types of naval construction,
and from that day to this the nations of the earth
have been endeavoring to p"erfect another system
of naval defences, at enormous expense, and gen
erally with unsatisfactory results, for to this hour
the question of floating defences against projectiles
remains unsolved.
Up to this time the projectiles have kept ahead
of the defences, remarkably verifying a notaWe
statement made by the late Admiral Farragut,
when dining with us at- headquarters at Fort
Monroe, as he was about entering upon his com
mand with his small wooden fleet, to engage the
forts on the MLssissippi River, and if possible cap
ture New Orleans. When it was asked of hira by
General Wool how he expected to overcome the
two great fortifications on the Mississippi River,
Fort Jackson and Fort St. Phihp, his reply was :
" I don't want the forts, but I want the city

98 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
beyond the forts. And you and I know, General
Wool, that great gun service is very uncertain of
result against an object in raotion. If I can
get into action where I want to be, yardarra and
yardarra, so close that I can use grape and canis
ter, I will drive your men from their guns, be
cause I can bring more guns to bear in a broad
side than you have mounted in either barbette or
casemate. We shall have the ironclad fever, but.
General Wool, there never will be a vessel built
that won't sink at her dock but that a projectile
will have been invented superior to the defence."
(In other words, a vessel carrying armor presum
ably sufficient to stop the projectiles could not go
to sea, because of the weight of her armor, but
would sink at her dock.)
To this hour Admiral Farragut's statement is
true. He proved his theory (and it was original),
and he did pass those forts. He said :
" If T can get one of my ships safe to New Or
leans I can capture the city." He lost some of
his ships, but one ship got to the city under Com
modore Bailey, and the city surrendered without
firing a gun.

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 99
This incident is related as a tribute to Admiral
Farragut's sagacity and foresight in regard to
naval defences and the power of projectiles.
The success of the Monitor, although apparently
insignificant in itself as a mere duel between two
ironclads, in effect gave us control not only of
Hampton Roads, but of the entire Southern coast,
and perhaps was the most iraportant success dur
ing the entire war, except, of course, the final sur
render of Lee at Appomattox.

CHAPTER VIL
FIRST SERVICE OF NEGROES IN THE UNION FORCES.
Our experiences with the Merriraaek convinced
the array and navy officers that she was proof
against all gun-fire. Even our two largest guns,
then the largest afloat in the world, were ineffec
tive against her, because of the peculiar formation
of her sloping roof of armor. It was decided that
the only way to destroy her was by ramming
her. Some little time after the duel in Hampton
Roads, early in the month of April, four big
steamships — the Vanderbilt, the Arago, the Erics
son, and the Illinois— came down to Fort Monroe,
to be in the harbor in readiness to attack the
Merrimack if she came out and to destroy her by
running her down.
All the steamships came down under sealed or
ders. Captain Gadsden, of the Arago, a mer
chant ship chartered for this service, on reaching

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. IOI
Fort Monroe and opening his orders, found that
his ship was to be a rara. His crew in some way
got to know the nature of the raission their ship
was on, and the dangerous character of the work
in which they were to engage, and proraptly de
serted in a body. The next morning Captain
Gadsden found he had not a man aboard his ship
except his officers. He went to the admiral of
the fleet, stated his dilemma, and asked if the ad
rairal could supply raen to take the place of the
deserters. The adrairal said he had not a man to
spare. But on examining his orders closely Cap
tain Gadsden found he was commissioned under a
military order, the vessels having been chartered
by the War Office instead of by the Navy Depart
raent. Under these circumstances he applied to
General Wool for help.
General Wool told Captain Gadsden he could
not do anything at all for him. Instead of having
men to spare he badly needed ten thousand raore
troops. In any case, he suggested, soldiers would
not be of any use to supply the place of sailors in
manning a ship. Captain Gadsden said any able-
bodied raen would do. He only wanted them to

102 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
keep the fires banked and to be able to roust up
an anchor and do such like work ; his officers
would attend to all the strictly nautical duties.
But General Wool said he could not aid him.
Negroes were the only people he had a surplus
of, and he had nothing to do with them. " My
Chief of Staff has everything to do with the
negroes," he said.
General Wool brought Captain Gadsden in to
me, and the latter related to me the condition of
affairs. He said negroes would do for his pur
poses quite as well as white men, and asked me if
I would give him fifty negroes.
" Yes," I answered, " I will let you have all the
negroes you want under certain conditions."
" What are they ?" asked Captain Gadsden.
" They must be volunteers," I said. "They
must understand exactly the nature of the service
expected of them, all its dangers and its possibili
ties, and must undertake it voluntarily, or they are
of no use whatever to you. I cannot tell whether
they will volunteer or not. No one knows what
negroes vvould do under such circumstances ; no
, one knows whether the negro is any good or not

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. I03
in conditions like these, so entirely novel to him.
But I vvill make the experiraent if you like. They
raust, further, be rated -on- the ship's books, and
their standing raust be the same as that of the
crew which has deserted."
Captain Gadsden agreed to these conditions.
" What will be the pay?" I asked.
" Thirteen dollars a raonth and rations," he
answered. "All right," I said. "I think I can get raen
for you. You come to me at 12 o'clock. In the
meantime I will see the Quartermaster in com
raand of the negro stevedores, the best negroes
we have, and will see what can be done."
I sent for Captain Wilder, the Quartermaster in
charge of the negroes, and related the affair to
him. I impressed upon him that the circum
stances were most extraordinary and important.
It was an entirely new condition we were con
fronting and trying to deal with.
" We do not know whether these negroes ap
preciate their condition and their present circum
stances or not," I said. " We do not know
whether the negro is good for anything except

I04 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.

what he has hitherto been used for or not. But
if you can get fifty £if these men to go on the
Arago, I ara M^ammmf wmmmsm you should do so.

I should like especially to know whether negroes
can be got to take places in which white raen
would not reraain. The enterprise is hazardous
in the extreme. You get these men together at
noon and see what you can do."
Captain Wilder said he fully appreciated the
circumstances. " Corae down yourself," he said,
"and I think we shall be able to do it between
us." At 12 o'clock Captain Wilder had three hun
dred and fifty sturdy negro stevedores drawn up
in double lines. Captain Wilder raade an address
to thera. He said they had seen the great fight
between the rebel ship Merrimack and the Moni
tor, and what a powerful fighter the Merrimack
was. This great, strange ship, he said, was com
ing out again, and four big ships had corae down
to attack her when she carae. Their work would
be very dangerous, and when the crew of one of
these ships heard what the work vvas to be they
were such cowards they deserted.

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 105
" Now," he said, " I want to know if you will
take the places of these men. I want to know
your worth to God and to your country. Who
of yon will volunteer to go on board this ship ?"
Not a sign of emotion was visible on the counte
nance of any one of the negroes during Captain
Wilder's address. They stood like so many
sphinxes. There was no response to his appeal.
I was discouraged and disgusted, for I was not
prepared for such a thoroughly disheartening ex
hibition of indifference. But I decided to make
an attempt myself to see if they understood just
their circumstances, and had any appreciation of
the nature of the opportunity thus offered to
them. I addressed them, saying :
" I do not know what the result of this war will
be in regard to your condition. I hope it will
result in your freedom ; but you have got to com
mend yourselves to the people of the North by
showing that you are worthy to be free. Some
have got to shed their blood, others to lay down
their lives ; for no great benefit has ever corae to
any people except through personal sacrifices.
You have seen the battle which has been fought

I06 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
between the Merrimack and our vessels of war.
We have brought down four big ships to destroy
the Merrimack by ramming her. The enterprise
is a hazardous one, but it is one of glory. From
on board one ship the white sailors have deserted
because of the hazard of the service. It is my
privilege to offer to fifty of you the opportunity
to volunteer to go on that ship. This is the first
offer of the kind ever raade to your race. Every
man who survives will be a hero, and those who
fall will be martyrs. Now, those boys who will
volunteer to go on board this fighting ship will
move three paces to the front."
And the whole line moved up in a solid column,
as though actuated by a single impulse. It was a
thrilling response, and the most remarkable and
irapressive scene I ever witnessed.
We picked out fifty of the raost hkely men, and
they were sent at once on board the Arago. They
were escorted down to the boats by all the negroes
round about, with shouting, singing, and pray
ing, and every demonstration of exultant joy. It
was a raost exciting and inspiring sight.
I returned to headquarters very rauch elated.

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. I07
I related the success of the scheme to General
Wool, and told him what a vindication it was of
the ideas embodied in the recommendations con
tained in the report and his orders concerning the
fugitive slaves. I told him I had such confidence
in the value of the negro as a soldier that I would,
if occasion offered or circurastances required,
throw up ray coraraission and take coraraand of a
regiraent of negroes with the greatest readiness
and enthusiasra.
The volunteers put aboard the Arago proved
theraselves raost apt and willing workers, and
soon proved their value and justified our confi
dence in thera. They were equipped as sailors,
and when they carae ashore the negroes in our
lines almost worshipped them.
A week or two after this incident Captain Fox,
First Assistant Secretary of the Navy, came down
to Fort Monroe. I told hini what we had done,
and he was greatly interested and saw the men,
and inquired fully as to their capabiUties and
value. Shortly afterward he issued an order that
the fleets should be recruited entirely from
negroes.

I08 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
Thus were negroes, fugitive slaves, enlisted in
the naval service of the United States, as free
men and free agents, on the same footing as the
white volunteers, nine raonths before the Procla
mation of Emancipation by President Lincoln.
In looking back on the condition of affairs at
that tirae, I ara rerainded of another important
illustration of the real importance of the negroes,
although we were then practically insensible to it.
Although we had a secret spy service of white
raen, we never really got any information of value
through it. The only information which proved
of notable assistance to us we got frora the fugitive
negroes. These negroes all passed through the
rebel hnes in escaping to our protection. Many
of them had been servants of officers in the rebel
array, and we got much information from them.
One reason of its value was because of its sim
plicity. The negroes were ignorant, and never
undertook to reason about raatters. They told
us what they had seen, siraply as they saw it.
By getting half a dozen fugitive negroes and ques
tioning them closely vve could usually find out

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. IO9
pretty accurately the force of the rebels, how
many guns they had, and their conditions and
positions. The most valuable information we got in this
way at Fort Monroe was about May 15th or 20th,
1862. A boat containing three negroes, a mulatto
and two black fellows, was picked up in the Roads
by one of our gunboats. The negroes said they
had information they wanted to convey to head
quarters, and they were sent up to us. They said
they had escaped frora Norfolk over night in the
fog. The yellow man had been the chief porter
in the principal hotel in Norfolk. He had, in
some way, stolen duplicate copies of General
Huger's military maps of the whole of the de
fences of Norfolk, which he turned over to us.
These maps contained the fullest and raost ex
plicit information about the rebel position and
forces. One of the black fellows with him had
been eraployed at Sewell's Point, and the other
on Pig Point, two of the raost important of the
rebel batteries. The raulatto raan had got these
two fellows to measure the calibre of the rebel
guns and to count their number. Being ignorant

IIQ REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
on the subject of gun cahbres, they had simply
taken sticks and cut thera off the size of the rauz-
zles of the guns, thus accurately showing the cali
bres. Their ignorant way of getting this inforraa
tion was much more valuable than probably would
have been the attempted estimate of more intelli
gent men.
We would have given, at any time, one hun
dred thousand dollars for the information those
three negroes brought to us. We attacked and
captured Norfolk about a week after we received
the information, and the success of the expedition
was due entirely to the inforraation the negroes
brought, particularly to that contained in the
duplicate maps brought to us by the mulatto raan.
Several other notable instances came under my
immediate observation of the great service ren
dered by the negroes in thus bringing information
into the Union hnes.
On my way to join General Wool's staff at Fort
Monroe, I stopped in New York to complete my
equipment and to secure a servant. A man
named Benjamin Bowsman, a mulatto, whom I

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. Ill
had known as an officer's servant in the Florida
War, carae to me and asked to be taken into my
service. He was then chief cook on the steam
ship Arago, running between New York and
Havre. I told hira at once that he was too high-
priced for the position ; but he seemed intent on
going with rae, and asked what I could get a ser
vant for. I told him twenty-five dollars a month.
He said he would accept that wiUingly, and urged
me to take hira with rae, saying he could no doubt
be of great service in organizing the servants and
in such like work. Finally 1 took him down vvith
me, and we made him chiet cook and steward at
headquarters. Sorae weeks later I had one day returned to
headquarters late in the evening, and while at
dinner I heard a murmuring, droning sound, as
of some one reading, or perhaps of a prayer-meet-
insf, in the kitchen across the hall. I asked Bows-
raan next morning what was going on in the
kitchen, and after a great deal of hesitancy he
told rae he was teaching school there evenings.
I was much surprised, and on questioning him
further found that he had for pupils one of my

112 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
servants, some of General Wool's, and the ser
vants of several other officers. Most of these
pupils were fugitive slaves. Bowsman confessed
to rae that he had brought down with him from
New York some large alphabet cards and some
eleraentary school-books, for the express purpose
of teaching these slaves to read and write, he
keenly appreciating the fact that power comes
from knowledge, and that what his race most
needed was education. This he had done in a
most secret, surreptitious manner, feehng that the
mihtary authorities would not perrait it if they
knew of it. His chief object in desiring to go
with me to Fort Monroe as my servant was to
have this opportunity of teaching the negroes to
read and write, and to educate thera so far as he
was able.
I was very much interested in this raan's pur
pose and his intelligence, and I obtained an order
that a building outside the fort should be as
signed in which the negroes raight openly have a
school. I gave hira money with which to buy the
necessary books, and they were obtained and a
school for the fugitives vvas established in a sys-

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. II3
teraatic manner.. It was a most comical sight
afterward to see every negro who could get pos
session of a school-book proudly walking around
vvith the book showing conspicuously half-way
out of his pocket, although in most cases the raen
did not know one letter frora another. But event
ually the schools started by Bowsraan resulted in
the-^pMfkt enlightenment of a ^ppait many of the
fugitive negroes who carae into our lines.
This raan Bowsman's faraily made a remarkable
record. One of his sons vvho was arabitious for
advancement in life was befriended by Dr. Brins-
raead, an erainent physician of Troy, who took
hira into his office and educated hira until he was
able to undergo an exaraination for adraission to a
medical college. An application in his behalf was
refused by every raedical college in the State of
New York. Feeling an interest in this young
raan, and desiring his success, I wrote to Gov
ernor Andrew, of Massachusetts, telling hira the
circumstances. Governor Andrew immediately
replied that if I vvould send the young man to
Massachusetts he vvould see that he had an op
portunity of having an examination. Young Bows-

114 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
man went to Massachusetts, and passed the ex
amination with great credit.
After he had received his diploma I made efforts
to get him into the service of the United States
Array, but the request was denied by the Sur
geon-General's Office in Washington. I then
wrote to General Butler, who was on the James
River, in front of Richmond, and told hira the
circumstances. He told me to send the young
man to him, and he would see that he had a com
mission as Assistant Surgeon.
Dr. Bowsman reported to General Butler's
command, and he developed so rauch merit that
in less than a year he had risen to be a Brigade
Surgeon. The brigade to which he vvas attached
was mustered out of the service in Charleston,
S. C, at the close of the war, and he remained in
that city and secured a good practice in his pro
fession. During the adrainistration of General
Grant he was appointed Postraaster of the city of
Charleston, which office he filled to the satisfac
tion of all the people of the city, white and black.
He was a mulatto, and in every respect a thor
ough gentleman.

CHAPTER VIIL
NEGOTIATING FOR AN EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS,
From motives of national policy the administra
tion had steadily refused to recognize the hostili
ties with the South as a war, maintaining that it
was simply a rebellion. It had assumed to treat
the rebels captured on the high seas as pirates,
and even proposed to try thera for piracy. Doubt
less the adrainistration was influenced to take this
position in order to prevent European nations
from recognizing the South as a belligerent.
Consequently the Federal Government had re
fused to accord to the rebels the treatment usual
under the rules which govern civilized warfare
between nations, and especially so in the matter
of exchange of prisoners.
As is well known, our disasters and defeats in
the first year of the war were great ; we had but
few successes. As a cpnsequence, the number of
Union prisoners in rebel hands greatly exceeded

Il6 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
the number of rebels captured by us. A general
feeling prevailed in the North that these prisoners
in the South were being treated in a barbarous
manner, and that they were suffering great priva
tions and want. Doubtless this condition of the
prisoners was due in part to the narrow resources
of the South for providing for thera. The feeUng
in the North that exchanges should be made be
came very embarrassing to the administration,
but the pressure was resisted strongly on the
ground that a yielding to it would embarrass our
position with foreign nations. A potent element
in our protest to foreign nations was that they
could not recognize an independence which we
had refused to recognize, and that any such recog
nition on their part would as certainly expose
them to similar action in case they were in turn
visited with insurrection or rebellion.
But notwithstanding the apprehension of foreign
complications, the adrainistration was finally
driven to the appointraent of a coraraission to
negotiate with the rebel authorities for a basis of
exchange of prisoners. General Wool, Colonel
Cram, and myself were appointed Coramissioners

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 1 17
on the part of the United States, and General
Howell Cobb, General Huger, and Colonel Single
ton were appointed on the part of the rebel gov
ernment. We were to negotiate a basis of ex
change and report to the Secretary of War for
approval. Our instructions frora the War Office contained
certain liraitations, which it was extreraely doubt
ful that the rebel governraent vvould accept. The
administration declared that no one who had been
in the civil or mihtary service of the United States
should be a basis of exchange. Of course these
were the very first persons the rebels would de
mand, for their captured officers they especially
wanted. Then it was insisted that all non-combat
ants captured should be paroled ; and, further, that
every one mustered into the service of the United
States should be treated according to the rules
governing civilized warfare. This latter provision
would, of course, perrait the enlistraent of negroes,
to which the rebel authorities would naturally
object. Nevertheless we arranged for a meeting, which
took place on a rebel steamer in Hampton Roads,

Il8 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
off Sewell's Point, on Sunday, February 9th,
1862. The details for a basis of exchange were
carefully considered. We insisted that their two
superior ranks of General and Lieutenant-General
should be treated as of equal value in exchange
with our highest rank of Major-General, contend
ing that the difference was one of name only, as
the forces coraraanded and the powers exercised
by officers of our highest rank raade that rank
certainly the equivalent if not the superior of their
highest rank. After a long discussion the rebel
Commissioners agreed to our contention. Finally
a general agreement was arrived at that the de
tailed conditions of the cartel should be the same
as that vvhich obtained between England and the
United States in the War of 18 12.
The Joint Comraission adjourned to meet on
the following Sunday to conclude the agreement,
after reporting to their respective governments.
Meanwhile, it was agreed that all prisoners held
by either side should be immediately paroled,
such parole to be observed until the regular ex
change was effected. The prisoners on both sides
were at once paroled under this agreement and

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. II9
returned to their respective lines. All the 'North
ern prisoners confined in Libby Prison were liber
ated under this agreement. This general release
satisfied the demands of the loyal North, and the
report of our action and negotiations was made
to the War Office.
The joint Coramission reconvened the following
Sunday, and we then submitted to the rebel Com
missioners the further limitations imposed by the
War Office, as related above. The rebel Commis
sioners utterly refused to accept the conditions,
as the exceptions were made entirely on one side.
The result was that the conference was abruptly
terminated. For a time personal exchanges were
made, and in the end both sides practically ac
cepted the usual conditions which governed civil
ized warfare.

CHAPTER IX.
THE REBEL POST-OFFICE AND PRISONERS' LETTERS.
Flags of truce between Norfolk and Fort
Monroe were frequent, and being often the officer
in command, I had occasion of meeting quite fre
quently the very gentlemanly officer in charge of
the rebel flag of truce. Colonel Singleton. I felt
from his raanner that he vvas by no means certain
that he was pursuing the path of honor in his
allegiance to the rebel cause, but he was never
theless thoroughly honest in his support, and he
enlisted ray sympathies to no little extent, and as
far as I could I was disposed to do him any per
sonal favor.
No correspondence whatever was allowed to
pass between the North and the South during the
war but was opened and examined before it vvas
sent in either direction, either into the rebel lines
or into ours. We had at Fort Monfoe a detail of
aides and orderlies for this service.

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 121
Colonel Singleton, knowing that all letters were
examined in the aides' roora, on one occasion
asked rae, as a personal favor, if I would take a
letter frora a brother officer of his to a lady in the
North, his fiancee, and asked if I vvoiild read it
and forward it without its going through the
aides' roora.
I asked him, " Do you know the contents of
this letter ? Have you read it ? If not, I shall
have to request you to read it."
He said he had read it, that it was purely per
sonal, and that it did not contain anything that
raight be in any way tortured into being consid
ered contraband of war.
" Colonel," I said, " can I ask you, as a gentle
man and a soldier, if this is a letter that can be
forwarded, and that would not compromise me ?"
" Certainly, sir," he answered.
"Seal the letter," I said, "and I will send it
on." " I expected nothing less," he replied. "What
ever favor I can do for you or any of your friends,
command me."
He little thought in making this courteous reply

122 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
what a signal favor he would soon render, not to
me, but to a great number of our prisoners in
their hands.
Under the orders of the Post-Office Department
of the rebel government, no letter could be sent
to a prisoner of war unless accorapanied by a five-
cent piece, to pay the postage in the rebel lines.
The people of the North, not knowing this, sent
their letters with siraply the Federal starap. After
examining the letters we pasted a slip of paper
containing a five-cent piece on the back of each. No
letters were sent by flag of truce into the eneray's
lines that did not contain this required franking.
Colonel Singleton reported to me one day that
there was a large number of letters at the post-
office at Norfolk, which had been held there for
some days or weeks because they were unaccom
panied by this five-cent piece for rebel postage.
I replied to hira that not a letter had been sent
into their lines but that a five-cent piece had been
sent with it in the raanner described. Of course
this was erabarrassing to him, as a rebel officer,
and he said that it was not a raatter he cared to
discuss ; he simply told me of the fact.

REMINISCENCES OF TIIE REBELLION. 1 23
We had heard of continued complaints from
prisoners in the South that they never received
letters from their friends in the North. I asked
Colonel Singleton the number of letters lying in
Norfolk. He told me, as I remeraber it, that
there were sorae hundreds. I at once gave him
what money I had with me, requesting him to pay
the postage and forward the letters at once, and
promising that I would forward him the balance,
whatever it might be, on his letting me know the
araount. This money — some three hundred dol
lars — I paid myself, and all the detained letters
were forwarded.
Some little time afterward the rebel press at
Richraond, a raost disl.oyal and disreputable con
cern, stated that these letters had corae over there
without conforming to their post-office rules, and
had finally been forwarded to the prisoners by
the rebel governraent without charge.
Colonel Singleton was a raeraber of General
Huger's staff, and had reported ray action to
General Huger, and the General at once pro
nounced the stateraent made by the Richmond
press to be false, and stated that these letters had

124 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
been forwarded at the instance of a United States
officer, who had personally paid the expense hira
self. Thus a little act of courtesy to Colonel Single
ton led to his giving me this information, which
resulted in so much satisfaction and pleasure to
the unfortunate prisoners confined in Southern
prisons. Through the examination of raail passing the
lines, not a few people in the North were corapro-
mised. In any case where the aides and orderlies
charged with the work of examination deemed a
discovery of contraband matter more than usually
important, it was subraitted to me to determine
what action should be taken.
On one occasion a letter was received at Port
Monroe written by the late Mr. Samuel Barlow,
of this city, to Judah P. Benjarain, then rebel
Secretary of War. The letter stated that Mr.
WiUiam H. Hurlburt, who was a prisoner in Libby
Prison, having been captured at Harper's Ferry
in the early part of the war, was entirely in sym
pathy with the rebel cause, and that he was so

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 1 25
outspoken in his expressions before he was cap
tured, that his friends felt compelled to restrain
him ; and the writer suggested to Mr. Benjarain
that Hurlburt should be released. This letter
was referred to me, and I made the following en
dorseraent upon it, and sent it to the Secretary of
State :
" It appears to this comraand that so long as
the rebels will keep this raan Hurlburt in con
finement, it saves us the necessity of doing it. It
is further suggeisted that the author of this letter
should be put under Government surveillance."

CHAPTER X.
FLAGS OF TRUCE, SPIES, AND CONTRABAND ;
VARIOUS INCIDENTS.
In the early stages of the war we were very
charitable in permitting people to pass our lines
from the North to go into rebel territory. It
seemed to have been the policy at Washington —
perhaps a wise one — that all disloyal people in the
North who desired to go to the South should
have liberty to go there. The only gate open be
tween the North and the South was at Fort Mon
roe, and the coraraanding General there had full
discretion of giving or refusing permission to pass
the lines. There were nuraerous instances of
persons coming down there bearing requests from
the State and War Departments to the command
ing General that they be permitted to pass through.
A number of ladies of high social position,
whose families were Southerners, and not a few
of whom had been known socially by General

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 1 27
Wool in Washington, came down with these cre
dentials, and were, of course, permitted to pass
the lines. Some of these ladies returned later
from the South, under a "flag of truce, and a sus
picion was excited that they were spies.
One lady in particular attracted ray suspicion.
She was an exceedingly attractive, fascinating
woraan, and a forraer acquaintance of General
Wool. She came with a request from General
Scott that she be permitted to pass the lines. She
bestowed great attention on General Wool, and
was profuse in her expressions of admiration for
him in every way ; and the General was by no
raeans insensible to her attentions, as he had a
certain chivalry toward the fair sex. Suspecting
that this woman was a spy, I cautioned the Gen
eral against her, but he resented niy warning as
an imputation on his sagacity, and as an intima
tion that he did not thoroughly understand all the
ways of women.
But I was unconvinced of her innocence, and
believing that she would return and request the
liberty to go North, I decided to take raeasures
to determine her purpose, and instructed the

128 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
Provost Marshal to be on his guard for her
return. Every person coming from "within the rebel
lines was compelled to report at the Provost Mar
shal's quarters, and to declare that they were not
disloyal to the Government, and that they con
veyed no mail or contraband of war. If their
statements were distrusted they were compelled
to submit to a personal examination before they
were permitted to go North.
In a few weeks this woraan reported to the
Provost Marshal, having come over frora Norfolk
under a flag of truce, and received a passport per
raitting her to proceed by the steamer that night
to Baltimore. Meanwhile two women detectives,
wives of soldiers, had been put on board this
ti"ansport as cabin-maids. A soldier detective, in
citizen's dress, was also assigned to duty on the
boat, and was especially instructed by the Provost
Marshal to keep a watch on this woman.
In the course of the passage the soldier detec
tive managed to introduce himself to the lad}',
and asked her if she did not come over with him
in the flag of truce boat from Norfolk the day

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 129
previous. He apprehended that he would be de
tained, he said, and felt rauch relieved, as he was
now on his safe passage North, thus intimating to
the lady that he was in the rebel service. This
apparent confidence of his inspired a confidence
on the part of the woman, and she confessed to
hira that she also was in the rebel service.
The following raorning, before the arrival of the
steamer at Baltiraore, this woraan, on coming into
the cabin, was accosted by the two detective cabin-
maids, and told that she must submit to a personal
search. The male detective was meanwhile
secreted behind a curtain near by. The lady,
with a great show of indignation, resented their
demand, when the women seized her and the man
came frora behind the curtain and confounded her.
She finally consented to a search, and nearly five
hundred letters were found concealed in her dress
and skirts. Furtherraore, there was found on her
a commission from the rebel governraent to her
husband, in Baltimore, appointing him surgeon
in the rebel array. The woman was detained on
board the transport, and merabers of the Provost
guard in Baltimore were sent to arrest her hus-

130 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
band, and then both she and her husband were
returned to Fort Monroe.
The officer reported to rae, and I reported the
results to the General, and I have to confess that
the General was a little indignant at ray success.
On one occasion the Rev. Dr. J. P. B. Wilmer,
then recently rector of one of the principal Episco
pal churches in Philadelphia, and later Bishop of
Louisiana, came to Fort Monroe with his faraily,
desiring to pass the lines into Virginia. His wife
was a Virginia lady, a Miss Sklpworth, belonging
to one of the influential and wealthy farailies of
Virginia. Sympathizing with his wife's senti
ments, he was intensely disloyal, and so outspoken
was he in his disloyalty that his parish deraanded
his resignation. He was compelled to resign,
and the bishop of his diocese refused to permit his
being appointed to another parish within his juris
diction. Under these circurastanees. Dr. Wilraer
desired to go into the rebel lines. The Govern
ment, in pursuance of its wise policy with disloyal
and doubtful men, had no hesitation in granting
his request.

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 13I
He appeared at Fort Monroe with a request
from the Secretary of State to General Wool that
he be perraitted to go to Norfolk. In the permit
occurred the statement, " On business of the Gov
ernment." On Dr. Wilmer delivering this re
quest from the Department of State, General Wool
noticed the endorsement and said : " You are on
the business of the Government ?" Dr. Wilmer
protested that that was not so, and that he himself
had objected to the stateraent being incorporated
in the order. General Wool still felt that possi
bly he raight be a Federal spy, and the order vi^as
issued to rae, as bearer of the flag of truce, to take
hira to Norfolk.
We had instituted a systera of declaring every
thing that we felt the rebels wanted to be contra
band of war, and prohibiting its being introduced
into their hnes. A printed list of the articles so
prohibited was raade up, and as we learned from
time to time that they were in need of any raate
rial, it was added to the list. It was customary to
hand this list to every one who was going over.
Notable among the articles prohibited were

132 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
money, silver, gold, or other valuables, arms,
and gray cloth.
After getting under way, one of my orderhes
presented the list to Dr. Wilraer, inforraing him
that if there was anything among his luggage
that was mentioned on the list it would not be
perraitted to go within the rebel lines. Dr. Wil
mer had some eighteen trunks with hira. After
exaraining the list, he said to the orderly that he
was not aware that he had anything contraband
of war araong his luggage, possibly supposing
that his declaration was sufficient. Shortly after
this he vvas requested to surrender his keys. Upon
opening his trunks the orderlies reported to rae
that his baggage was filled with contraband of
war. I proceeded to raake an exaraination, and
found that this was so. I felt not a little erabar
rassed and indignant that a clergyraan of the
church to which I was attached should have made
so careless a declaration. I went to Dr. Wilmer
and told hira that I confessed I was surprised at
his declaration, which was disproved by the ex
amination, and informed him that I should have

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 1 33
to confiscate his entire luggage, without discrimi
nation. Another gentleman, a Mr. Washington, who
was also going over, hearing my declaration, was
very indignant, and denounced it as an outrage
ous act on the part of the Federal Government in
making war upon innocent woraen and children.
I deraanded of him an imraediate apology to me,
as an officer, or I would put him under arrest and
take him back to Fort Monroe. He made an
apology rather speedily.
On meeting the rebel flag of truce to deliver
these people, they protested at what they called
the cruelty which I had practised, and Colonel
Singleton, the officer in charge of the rebel flag
of truce, suggested that he hoped I had not been
harsh. I suggested to him that neither he nor
any other rebel was a proper critic of my conduct,
although our personal relations were friendly.
Dr. Wilmer and his family were turned over to
the officer, but all of their luggage was brought
back to Fort Monroe.
This incident occurred a few days previous to

134 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
the raeeting of the Commissioners appointed to
negotiate for the exchange of prisoners. At the
first meeting Ge'neral Huger stated to General
Wool that, without undertaking to judge of the
merits of the case, he would like to submit to him
that Dr. Wilraer's family were grievous sufferers
for the want of clothing, and asked that General
Wool would consent that some of their clothing,
proper personal apparel, might be taken for the
use of Dr. Wilmer's wife and her family. I imrae
diately urged General Wool to grant the request.
Dr. Wilmer was on board their boat, on which
the meeting was held, and we took him aboard
our vessel and brought him to Fort Monroe.
I had his luggage brought out and opened. He
asked for three trunks of clothing. The poor
raan, when he carae to examine the luggage, was
so ignorant of women's apparel, that he really
did not know what to take and what to leave. I
assisted hira, and determined to let him have
everything that was not strictly contraband of
war. I had the orderly repack trunk after trunk.
Dr. Wilmer protesting that I was giving him a
great deal more than he had asked, and I suggest-

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 1 35
ing that it was my responsibility rather than his,
until I had given him fifteen or sixteen out of the
eighteen trunks. For all this he was exceedingly
grateful, his feelings of aniraosity at my seeming
severity giving place to expressions of raost effu
sive regard for my generosity.
In the year 1872 I visited, vvith ray faraily, the
city of New Orleans. In the raean time. Dr. Wil
mer had been raade Bishop of the Diocese of
Louisiana. Going to church one Sunday and ask
ing the sexton for seats, he gave us seats down
nearly at the entrance of the church, where it was
cold and draughty. It was in the winter season
and very cold, and the church was not heated.
There were very few people in the church, and
I asked the sexton if he could not give me seats
nearer the altar, which seemed to be vacant. He
said those seats might possibly be occupied later
by regular attendants. The church was so cold,
that after the first or second lesson I got up to
leave with ray family, and remarked to the sexton :
" You are not as courteous to your visitors here
as we are to strangers in the North."
Recognizing the rebuke, he said : " I beg your

136 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
pardon, but if you will reraain, I will look and
see if there is anybody in the bishop's seats."
I said to hira : " I think if the Bishop of Louisi
ana knew that I was standing in the vestibule of
his church, I should be welcome to a seat."
He imraediately took us and put us in the
bishop's pew. After the service the sexton ap
proached and asked if I would give hira my ad
dress, which I did.
The following day I was called upon by Bishop
and Mrs. Wilmer, and the meeting was a very
pleasant and enjoyable one. They were afterward
very attentive to us, and did everything in their
power to raake the visit of myself and faraily in
New Orleans pleasurable.
The large hotel outside Fort Monroe, the
Hygeia, was taken by the Governraent and used
as a field hospital. A large number of soldier
patients were in this hospital, many suffering
from wounds, but more from malarious disease,
and typhoid fever was quite prevalent.
Early one very foggy morning in the winter of
1862 an insane patient escaped from the hospital.

RE.MINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 1 37
and clad only in his hospital clothing, rushed up to
the drawbridge at the entrance to the fort. The
sentinel on duty at the outer end of the draw
bridge, across the moat, was so surprised and
frightened at the appearance of the insane raan,
that he fled acro.s's the drawbridge into the fort
crying, " A ghost ! A ghost !"
The lunatic followed hira, and the guard on
duty were taken with the sarae panic as the senti
nel, and they also fled before hira. The lunatic
entered the fort and was attracted by a staircase,
which led up to the officers' quarters. He went
up these stairs, and entered a roora where an
officer was dressing. The officer also was seized
with panic, and in his efforts to get away frora
the lunatic, juraped out of a second-story window.
Having captured the fort, the lunatic proceeded
on his way through it, with every one flying
before hira. He entered the quarters of Colonel
Crara, of the Engineers, who also was dressing.
Colonel Crara was a very self-possessed man, but he
naturally was disconcerted at this violent entrance
of a wild-looking raan in his night-dress into his
room. The lunatic carried a big bar of iron in

138 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
his hand, and brandishing this at Colonel Cram,
he cried :
" In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost, I comraand you to come with me. Your
time has come !"
Colonel Cram, apprehending violence, inter
posed a table between himself and the lunatic, and
replied with great coolness :
" You vvill permit me to dress before I go with
you." The lunatic replied : " It is of no consequence
whether you go into eternity dressed or un
dressed. You will go with me now." And he
followed up the remark by seizing Colonel Cram
across the table. A terrific struggle ensued. Col
onel Cram seizing the raan's right arm to prevent
being struck with the bar of iron. The violence
of the lunatic, and his unnatural strength, was
overcoming the Colonel, when, with one vigorous
effort, he threw the lunatic off and away from
him, and raanaged to get possession of his sword.
He drew his sword and vvas in the act of runnins"
the lunatic through when a file of soldiers rushed
into the room and seized the man.

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 1 39
Thus was this great fort captured by a solitary
lunatic. The incident resulted in a court-martial,
and the sentinel was convicted and ordered to be
shot. The sentence, however, was never carried
out. The officer of the guard was suspended from
duty for some tirae.
Early in January, 1862, a captain in the English
Army, whose regiment was stationed in Canada,
was sent by the War Department to General
Wool with a notification that the officer had vol
unteered for the secret service as a spy, possibly
actuated by a spirit of adventure, but with no un
wiUingness to securing pecuniary reward. The'
English being in high feather with the rebel gov
ernment at that tirae, it was assumed that he
would be received with confidence by the enemy.
Receiving his instructions from General Wool, he
was sent to Norfolk by a flag of truce.
Nothing was heard from him for a period of
nearly two raonths, and we began to be apprehen
sive that he was in the rebel service and not in
ours. In the latter part of February, however,
he arrived at Fort Monroe by flag of truce from

140 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
Norfolk, and reported at headquarters. He stated
that he had been cordially received by the rebels,
and had just left General Beauregard's comra^and
at Manassas. Beauregard's coramand, he said,
consisted of about thirty-eight thousand men of
all arras. Stonewall Jackson was to raove the fol
lowing week with about seventeen thousand raen,
or one half of the coramand, througii the Shenan
doah Valley, and attack General Lander's com-
ra.and with headquarters at Harper's Ferry. Lan
der's force, of about ten thousand strong, was
guarding the head of the valley, and was engaged
in restoring the Baltiraore and Ohio Railroad,
Vhich had been torn up by the rebels. His com
mand was practically the right wing of McClel
lan's array.
The English officer was at once sent forward to
the War Departraent under surveillance, and a
copy of his report to us was also sent by a bearer of
despatches, as we had not full confidence in the spy's
integrity. His inforraation was, however, fully
verified by results. Jackson's force did move into
the vaUey, attacking Lander and driving his forces
out, in which action Lander vvas fatally wounded,

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. I41
and died a few days after the battle in the house
of his friend, Mr. John Fox Potter, M.C. These
disastrous results, occurring with the War Office
entirely informed of the raoveraent, and with the
araple forces at McClellan's coraraand, begat in
our department a general distrust of the War
Office, and formed another of the amazing blun
ders and disasters in the history of the Army of
the Potoraac.
In 1866 Mr. Potter, then Consul-General of the
United States at Montreal, visited me at Burling
ton, Vt. This gentleman was known as " Bowie-
Knife Potter," from the famous incident of his ac
ceptance of a challenge frora the present Judge
Pryor, of Virginia, and offering to fight him with
bowie-knives with twelve-inch blades, the duellists
to stand three feet apart, an offer which the fire-
eating Virginian declined on the ground that the
bowie-knife was a barbarous weapon. During
Mr. Potter's visit I referred to the death of the
gallant Lander, and told him that the War Office
and McClellan were fully advised by the spy of
Jackson's moveraents.
Mr. Potter with no Uttle excitement then told

142 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
me that General Lander had been raost loyal to
McClellan, and that he had asked him, when he
lay dying in his house, how the defeat had oc
curred. General Lander related that McClellan
left Washington and came to his headquarters,
knowing of Jackson's advance, and arranged with
him to raeet Jackson's forces ; that Jackson's
forces appeared in front of Lander's lines late in
the afternoon, and that McClellan had made every
disposition for the battle the following raorning,
McClellan staying with Lander at his headquar
ters. Lander left his headquarters and went to
the front before dayHght. Soon after Jackson's
advance on his lines, and after an hour or two at
long range, Jackson raassed his forces, which were
superior, and broke through Lander's lines, over
whelming and defeating hira. Lander expected
every raoraent that McClellan would appear and
direct the movement, and that he vvould be rein
forced from McCall's division, which consisted of
eleven thousand raen, and was within ten miles of
hira. But McClellan did not appear on the field.
It appeared that he left Lander's headquarters
about midnight without Lander knowing it, and

GENERAL WOOL'S STAFF. Plate 2.

Major C. T. Christensen. Capt. De Witt Clinton. Lieut. William C. Rawolle, Capt. John F. S.Gray,
Sukgeon-Majok Charles McDougall. Capt. Concross.

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. I43
went over to McCall's division, but did not order
up any support, although McCall's forces were
within sound of Lander's guns.
Mr. Potter, in reply to this statement by Gen
eral Lander, said to him :
" Your statement is almost incredible. General.
How do you account for the raatter ?"
Raising himself in his bed, General Lander re
pHed :
" McClellan is a damned traitor and a coward."
And poor Lander died of chagrin more than
from the effects of his wound.

CHAPTER XI.
MCCLELLAN'S CAMPAIGN ON THE PENINSULA.
McClellan's inactivity in comraand of the
Array of the Potoraac and the defences of Wash
ington, and his refusal to attack the rebel army at
Manassas, induced the President to issue an im
perative order that his forces should move. He
then determined to change his base and advance
on Richraond from the Rappahannock River.
Subsequently he determined to make his basis the
York River, the condition being made by the
President that he should leave a sufficient force
to ensure the defence of Washington. General
McDowell was detailed in comraand of a force of
30,000 raen to protect Washington.
McClellan's forces were then sent to Fort Mon
roe, by way of the Chesapeake, and he landed at
•Fort Monroe his first division of about 20,000 raen
under General Heintzelraan. Gradually McClel
lan's forces advanced and took up a position on

reminiscences of the REBELLION. I45
the York River, at a point about six or eight railes
from Yorktown, known as Ship Point, which had
the advantage of an excellent harbor. All the
additions to his array were landed at Ship Point,
and there encaraped to advance on Yorktown,
then in coramand of General Magruder, and un
derstood to be very heavily fortified. McClellan
remained on board a transport at Georgetown for
a fortnight after his troops had been sent down,
and, as subsequently proved, he reraained there,
demanding of. the administration that General
Wool should report to hira on his arrival in the
Departraent of Virginia.
Although McClellan was Commander-in-Chief
of the Army, he was inferior in rank, by date of
commission, to Major-General Wool, and not only
duty but etiquette deraanded that he should re
port to General Wool, as ranking officer, when
he came into his department. This was strictly
a raere raatter of vanity on the part of General
McClellan, and erabarrassed the administration
greatly, so much so that the First Assistant Sec
retary of War, Mr. Scott, carae to Fort Monroe
with a view to reconciling these counter demands

146 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
of Generals McClellan and Wool. General Wool,
with his usual sagacity and shrewdness, and hav
ing no confidence whatever in McClellan's raili
tary abilities, was insensible to the demand, and
said to rae, in confidence, that if General Mc
CleUan came into his' department and did not re
port to him, he would put hira under arrest.
Appreciating the jealousies that existed in the
array, and the serious scandals that raight result,
I obtained leave of absence frora General Wool,
and went to Washington. There I called upon
our two Senators, frora the State of New York,
Mr. Harris and Mr. King, and also on two or
three members of the House of Representatives
who were on the Military Coraraittee, and con
fidentially explained to thera the condition of
affairs. They were exceedingly indignant at this
deraand of McClellan's, and took me to the Presi
dent. I explained the matter to the President,
and suggested to him that General Wool was a
man vvho had rendered great service to his coun
try, was the oldest officer in the array, a Demo
crat, but intensely loyal ; that the people of the
North had great confidence in hira, and that any

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. I47
act to degrade him would certainly be resented.
The President was very non-committal. He
said that we raust at once go and see the" Secre
tary of War. He gave us a letter to the Sec
retary of War requesting him to see us irarae
diately. Before going to the War Office, I told these
gentlemen that I had no business going to the
War Office, as there was a general order that if
any officer appeared in Washington except under
orders, he was liable to arrest.
" Now," I said to them, "if the Secretary is
quick enough to see this, and suggest that I am
subject to arrest, what am I to do ?"
They said they would see that I was not troubled
on that score.
" Very well," I said, " I ara willing to risk any
thing for the sake of the array."
On arriving at the War Office, we found that,
unfortunately, it was what was called " Congres
sional Day" — Saturday — a day on which the Sec
retary of War received Members of Congress
who were soliciting him for appointments, pro
motions, and all sorts of things. The Secretary

148 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
was naturally of an excitable, irritable nature, and
it was a very bad day for us to see him on the
mission we were about. We were accorded prece
dence over all other callers, and were escorted
into his private room.
The Secretary asked the object of our call.
The gentlemen with rae stated that General Wool
was erabarrassed to understand what were the
desires of the War Office in reference to his com
raand and to General McClellan's coraraand. In
great irritation, Secretary Stanton turned to me
and said :
" Can General Wool read English ?"
" Mr. Secretary," I said, " as your correspond
ence with the General has been rather extensive,
it is hardly necessary for me to reply to that
question." " Are you a bearer of despatches ?" he
asked. " No, I ara not, sir," I replied.
" What business have you in Washington or at
the War Office, then ?" he demanded.
" I am here on leave of absence," I said.
" In that case," he replied, " you are violating

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 149
orders, and are under arrest. Report yourself at
once to the Adjutant-GeneraL"
The gentleraen with rae interposed in ray behalf,
saying that they had induced rae to corae, although
I had protested that I had no right to be there.
Secretary Stanton said severely : " It is this
constant interference with the array by Members
of Congress that is demoralizing the service to a
great degree. If Members of Congress would
interfere less with the array, the discipline would
be very rauch better and the results very differ
ent." I left the roora, and reported to the Adjutant-
General, under arrest. My quarters were at Wil
lard's Hotel. Adjutant-General Townsend said
he was very much surprised to see me there under
such circurastances, and asked what the trouble
was. While I was talking with him an orderly
came in and requested me to return to the Secre
tary of War. I returned with him, and the Sec
retary asked me :
" What more have you to say, sir ?"
" Nothing more, Mr. Secretary," I said ; " ray
lips are sealed under arrest."

I50 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
" You are relieved from arrest, then. Colonel,"
he said.
Then I told him all the circumstances and con
ditions. I said that General Wool took the posi
tion that he had not any right to degrade his rank
by reporting to his junior officer.
" Just as certain as McClellan goes down there
and does not report to hira," I said, " General
Wool will put hira under arrest. Not only that,
but he will be justified by any trial by court-raartiaL
General Wool says this is very unnecessary, and he
will not be humiliated or degraded. He recog
nizes the right to be relieved of his command, and
if another officer, an inferior in rank, is appointed
to relieve him, that would settle the situation.
But if an imperative order comes for him to re
port to McClellan, he will resign from the service."
" General Wool has no better friend in this
country than I am," said Secretary Stanton,
"but if he resigns I will accept his resignation ;
but I won't reUeve him of his command. I am
not going to trust the armies of the United States
and the key of the Union under the control of any
one man."

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. I5I
The conference then terminated, except that as
we left the Secretary said :
" When do you return, sir? '
I was ill at the time, and I said : " I am on leave
of absence, and am going to New York ; but as
General Wool is going to be relieved, I shall ten
der my resignation. My service is a personal ser
vice rather than anything else."
" I want you to dine with me this evening,"
said Secretary Stanton.
" I will do so with the greatest pleasure, Mr.
Secretary," I said, " but I should like to go to
my family in New York."
The Secretary then said : " Your resignation
will not be accepted. The department cannot
afford to lose an officer by resigning who is serv
ing his country under the conditions that you
are." In all my subsequent relations with Mr. Stan
ton, although his imperative manner was of a
kind that begat irritation, he treated me with the
greatest consideration and kindness.
The result of the negotiation was that the Sec
retary undoubtedly saw the President of the

152 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
United States, and told him that McClellan's de
mand was siraply absurd, and an imperative order
was issued to McClellan the very next day to
join his command on the Peninsula and report to
General Wool, which he did. He simply re
ported, breakfasted with us, and moved on to his
command. His army had been kept for ten days
inactive, solely to gratify McClellan's vanity.
Then followed the terrible series of disasters of
McClellan's campaign on the Peninsula. Al
though he had cdraraand of a largely superior
force to that of the rebels, he was practically
beaten in every engageraent ; and finally, as is a
record of history, he was compelled to abandon
the Peninsula.
McClellan's forces — about 120,000 men — invest
ed Yorktown, remaining in front of the city some
eight or ten days, erecting works, without, ex
cept on one occasion, ever feeling of the enemy.
The lines of investment extended from the York
River to the James River, entirely across the
Peninsula.

CHAPTER XII.
THE PRESIDENT AT FORT MONROE, AND CAPTURE
OF NORFOLK.
While McCleUan was in front of Yorktown, the
President and Secretary of War and Mr. Chase,
Secretary of the Treasury — practically the admin
istration — carae down and took up their quarters
at Fort Monroe, staying with us at headquarters.
The evening of their arrival Yorktown was evacu
ated, and the enemy retreated upon Williamsburg,
pursued by McCleUan's forces. The latter had
an engageraent at WiUiamsburg with the rear
guard of Lee's army, and suffered severely, losing
about 1800 raen. The news of the battle reached
Fort Monroe that evening, previous to the arrival
of the President. The eneray raeanwhile was re
treating up the Peninsula.
On the party's arrival in a revenue cutter, I
boarded the vessel and reported to the Presi
dent the results of the engagement, for we had no

154 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
notice of his coming, and suggested that the party
should come to headquarters within the fort, a
messenger being despatched to the General, who
came down with his staff to meet them and escort
thera to the fort.
The navy, in coraraand of Adrairal Goldsbor
ough, had repeatedly refused to co-operate with
us in raaking an effort to take Norfolk, and this
was the real reason of the President and Secretary
of War coming down, their object being to estab
lish harraony of action between the array and
navy. General Wool represented to the Presi
dent that he could do nothing with his array, ex
cept he had a naval force to cover his landing
upon the opposite shore. The result was that
they proceeded off to the flagship at once,
meeting Admiral Goldsborough with General
Wool, and from there issued an order that night
that the navy should go into action next day and
bombard the forts of the Elizabeth River, Sewell's
Point, and Craney Island. Wool said to the
President :
" If you will order the navy to co-operate with
me, I will take Norfolk in three days."

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 155
The naval vessels went into action next day,
and in less than two hours silenced the forts.
Then the Merrimack appeared for the second
time. The naval vessels at once retired from
action, notwithstanding the four large rams we
had there for the express purpose of destroying
the Merrimack. Nothing could be more humili
ating than this exhibition on the part of the com
raander of the navy. So conspicuous was this
irresolute act, that it caused the relief of Admiral
Goldsborough from the comraand in a few days,
and an order from the President that his war ves
sels should go up the James River and assist
McClellan by bombarding the forts up on Drury's
Bluff. General Wool determined to make an advance
on Norfolk, and had secured a large number of
big canal-boats that had brought down the cavalry
and mules of McCleUan's command. On these he
proposed to embark about 10,000 raen and land
thera at a place called Pleasure House Beach,
which was the most accessible point to the east
ward of Norfolk, and to take the rebel works.
General Wool's troops had never been brigaded,

156 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
and I sat up all night with him making details of
the regiraents that were to go. The inforraation
we had received was that General Huger had
about 20,000 men in Norfolk, inside defences. I
suggested to General Wool that as his troops
were all new levies and had not been brigaded,
and the amount of artillery he had was insignifi
cant, our chances of success seemed very reraote.
It seeraed to rae the atterapt would result in in
evitable disaster.
General Wool asserted at once, Avith great con
fidence : " If I land. General Huger will run.
Huger has been on my staff, and he knows I will
never wet ray feet."
" Suppose he does not run," I said ; " we will
either be driven into the sea or will have to .sur
render. ".
"It is not a supposable case," General Wool
repUed. " General Huger will evacuate."
I was the ranking officer on the staff at Fort
Monroe. It is miUtary etiquette that the highest
ranking officer should be assigned as aide-in-wait
ing to the President. President Lincoln occupied
my sleeping-room, while I slept on a stretcher in

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 1 57
the hall. As aide-in-waiting, I was practicaUy
secretary to the President.
I was utterly depressed by General Wool's con
fidence, which was not based on any considera
tion of military affairs and of the exact situation,
but was purely a game of brag. On the follow
ing day, when General Wool was out reviewing
the comraand that was going on the expedition,
the President and Secretary observed that I was
very reticent and depressed, and asked me what
the trouble was. I avoided the question for some
little time, but they urged upon rae that I should
tell thera what was the cause of my trouble. I
replied to them :
" I am going to do a very insubordinate act."
Then I told them precisely what General Wool
was about to do : that he was going to move the
following night to attack Norfolk, purely on the
belief that if he landed General Huger would
evacuate the place. I said : " We have had so
many disasters, that one coming now would be
terri'ole, not only in its consequences to us, but
fearful in its influence on McClellan's ad
vance."

158 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
The President was thoughtful for a long time,
and finally said :
" Well, what do you suggest?"
" I have nothing to suggest," I said; "but
there is a reraedy."
" What is it ?" asked the President.
" Relieve General Wool of his coraraand," I
said. They knew my close personal relations with
General Wool ; but this they were not prepared
to do.
At dinner that evening the President asked Gen
eral Wool how many men he was going to move
vvith. " About 10,000," said the General.
" But," the President said, " has not General
Huger nearly 20,000 men, and are they not behind
fortified works?"
"Well, possibly," answered General Wool;
" but that is of no consequence. He is not going
to fight. He will run if I land."
Then the President repeated very rauch what I
had said to hira about the situation.
"Mr. President," said General Wool, "you

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 1 59
are not a military man, and do not understand
the situation. If you stay here forty-eight hours,
I will present Norfolk to you."
The troops were embarked on the barges at
nightfall, and very clever, skilful arrangements
were raade for landing thera. Two or three of
these barges, empty, were to be driven ahead by
a tug with great velocity, and run right up on to
the beach, bows first. Anchors and chains were
immediately to be carried ashore to keep the
barges in position. Then another barge was to
be brought under the stern of these, in water
sufficiently deep for others to come up alongside
and disembark the troops.
'" Secretary Chase accorapanied General Wool on
the expedition, leaving Fort Monroe about 4
o'clock on the morning of May loth. The troops
had gone ahead in the barges during the night,
and laid off near the proposed landing-place. I
reported with my horse and orderly^ to go on
board, and the General at once asked me :
" What are you doing here, sir ?"
" I am going with the expedition, of course," I
answered.

l6o REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
" No, you are not going," said General Wool.
" I will take nobody with rae who has any doubt
of ray success."
" Am I to be humiliated. General Wool," I re
plied, " in consequence of my confidential rela
tions to you ? If so, I shall resign from the ser
vice." " No," he said ; " you are left in coraraand of
the reserves and of this fort, and I will not trust
any one else."
" That is raore monstrous than anything else, if
you will allow me to suggest it," I said. " I
shall obey the order, but I must ask you to leave
the Adjutant-General with me."
The Adjutant-General was very indignant at be
ing left, but it was so ordered, and he had to remain.
General Wool erabarked, and all day long we
heard nothing from him. At tiraes we could hear
firing and could see some smoke. It was a day
of most fearful anxiety. The President and Sec
retary of War were alraost overcorae with their
anxiety concerning this expedition. They could
not but feel that they were in a measure responsi
ble, as they had consented to it.

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. l6l
The whole day passed, and no word came from
Norfolk. Evening set in, and when it got to be
about 9 or lo o'clock, I persuaded the President
to go to bed in my room. I also persuaded Sec
retary Stanton to retire. He had a bed in ray
office. I went outside the fort with Captain
Rogers, of the navy, and we went dovvn on to the
ordnance wharf. It was a beautiful raoonlight
night. There we reraained, waiting for some
news to come.
After a long time I heard a distant sound of
paddle-wheels splashing in the water. The sound
came nearer and nearer, and finally up came a
little gunboat with General Wool and the raem
bers of his staff and Secretary Chase on board,
and the news that Norfolk was taken. General
Huger had run.
The excitement was wonderful. General Wool
came up into the fort, and as we approached head
quarters the sentinel challenged, "Who goes
there?" The President heard the chaUenge, and
the next thing we saw was six feet of white night
shirt at the French window.
" What is it ?" asked the President.

l62 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
" General Wool, to present Norfolk to you !" I
replied. " CaU up Stanton, and send Wool up here," he
said. I roused up Secretary Stanton, and told him,
" General Wool has returned, and we have taken
Norfolk." " My God !" he said, and jumped out of bed,
and started up in his night-shirt to the President's
room. President Lincoln was sitting on the edge of
the bed. General Wool was there, in full uniform
and all covered with dust, and one or two of his
officers were also there. Secretary Stanton rushed
impetuously into General Wool's arms in his
excitement, and embraced him fervently. The
President broke out laughing at seeing the Gen
eral in full uniform and the Secretary in his night
shirt clasped in each other's arms, and said :
" Look out. Mars ! If you don't, the General
will throw you."
Secretary Stanton, with his usual quickness of
perception and appreciation, said :
" This is the most important capture that has

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 163
been made. Its importance nobody can estiraate.
You should imraediately proceed to Norfolk, Mr.
President, and issue a proclaraation on rebel soil."
I got the Secretary some covering, and he sat
dovvn and right then and there wrote the procla
mation for the President.
At 5 o'clock that same morning — Sunday, May
nth, 1862 — we started on a gunboat for Norfolk.
We took over President Lincoln, Secretary Chase,
Secretary Stanton, and Adrairal Goldsborough,
who carae on board. But we knew the Merriraaek
was there yet, and whether we could get to Nor
folk or not we did not know. We had proceeded
but a short distance when we heard a tremendous
explosion. Looking in the direction whence the
sound carae, we saw that it was in the Elizabeth
River. It proved to be the destruction of the
Merrimack, which the rebels had blown up.
Later, as we were going in, we passed over her
wreckage. Soon after breakfast we arrived at Norfolk, and
found our troops in possession of the city. I
mentioned to Secretary Chase on the way that it

164 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
was most Iraportant to raake a strong political
point there. Here at Norf(;lk there were large
nurabers of poor people and negroes, and a vast
amount of property at the Navy Yard that ought
to be preserved ; and I suggested that the raili
tary coraraand should pursue a policy which
would operate to cause dissension araong the
Southern people. Eraployraent should be given
to these poor people ; they should be taken into
the service of the United States, which would nat
urally beget jealousy between thera and the people
of wealth, who were insignificant in numbers.
Furtherraore, we should pursue the sarae policy
with the negroes there which we had adopted
at Fort Monroe. Secretary Chase talked with
rae earnestly about the raatter, and then went
and talked with the President. Then he came
back to me and said :
" The President wants to raake you MiHtary
Governor of Norfolk. We will speak to General
Wool, if you assent to it ; and, no doubt, he vvill
readily endorse the proposition."
" It is irapossible," I said. " My health is im
paired, and, furtherraore, my duties are almost

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 165
entirely advisory, executive rather than miH
tary." That is what we want more than anything else
in the army," said the Secretary ; " and the Presi
dent wants you to take this post."
But I utterly refused the offer. Later, when I
went up to Washington with President Lincoln,
Secretary Chase, and Secretary Stanton, Secre
tary Chase again urged the matter on me.
I said : " I must go home to my family, some
of whora are ill."
" Well, bring your family here, and take up
your quarters at Fort Norfolk," he said. It was,
he urged, the first place where we could impress
upon the people of the South that if they wanted
Federal protection, they must recognize Federal
authority. Finally, to get rid of their importu
nity, I said I would go horae and would take the
raatter under consideration, and would advise
thera of ray decision. Secretary Chase said :
" If you will take this position, and should find
that you have occasion to go horae, temporarily,
I will come down rayself and relieve you of the
coraraand until your return. I particularly desire

l66 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
that you should accept it, because of its great im
portance, and because of our perfect accord in re
gard to the position."
I returned to New York, but having suffered
from malarious trouble for some time, and being
then far from well, I was influenced by my family
and physician to utterly dechne the proffered
post, and to tender my resignation from the ser
vice. I sent in ray resignation, and it was accepted
on June uth, 1862.

CHAPTER XIII.
PERSONAL REMINISCENCES OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN.
A SHORT time after we had started on the way
to Norfolk, on May uth, breakfast was served,
and I went to find the President to notify him. I
found he had sought a private place behind the
wheel-house, where he was seated reading the
Bible. During breakfast President Lincoln said :
" Now, Mr. Chase, you know we have been
soUcited by artists to fill the panels at the Capitol
with pictures illustrative of this war. I don't
think anything has been done on our side until
the capture of Norfolk worthy of illustration.
But now you can send for artist Leitze, and tell
him to illustrate the taking of Norfolk. It should
be illustrated by a picture showing the meeting
of the Secretary of War and General Wool, on
the announcement of the capture."

l68 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
The President's joke was keenly appreciated.
This story of the President suggests his well-
known trait of frequent indulgence in good-na
tured but shrewd humor. I had occasion of see
ing rauch of this side of President Lincoln's char
acter. On one occasion, previous to the incidents re
lated above, I had been ordered off very early in
the raorning to our advanced lines with reference
to adyancing thera on the Peninsula, and did not
return until very late in the evening, close upon
the hour for dinner. Dinner was a very formal
affair, and this evening we had for guests, as well
as the President and Secretaries, some admirals
of the foreign fleets then anchored in the Roads.
Marquis de Montagnac, Admiral of the French
fleet, was one of the guests. I had hastened to
get into full dress, and could only dress in ray
private roora, which the President then occupied.
While I vvas dressing the President came in, and
he said :
" Why, I think you are making rather an elabo
rate toilet, Colonel."

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 169
" Of course," I said. " In such presence I
could not do otherwise."
" Well," he said, " I don't know but if you will
lend rae that brush, I think I will fix up a little,
too." I handed him my ivory-backed hair-brush and
shell comb. He said :
"Why, I can't do anything with such a thing
as that. It wouldn't go through my hair. Now,
if you have anything you comb your horse's mane
with, that might do.
" Now," he continued, " I must tell you a story
about ray hair. When I was norainated for Presi
dent at Chicago — as rauch to ray surprise as to
the surprise of the country — people naturally
wanted to see how Abe Lincoln looked. I had
been up to Chicago a year or two previous, and
had been persuaded to have ray photograph
taken. An enterprising fellow in the Convention
knowing of this, went to the photographer and
bought the negative, and he was so expeditious
about his scherae, that by the time the news got
down to Springfield, where I lived, the boys were
running through the streets crying :

170 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
"' Here's a likeness of Abe Lincoln. Price,
two shillings. Will look a great deal better when
he gets his hair combed.' "
Before President Lincoln got through telling
this story the butler had appeared a second time
to announce dinner, and when we entered the
dining-room the guests were all there and wait
ing. General Wool was very punctilious about
matters of etiquette, and he said :
" Colonel, you have detained rae and my guests
five rainutes."
" I raust crave your indulgence, General and
gentleraen," I repHed, " for having detained you
by this breach of etiquette."
The President sat at General Wool's right hand
looking at me with a comical expression on
his face, as much as to say : " The General is
whipping me over your shoulders. " I could not
help smiling, and General Wool said :
" It seems hardly a matter for unseemly merri
ment, Colonel."
' ' For any breach of etiquette I may be guilty
of," I replied, "as I am aide-in-waiting to the

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 171
President of the United States, the President is
solely responsible."
Whereupon Secretary Chase reraarked, with
great dignity : " I have no doubt but possibly the
President has been arausing the Colonel with sorae
of his stories."
The French admiral, Marquis de Montagnac^
was an intense admirer of the President, and he
broke in :
Well, vill not ze Praysident give us ze benefit
of this story ?"
" I think it will keep until the dessert," I sug
gested. At dessert the French marquis asked me if I
would not request the President to repeat the
story. I did so, and the President told the story
again to the great amuseraent of every one at
table. I was so intensely in earnest over every effort
to suppress the rebeUion, that I had forraed sorae-
thing of a prejudice against President Lincoln
before I met him, from what I had heard and
what was published in regard to the levity in

172 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
which he was said to indulge. But when I be
came intimately associated with him at Fort Mon
roe, I then appreciated the great qualities of the
man. He was, in many respects, the most re
raarkable person that I have ever met in my life.
His charity seeraed to be boundless, and yet
coupled with it there was a patience and a firra
ness and a courage that was almost limitless. He
was by nature an intensely sad man, and all his
story-telling and humor was a mere shield to
cover his real nature.
The day after his arrival in Fort Monroe, he
said to rae :
" I don't suppose you have a copy of Shake
speare here, any more than you have a copy of
the Bible?"
" You are mistaken, Mr. President," I replied,
"for General Wool never goes to bed at night
without reading and spouting Shakespeare ; and
I have a copy of the Bible."
" I wonder if the General vvill lend me his
Shakespeare ?" he asked.

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.. 173
" Most certainly," I said.
The next day General Wool and most of his
staff were off reviewing his coramand, and I was
left in charge at headquarters receiving despatches
and issuing orders. The President occupied my
office, vvhich communicated with the General's,
and spent the morning reading Shakespeare. I
was kept exceedingly busy, and after the lapse of
two or three hours the President got up frora his
reading, and said to rae :
" You have been very busy. Colonel. Come in
here and sit with rae and rest, and I will read you
some passages from Shakespeare."
I went in, and we sat down opposite to each
other at a little round table. He commenced by
reading frora " Macbeth," and then from " King
Lear," and then from " King John," and I w.as
surprised to find how well he rendered it all.
He read that part of " King John" where Con
stance bewails to the king the loss of her son. I
noticed as he read these pathetic passages that
his voice became tremulous, and he seemed to be
deeply moved. When he reached the end he

174 .REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
closed the book, laid it down, and turning to me,
said :
' ' Did you ever dream of sorae lost friend, and
feel that you were having "a sweet communion
with him, and yet have a consciousness that it
was not a reality ?"
It was a most singular situation, and I was
deeply raoved by his raanner and the circum
stances. " I think we all of us have some such experi
ences," I replied.
" That is the way I dream of my lost boy
Willie," said Mr. Lincoln. (He had just lost his
boy, who was his idol.) Then he broke down in
most convulsive weeping. It was most grievous
and distressing to see this great, strong raan give
way to such emotion, and I was so sympatheti
cally raoved that I, too, broke down utterly. He
sat there with his head bowed down on the table,
and I quietly left the room.
He never alluded to this incident afterward,
but night after night he used to ask me to go
with him on the ramparts, and he would sit

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 1 75
there and talk to me with the utraost frankness of
the graveness of the situation. He treated me
always with the most genuine affection. He had
given me a sacred confidence, and I grew to have
a most intense affection for him.

CHAPTER XIV.
WITH GENERAL WOOL IN THE DEPART.MENT OF
THE EAST.
Shortly after my resignation General Wool
was relieved of his command of the Department
of Virginia, and was assigned to the Department
of Maryland, with headquarters at Baltimore.
Then, as the Government deemed it was very
essential that there should be an influential com
mand in the Department of the East, General
Wool was later assigned to the Departraent of
the East, which erabraced the New England
States, and the States of New York and New
Jersey, with headquarters in New York City.
On his assuraing this command I rejoined his
staff as Volunteer Aide. The great importance
of this comraand was in that it was a basis of sup
plies, and also of raustering additional troops into
the service of the United States and sending them
into the field. And, above all, it was especially

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 1 77
important in keeping down the disloyal sentiment
which was so prevalent in Ne"w York City.
While General Wool was in command of the
department Major-General Butler was relieved
of his comraand in the city of New Orleans, al
though he had exhibited an abiUty in dealing with
di.sloyalty which was raore conspicuous than in
the case of any other officer in the service. But
it was charged that he was unnecessarily severe,
and especially so in his treatment of woraen. As
General Butler was an independent character and
inclined to assurae responsibilities that were not
authorized at Washington, the Government, with
an exhibition of weakness, yielded to deraands,
and he was relieved of the command.
The feeling araong the loyal people of the North
was that he was treated with great injustice, and
on his appearing in New York City, with his
staff, the citizens of New York tendered hira a
public reception, which was presided over by the
Mayor of the city, Mr. George Opdyke, who had
succeeded the disloyal Mayor, Fernando Wood.
General .Butler raade his headquarters at the
Fifth Avenue Hotel.

178 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
On my calHng on General Butler at his head
quarters he at once requested a private audience.
In that audience he stated to me that he had been
honored with the offer of a public reception, and
he wanted me to consent to do him a favor. I
repUed that I should be very happy to do so, and
what could I do to obUge him ?
" I want your promise that you will do rae this
favor," said General Butler.
" Well, of course I will make you the promise
that I will do it," I replied, " because I know you
will not ask anything that would be improper for
me to do."
" WeU, I want you to have General Wool attend
my reception," said General Butler, "because I
want to have his presence more than that of any
man in the United States. I know he doesn't
like me, but I have my reasons for wanting his
support more than that of any other man."
" You know General Wool's peculiarity," I
said. ' ' You know that he is a man who has his
prejudices, and that they are very difficult to over
come ; but I can see no reason why he should not
attend your reception. Have you invited him ?"

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 1/9
"Yes," answered General Butler. "Invita
tions have been sent to him and to every member
of his staff. I know that you are the only man
that can influence him to come, and I want you to
induce him to attend."
" i can see no good reason why he should not
come," I repeated, " and I will use my best efforts
to accomplish what you desire."
Going to headquarters that raorning and look
ing over the correspondence, I observed this in
vention of General Butler. I reported it to Gen
eral Wool, and said :
" I suppose you will accept it?"
" No ; you will decline it, sir," he answered.
" Why should I give my countenance to a man
who has no military qualities ?"
Appreciating the General's peculiarities, I did
not atterapt to corabat his prejudices then. I re
turned later with the correspondence that I had
to ansvver, and suggested to hira that I was em
barrassed what to do about General Butler's in
vitation. I did not see, I said, how he could de
cline a courteous invitation of that nature. Gen
eral Wool still resisted, until finally I suggested

l8o REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
to him that neither he nor his friends could defend
such action.
" Certainly," I said, " you have justified all of
his severe raeasures with reference to the rebels.
He is certainly not a military man, but he is a
military governor, and you have justified him."
" Why are you so interested in my being pires-
ent ?" asked General Wool.
I related to him exactly what had taken place
between General Butler and myself. " General
Butler wants your presence at his reception more
than that of any other man in the United States,"
I said. That was, of course, flattering to General
Wool's vanity. Then I again urged that neither
he nor his friends could justify a refusal of the
courteous invitation. He could, if he liked, ac
cept it and not go. He made no further reply to
this, so I went to my office and accepted the in
vitation for him. After sending the acceptance
by an orderly I told General Wool vvhat I had
done. That evening we were dining at the New York
Hotel with his nephew, Mr. Griswold, M.C, and
at the dinner were also Mr. Sam Butterworth, of

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. l8l
Mississippi, and General Van Vliet, Quartermaster
of our departraent. General Van Vliet, in the
course of the dinner, said, in a supercilious way :
" I have received an invitation to attend this
reception to General Butler to-morrow evening."
Mr. Butterworth spoke up : " You certainly
won't degrade yourself by going to a reception to
that Butcher Butler."
General Wool imraediately broke in, saying :
' ' You will go. General Van Vliet ; and, Mr.
Butterworth, General Butler is a Major-General
in the service of the United States, and no man
must speak disrespectfully of him in my presence.
You will attend that reception. General Van Vliet. ' '
Then he continued, turning to rae : " Colonel,
issue an order to every raeraber of ray staff to be
in. attendance at ray headquarters, in full dress, at
half-past seven to-raorrow evening, to attend the
reception to General Butler."
We appeared at the meeting the following even
ing, and were assigned to most conspicuous places
on the platforra. General Butler raade that re
raarkable speech in which he not only justified his
own acts, but particularly showed to the American

I82 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
people the perfidy of Great Britain. That part
of his speech was particularly raade for the bene
fit of General Wool, whose prejudice he very
weU knew, as General Wool yet carried in his
back an English bullet, received in the War of
1812, which never had been extracted.
At the close of the speech there was iramense
applause, but without noticing the audience Gen
eral Butler turned and advanced across the stage
to General Wool, took him by the hands, and
said :
" General Wool, you have conferred a favor
upon me by your support this evening which I
can never forget."
" General Butler," responded General Wool,
" every word you have uttered and all your acts
I endorse." General Butler had captured General Wool.
In 1863 further requisitions were made upon
the several States by the National Government
for additional forces. The previous demand had
been so great, and had invariably been fully sup
plied by volunteers, that there was a necessity

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 183
for a draft. Provost Marshals' offices were opened
and a census taken for the purpose of drafting
men into the United States service. This act was
unpopular, and was resented, and finally the re
sentment culminated in the July riots, mainly on
the part of the Irish, in the city of New York.
The rioters exhibited their wrath by assaults upon
innocent negroes, and by atrocious acts of bar
barity. The invasion of the rebel army into the
State of Pennsylvania just previous to this had
corapelled the Governraent to ask the States for
every available man they had in the militia, and
just before the draft riots all the militia regiments
of New York had been sent to the support of
Meade's array at Gettysburg. Consequently there
was no recognized arraed force in New York City
to meet the emergency which arose in these riots.
Governor Seymour, of New York, a Democrat,
whose sympathies were with the South, and who
was by nature a timid and irresolute man, instead
of raeeting the violence exhibited in New York
by decisive action, teraporized, and being Gov
ernor of the State his course seriously embar
rassed the action of the commanding general.

1 84 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
General Wool hesitated about declaring the city
under martial law, but finally, by the loyalty and
courage of the police force, under the direction
of Thomas A. Acton, and with the aid of the
very sraall forces of regular troops which were
stationed at Governor's Island and at Fort Rich
mond, and by the use of the raost positive meas
ures, these terrible riots were put down.
So fearful was the penalty inflicted upon the
rioters in the suppression of the riots, that it was
not deemed good poUcy to make public anything
like the full extent of it. The nuraber of negroes
and poor whites that were victiras of the vengeance
of the mob did not exceed 54 or 55. The rioters
suffered, either directly by being kUled outright
at the time, or through being grievously wounded
so that they died, raonths after, to the extent of
1700 to 1800. They were dying all winter, but
did not dare let it be known that they were
wounded in the riots.

CHAPTER XV.
THE UNION LEAGUE CLUB AND THE REBELLION.
Previous to this the State of Massachusetts
had organized the first negro regiment. The
Massachusetts authorities were advised by the
loyal authorities of New York that it would not
be safe to let this regiment pass through New
York City. It was therefore sent forward by sea
direct. That regiment was the Fifty-fourth Massa
chusetts, and it vvas mustered into the service by
Major-General Wool, in the State of Massachu
setts, at Reedville.
The State of Connecticut had also commenced
to enHst negro troops to fill its quota. Governor
Seymour, of the State of New York, had done
nothing of the kind, and wpuld only enlist whites.
The Union League Club of this city had passed
a resolution to take measures to promote enlist
ments, and a committee was appointed, with

l86 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
power, to carry the resolution into effect. Col
onel George BUss, Mr. Jackson S. Schultz, Mr.
Alexander Van Rensselaer, two other gentle
men, and myself were appointed on the Commit
tee. The Coraraittee raet and determined to estab
lish recruiting stations, and, further, decided to
give, in addition to the bounties given by the
city and State, an additional fifty dollars for every
person enlisted as a recruit in the United States
Array. This bounty systera had been very pernicious
in its workings, and was degenerating the whole
military service. Not a few men had made prac
tically a profession of enlisting to get these boun
ties and then deserting, and repeating the opera
tion from State to State. It was demoralizing
the whole volunteer service of the country. I
objected at the moment to voting the bounty,
urging that the whole system was demoralizing
because it was destroying all patriotic feeling and
sentiment, and was degrading the whole army
into a mercenary seryice. Yet here we were
having able-bodied negroes, who owed a service
to this State, taken out of our State and filling

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 187
the quotas in other States more advanced in their
views. We should, I urged, proceed to raise a
regiment of black troops. After some tirae the
Committee came over to my views, and it was
determined to apply at once to Governor Seymour
for authority to raise a regiment of negro troops.
The Governor of the State refused permission.
Colonel Bliss and I then applied to the Secre
tary of War on behalf of the State for authority
to raise a regiment of regular colored troops.
The Secretary was disposed to refuse the request,
on the ground that if the State of New York was
so stupid as to insist that none but white raen
should fill its quota, he would let other States
corae in and take the negroes away from us.
When we brought it to the attention of Secretary
Stanton that continued refusal of this request to
the great loyal body of the Union League Club,
whose members were the strongest supporters the
Governraent had in any city, both with men and
raoney, would alienate an aid in support of the
nation which he could little afford to lose, the
Secretary being finally convinced of our position,
issued the authorization.

1 88 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
Our proposition was ridiculed in the disloyal
newspapers, but we raised a regiraent, the Twen
tieth United States Regiment of colored troops,
of a thousand men, in fifteen days. We then de
termined to correct public opinion, and decided
that this regiraent of colored troops should march
through the streets of New York to embark, as a
vindication of the laws of the nation, and as show
ing to the people of the world that we had not
only put dovvn the rioting, but at the sarae tirae
had elevated the negroes. It was further deter
mined that we should still further popularize this
act by having the most distinguished woraen in
New York present to the regiment a suit of colors.
And perhaps no other regiment enUsted into the
service of the United States had such a magnifi
cent suit of colors as was presented by the ladies
of New York to the Twentieth Regiraent of
United States colored troops. Mrs. John Jacob
Astor was the chairman of the Coraraittee.
It vvas further deterrained that these troops
should land frora Randall's Island at the foot of
Twenty-sixth Street, on the East River, and
raarch through the very district where the mob

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 1S9
had been most violent during the draft riots, to
Union Square, in front of the club house, where
the colors were to be presented. We appHed to
every bandmaster in New York to furnish a band
to lead the regiment, and they all refused. We
then got an order from the United States Gov
ernment that the regular army band on Govern
or's Island should be sent for the purpose, and
this band came over. The negro regiraent had
raerely a drum corps of negro boys and a few
buglers. The band met the regiraent at the corner of
Twenty-sixth Street and Fourth Avenue. An
immense crowd was following them. The troops
were furnished with forty rounds of ammunition
and their guns were charged, and they had in
structions that if they were assaulted they were
immediately to shoot down all who opposed thera.
They marched to the point mentioned above, and
were halted there to raeet the band. It was a
very bad place to halt, as part of the troops were
in one street and part in another. The Colonel
recognized this fact and gave the order to raove.
The bandraaster asked what he should play.

190 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
" Play anything !" said the colonel, and the band
struck up some foreign air, and the black soldiers
started off and the march was continued without
mishap. When the presentation of colors was made in
front of the Union League Club-house, there was
a splendid display there of the very best element
of New York society. After the presentation the
troops started for the place of embarkation, with
350 merabers of the club marching in front of the
regiment. The enthusiasm was unbounded. Not
a word or sound was uttered or a gesture raade
but of praise and applause. The raarch was a
triumphant procession, and the enthusiasra was kept
up at a wonderful pitch all the way to the foot of
Canal Street, where the regiraent embarked on a
ship and went to Florida.
The club then raised two other colored regi
ments, until finally there was scarcely an able-
bodied negro of military age living in the State
of New York that had not been mustered into the
service of the United States.
Thus was the loyalty of New York City vindi-

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 19I
cated, and thereafter the loyal sentiment was
dominant until the close of the war.
In the fall of' 1863 General Wool was retired
frora the Array of the United States, under the
laws which governed the period of service. He
returned to his home at Troy, and died in the
year 1869. After his retireraent I left the service
finally, but continued in private life as an active
raeraber of the Union League Club, whose great
duty vvas to sustain the Governraent in every act
for maintaining the integrity of the nation.
The services of the club in this regard were
almost inestimable.
The origin of the organization of the Union
League Club was somewhat peculiar and signifi
cant. On the breaking out of the war, as has
been said, a large part of the influential senti
ment of the city, in business and finance, was either
disloyal or tiraid. The Union Club, which repre
sented more than any other similar organization
the social influence of the city, was also largely
doubtful or disloyaL

192 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
The late Judah P. Benjamin was a member of
the club, and imraediately after secession he be
carae the rebel Attorney-General, and later rebel
Secretary of War. His club dues lapsed through
his absence at the South, and three members of
the club, Mr. Samuel Barlow, Mr. WiUiam Tra
vers,. and Mr. Augustus Schell, paid his dues,
although this was a Union club and he a rebel in
arms against the United States. This act pro
duced great indignation in the minds of the loyal
men in the club. Mr. Alfred Craven, Chief En
gineer of the city, a Virginian by birth, was so
indignant at this act that he denounced it in un
measured terras. His action becarae known t(
these three gentlemen, and they resented it.
One day shortly afterward they were in the
general club-room, with a great many other mera
bers, and were naturally smarting under Mr.
Craven's criticisms, and were talking about the
matter, when they observed Mr. Craven walking
across Twenty-first Street, on his way to the club
house. They all three rushed out of the club
house and met hira in the street, saying :
" Mr. Craven, we hear you have spoken vvith

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. I93
great disrespect of us, in criticising our action in
paying Mr. Benjarain's club dues. We want an
explanation." " Gentleraen," said Mr. Craven, " we are in
the street here, but if I have said anything that is
not justifiable I will raake explanation if you will
walk with rae to the club."
They all walked into the general club-room,
where a great number of the members were as
sembled, everybody expecting a scene. Mr.
Craven said :
" Gentlemen, I have spoken of this raatter pub
licly, and if I have done wrong I raust raake an
apology publicly. What do you coraplain of ?"
¦ " You have criticised our having paid this
gentleman's dues," said one of the three gen
tlemen. '" Yes, sir," replied Mr. Craven ; " and I repeat
it again. He is a rebel in arras against the United
States, and this is a Union club. He never was
fit to have been a member of this club under any
conditions. He never was a gentleman. More
than that, he was a thief, and a dirty thief. I
was at school with hira. If any of you gentleraen

194 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
take exception to what I say I ara at your ser
yice." There was not any one of thera ready to take
exception ; but the raatter was taken up by sorae
seventy of- us, and we resigned frora the Union
' Club. We would not comproraise our self-respect
by any such association. From this incident
•ifeifefly resulted the forraation of the Union League
Club, which became the raost powerful volunteer
organization there was in this country. It.,had
ah influence for supplying the Government with
money and credit which no other organization
had. It was unstinted in its Joyal exertions. It
brought together the presidents of banks, trust
companies, and other financial institutions, who
rendered the Governraent and the Union cause
the greatest of service ; for there was a period
when the Governraent's funds and credit wanted
a great deal more recruiting than the army did.
These gentlemen took a broad view of the situa
tion, knowing that if the public credit was gone
private credit would soon go also, and they gave
the Government every support in its times of
greatest need. By their acts and influence, being

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. I95
the representatives of the moneyed powers of this
city, loans were made to the Government, and
what was done here gave credit and confidence to
the moneyed interests of the whole country.
The club never faltered in its <§VMt services,
the Governraent was never without its support,
and the amount of unselfish work done by its mem
bers was hardly to be estimated. It is that^iptMi
fact that has given the Union League Club such
^¦¦it influence, and deservedly so, in pubUc
affairs frora that time to this.

CHAPTER XVI.
AT LAKE CHAMPLAIN AND BURLINGTON.
On General Wool's retireraent I returned to
my place at Burlington, Vt., resuming there the
active raanageraent of the Champlain Transporta
tion Corapany. The terminals of the company
were Rouse's Point on the North and Whitehall
on the South.
The rebel government was exerting every pos
sible influence to obtain from England a recogni
tion of the independence of the seceded States.
Captain Wilkes, in command of the United States
steamer San Jacinto, had, late in the year 1861,
boarded an English passenger vessel, the steamer
Trent, and taken prisoners therefrom Messrs.
Slidell and Mason, diplomatic agents of the rebel
government on their way to England. This was
an utterly indefensible act, as it was this very
matter of the right of search, which Great Britain

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. I97
had practised upon our commerce, which led to
the War of 1812-15. The British Government
made a demand upon this nation for an apology,
for the restitution of the prisoners into English
custody, and for an inderanity, and to enforce
that deraand had sent a fleet upon our coasts,
and also quite a large force of the array into
Canada. The rebel government, presuming upon this
irritation on the part of Great Britain, managed
to send a few of their influential men to the city
of Montreal, where they were supported by a
number of desperate raen from the South already
harbored in that city, with the purpose of increas
ing this irritation between Great Britain and the
United States, and further compromising the
strained relations of the two countries, by raiding
our frontier towns and railroads frora Canada,
and with the further purpose of diverting soldiers
frora the array to the frontier. The Vermont
Central Railroad and the Ogdensburg Railroad,
with the Champlain Transportation Company,
organized a force of detectives to work in Mon-

198 REMINISCENCES OF "THE REBELLION.
treal and to keep us informed of the doings and
purposes of the rebels there.
The inforraation we received frora them was
laid before the Secretary of War, and he was
urged to detail a small force of United States
soldiers to the frontier to guard against the threat
ened invasion. This he declined to do, either
underrating our apprehension, or because thq
iraperative deraand at the front was so great that
he was not disposed to weaken our forces in the
presence of the eneray.
In the emergency I determined to arm the
crews of our boats, to establish man-o'-war dis
cipline on them, and to adopt such other measures
as would protect our towns from raids by this
lawless, rebel corabination. An attempt was
made to seize one of our boats, but on the raiders
finding that we were fully prepared to meet them
and to defend our property, they retreated back
beyond the Canadian lines. The following week
Bennet H. Young, with a force of about fifty men,
raided the town of St. Albans, Vt., robbing the
banks and intimidating the townspeople, and es
caped back to Canada unmolested.

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 199
This, with the exception of being identified with
the great Metropolitan Fair in New York City, as
one of the Executive Committee, was the last per
sonal public service that I rendered during the
rebellion.

CHAPTER XVIL
SOME OTHER REMINISCENCES AND PERSONAL
EPISODES.
In 1866 I was nominated for Congress by the
Republican Party in New York City, but declined
the nomination. On reassembling, the Conven
tion declared that while it might be assuraed that
an individual had such a right to decline, yet there
was a sovereign right in the people to insist on
making hira a candidate. The Eighth Congres
sional District, in which I was nominated to run
against Mr. James Brooks, was Deraocratic by an
average usual majority of about 12,000. But the
loyal electors wanted a candidate who had been
in the army, and I was supported with great cor
diality, and reduced the majority down to 5606.
From the New York Commercial Advertiser, 1885.
NEW YORK POLITICS.
It is the opinion of raany shrewd politicians of
both parties in the State of New York that if the

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 201
Republicans make a judicious selection of a stand
ard-bearer — one on whom the several wings and
factions can cordially unite — they can carry the
State, and restore it to the Republican ranks, this
fall. The naraes of possible nominees for Gov
ernor are beginning to be canvassed, and the im
portance of the issues at stake ought to, and we
trust will, compel the selection of the best man.
The New York Sun of Monday gives the follow
ing list of possible candidates : Hon. Frank His-
cock. General J. B. Carr, the Hon. James W.
Wadsworth, the Hon. S. S. Rogers, of Buffalo,
Mayor Low, of Brooklyn, and Colonel Le Grand B.
Cannon, of New York. Each gentleman is com
mended, but \he.Sun suggests that Mr. Rogers
cannot be nominated because he supported Mr.
Cleveland against Judge Folger, and Mr. Roose
velt, while " no slouch as a public man," will
" have to wait till his beard is longer." Of Col
onel Cannon, whora it calls the business man's
candidate, the Sun says :
" He resides in this city, and is variously en
gaged in railroads, in mining and raanufacturing
iron, and in other large enterprises. A protec-

202 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
tionist in poUtical econoray, he is one of the natu
ral leaders of his party, though, so far as we are
aware, he has never held any political office. His
railitary title was gained by actual service in the
Civil War, and his qualities of intellect and char
acter give hira a great deal of weight in political
as well as business affairs. He always votes the
straight Republican ticket. Though not a Blaine
man, his support of Blaine last year was unquali
fied and most efficient."
The Troy Times says :
" This is the first time we have seen Colonel
Cannon's narae mentioned in this connection, but
it may not be the last tirae. The Colonel is a
native of Troy, and has large business interests
here and in northern New York, as well as in the
metropolis. Colonel Cannon would raake a strong
candidate before the people, and a good governor
if elected, as we are not without hope the Repub
lican nominee, whosoever he may be, will be."
Colonel Cannon would undoubtedly make a
very strong candidate ; and we incline to the be
lief that he would carry the State, if it can be
carried this year by any Republican. He is a

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 203
man whose integrity, independence, patriotism,
public spirit, and executive capacity are beyond
dispute. He is widely known and as widely re
spected ; and he would make a clean, high-mind
ed, and able governor. Can our brother Repub
licans of the Erapire State do better than to place
his name at the head of their ticket ?
From the Malone Republican, 1885.
Among the men prominently named in connec
tion with the Republican nomination for Governor
of New York this fall is Colonel Le Grand B. Can
non, of New York. Such a choice would be one
of the wisest that could be made. Colonel Can
non earned his title in actual service. He is one
of the foremost business raen of the State. He is
a Republican always and with zeal for the cause.
A year ago he warraly favored the noraination of
Mr. Arthur and went to Chicago in his interest ;
but w-hen the convention decided against him he
never for one moment sulked. On the contrary,
he gave of his means, time, and influence in large
measure to promote the candidacy of Mr. Blaine.
In this view, it would be difficult to find a raan

204 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
less likely than he to excite factional aniraosities,
while as a business raan he would coraraand a
large and earnest support throughout the State.
He is interested in great mining industries in this
section, which would raake him especially strong
as a candidate in the northern counties. As the
canvass develops, sorae other choice raay seem
preferable to that of Colonel Cannon, but at this
date it would be hard to name a man in whom
more elements of strength are united than he pos
sesses. ON THE VIENNA EXHIBITION COMMISSION. •
In the year 1872, when the great International
Exposition of Vienna was held, I was in Europe
with my family. The Commission appointed by
the United States Government to have charge of
the interests of this country in that Exposition
was raost unfortunate in its make-up. Its mera
bers were thoroughly incompetent for the posi
tions they held, and their doings were attended
with a great deal of disgraceful scandal. So seri
ous did the condition of affairs become that Mr.
John Jay, our Minister to Austria, was ordered

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 205
by the Government to make a careful inquiry into
the acts and general condition of this Comraission.
This was done through a Coramission of Investi
gation. The evidence of incompetence and of
dishonesty was so conspicuous, that it would have
been a national disgrace if it had been perraitted
to continue, or even if it became public. I was at
the time in Rome, spending the winter there with
ray faraily.
I knew Mr. Jay intiraately, and he repeatedly
urged rae by letter to come to Vienna. Finally,
on his continued solicitation, I went there. On
my arrival he showed rae, in confidence, the con
dition of affairs, and urged upon me, as a matter
of duty to the country, that I should consent to
take the office of Chief Commissioner. Feeling
that the duties involved in conducting a great de
partment charged with exhibiting the evidences
of our national industries, which were very nu
merous and very great, and especially with the
system of the Coramission utterly disorganized,
would be a duty which I was incompetent to dis
charge ; and knowing, also, that it would involve
my giving up, with my family, nearly a year of

206 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
my time, and my health being impaired, too,
I utterly refused to accept the office. Eventually,
however, as the time for opening the Exhibition
was near at hand, and realizing the national dis
grace which would attach to our appearing before
the world with so demoralized an organization,
I consented to becorae Chief Provisional Coramis
sioner provided I could narae ray associates.
Mr. Theodore Roosevelt, Mr. WiUiara H. As
pinwall, and Mr. Spang, of Pittsburgh, consented
to serve with rae as teraporary Coraraissioners,
and the Government at Washington immediately,
by cable, removed the Coraraissioners, and we
took possession of all Araerican affairs in connec
tion with the Exposition. So demoralized was
the Coramission in every respect, that we found
it necessary to dismiss all the clerks who had been
in its eraploy, and to obtain a considerable num
ber of German and English clerks in whom we
had confidence, to carry on the operations of the
departraent. Even then, so brief was the period
between our assuraing office and the opening of
the Exposition, that we decided to inform the
Imperial Government that, on account of being

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 207
the most distant nation, the Araerican Depart
raent was not sufficiently completed to open on
the appointed opening day, and it was not opened
until some tirae after the formal opening of the
Exposition. We remained at Vienna for a raonth or six
weeks, performing a raost arduous duty under
raost embarrassing circurastances, and finally suc
ceeded in getting the departraent into fair work
ing condition, when the Government, at our solici
tation, relieved us by the appointment of Mr.
Jackson S. Schultz as Chief Commissioner, in
which office he continued, conducting the depart
ment to the close of the Exposition with ability
and honor and credit.
This was my last public service.
THE CHAMPLAIN TRANSPORTATION COMPANY.
In the year 1854 occurred the failure of R. &
G. L. Schuyler, who constructed and controlled
the Saratoga and Washington Railroad, and the
consequent insolvency of that corporation by
going into receivership. I was the holder of
quite an amount of the second mortgage bonds,

2o8 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
and a foreclosure suit was instituted which re
sulted in the sale of the road and its reorganiza
tion under the title of the Saratoga and Whitehall
Railroad Company, the second mortgage bonds
being represented in the reorganization as stock.
Mr. J. Phillips Phoenix, of this city, and myself were
constituted a Coraraittee by the bondholders to
conduct the foreclosure and reorganization, and
to buy the property under the decree of foreclo
sure. This resulted in the corapany being re
organized and the management delegated to
me. The connection of this company on the Nort'
at Whitehall, was with the Champlain Transp
tation Company, controlled by the late Dani^^L
Drew and his associates. Their passenger and
freight tariff was excessive, and the service of the
line was indifferent. These conditions seriously
affected the railroad company's business. After
repeated protests, without result, it was deter
mined by rayself and associates to build a cora
peting boat on the lake. This resulted in Mr.
Drew and his associates selling to me and my
associates a controlling interest in the steamboat

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 209
company, which for raany years had not been
profitable. On ray assuming the management, incompetent
and irresponsible officers were removed, the traffic
rates reduced, and the steward's department im
proved. As a result, public patronage was stead
ily diverted from the Rutland Railroad Company
to this line, and from that day forward it becarae
a most profitable property. For thirty-eight
years its average dividends, made upon the stock,
have been 15 per cent per annum, and a surplus
has been accumulated of over 170 per cent on the
capital stock to this day.
/isiting Burlington in the year 1856, to exam
ine the property of the steamboat company thus
purchased, I was greatly impressed with the
beauty and attractiveness of the country, with
the ~ grand panorama of lake and valley and
mountains, and with the sterling qualities of the
people, which resulted in ray purchasing a prop
erty on the heights of the city for a summer home.
I rented a furnished house, near the college, in
1857-58, meanwhile building on and improving

2IO REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
the purchase. In 1859 I occupied my house,
" Overlake," which for so many years since I have
so much enjoyed, and which I am conscious
prolonged for many years the life of ray dear
wife. The cliraate of Burlington, indeed of the whole
of the Champlain Valley, is dry, invigorating,
free from malarious disease, and equable. The
region thereabout is favored with a longer ex
eraption from frost than is that of the Hudson
River, which is proven by the great fruit produc
tion of the region. Joined with aU this, the in
teUigent, sturdy qualities of the people of Ver
raont, and the great loyalty and honesty and
frugality of the manageraent of public affairs,
render it a most desirable and deUghtful home.
JOHN brown's farm AND GRAVE.
In the year 1872 Miss Kate Field, being in' the
Adirondack region, visited the grave of John
Brown, at North Elba. She found but one mem
ber of John Brown's family, a son-in-law, living
there, and he was desirous of moving to the West
to join the remaining raembers of the family, and

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 211
wished to sell the farm on which the grave is
located. Miss Field was deeply impressed with
the circurastances and the condition of affairs, and
carae to the city of New York and induced several
patriotic raen to contribute to a fund for the pur
pose of purchasing this property and preserving
it. Twenty subscribers, of whora I was one,
raade up the necessary amount, and the farm was
bought, the object being to protect the grave and
perpetuate the raemory of the famous martyr to
liberty. The property was purchased, and to this
year, 1895, was held- lay»»tbie-«-original subscribers
or their heirs, one half of the original subscribers
being now dead.
Appreciating the hazard of possible complica
tions that might arise in reference to the owner
ship of the property, and with a desire to ensure
the carrying out, in the best possible way, of the
intentions of the gentlemen who bought it. Miss
Field and myself took steps early in the year 1895
to secure the consent of all those interested in the
ownership to donate the farm to the State of New
York, for a public possession. This was done,
with a limitation in the deed of gift that the prop-

212 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
erty shall never be aUenated or encumbered, but
that the grave shall be preserved, and that an en
during tablet be erected near it bearing the names
of the donors.
This property at North Elba contains about
250 acres, and will become part of the great
Adirondack Park. Thus will the purpose of the
patriotic purchasers of the property be ensured,
and the place itself be an enduring monument to
the memory of the rugged, heroic raan whose
narae is one of the greatest and brightest in the
history of America «MriMliHHVBU.
Various Incidents Retold.
From the Burlington Free Press.
THE DIFFERENCE.
It is frequently said that "true hospitahty is
found alone among the Chivalry." This was
once supposed to mean something, and had many
believers. But since the war there have been
grave doubts as to the correctness of this state
ment. We do not propose to go deeply into the
subject, but note an instance of the difference

reminiscences of the REBELLION. 21 3
between the " cold-blooded Northerner" and the
" hospitable Southern gentleman."
During the winter of 1861-62 and the following
spring, the rebels had about 10,000 Union pris
oners confined in loathsome jails or noisome dun
geons. Ragged and hungry and sick, they were
ever thinking of home and friends. Letters were
truly like angels' visits. All at once they were
cut off from receiving them by an order requiring
the postage in all cases where letters came to or from
prisoners of war to be paid in advance with coin.
Thousands of letters were detained at Norfolk,
by the express order of the rebel Postmaster-General,
because they contained no silver five-cent pieces to
pay the postage. The prisoners heard of this and
reraonstrated, but all in vain. For nearly three
months they were deprived of all correspondence
with home ; then letters which had been kept at
Norfolk for months were forwarded, and thou
sands were deUvered to the anxious and home-sick
prisoners. " How was it brought about?" was
the anxious inquiry of all. They were told that
the "rebel government had paid the postage."
It had a profound effect. But unfortunately for

214 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
the good opinion of the rebel leaders, General
Huger, the rebel comraander at Norfolk, had the
honor to write General Wilcox, then a prisoner,
regretting the long delay of our letters, and stat
ing: that to the kind offices of Colonel Le Grand
B. Cannon, of General Wool's staff, we were in
debted for them at that time. It appeared that
Colonel Cannon, on learning that the prisoners'
letters were detained for want of silver enclosed,
the requirement of which was not then under
stood at the North, went over to Norfolk with a
flag of truce, found out that the difficulty was the
want of a few hundred dollars in silver by the
rebel Postraaster-General, paid the raoney out of
his own pocket, and gladdened the hearts of the
prisoners with news from home.
What makes the contrast still more marked is
the fact that, while the re'oel officers knew it was
a Northern man who had out of his own private
purse paid the demand of the rebel government,
they were wilUng to accept from the prisoners
their gratitude for what they had never done, and
to rob them further on the strength of it. With
the natural modesty of the true gentleman, the

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 215
Northern man never even mentioned the matter,
so that to this day few of our officers and men
know to whose efforts and kindness they owe the
change in the rebel mail arrangements. And this
is probably the first time the fact was ever made
public. From the Troy Times.
" The New York Commercial says Le Grand B.
Cannon, who is mentioned in connection with the
nomination for Governor, is a small man physi
caUy, but it is not stated whether he is a small
bore." — New York World.
Colonel Le Grand B.Cannon, we believe, is a na
tive of Troy — at all events he resided here for
raany years, and has nuraerous friends and rela
tives here. His father was the founder of the iron-
rolling mills in this city, and built the Cannon
Place block, which bears his name. He was a
leading citizen in Troy, and prominently con
nected with some of its heaviest business enter
prises. Colonel Cannon is a director of the Dela
ware and Hudson Canal Company, and is wealthy.
He derives his title of Colonel from having served

2l6 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
on General Wool's staff during the late vvar, when
that officer was in coraraand at Fortress Monroe.
Colonel Cannon has an elegant summer residence
at Burlington, Vt., and is interested in steamers
on Lake Champlain and in railroads in that State
and in northern New York. He is a prominent
meraber of the Union League Club, and took an
active part in the election of WiUiara M. Evarts
to the United States Senate. He has been an
active Republican since he left the old Whig
Party, and is a raan of integrity, character, en
ergy, and brains, and would fill the bill for Gov
ernor with great acceptability to the pubUc. He
has excellent capacities for the place, and his nomi
nation would be popular, and a strong one.
From the New York Tribune.
Le Grand B. Cannon is frequently talked about
as an available Republican candidate for Gov
ernor. He would have the Union League solidly
at his back. I heard the other day a story of one
of Colonel Cannon's war experiences, in which the
late William E. Dodge was a figure. He was
chief of staff for General Wool at the outbreak of

REMINLSCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 217
the war, and did as rauch as^any other one raan in
New York to secure the equipraent and despatch
of troops to the seat of war. On Sunday, April
28th, 1861, a little over a week after the assault by
the Baltiraore mob on the Massachusetts Sixth,
Colonel Cannon went to the house of a friend in
Fifth Avenue to state an urgent case to him. In
substance he said to hira : " You are well ac
quainted with Williara E. Dodge — his intiraate
friend. Our great need here is arms for our
troops. I h,ave found in Canada 25,000 stand of
arms, which we can get as a loan if we give an
indemnity bond for their return or that they will
be paid for. I can get all the signers I want if
Mr. Dodge will sign it. I know he would sign it
on Monday. But I know how strict he is about
Sunday. Yet the raatter is urgent. If I can get
the bond ready to-night, I can have the arms here
in three days." The friend undertook to go with
him to Mr. Dodge. The Colonel stated his case
there as eloquently as before, and Mr. Dodge
turned to his desk and signed the bond, saying as
he did so : " I do not see how I could do a better
deed on Sunday."

2l8 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
From the New York Tribune.
People who raeet Colonel Le Grand B. Cannon
on the street or in his business office, casually, do
not becorae familiar with the jolly, sociable nature
under that dignified exterior. He is a man of
perhaps nearly the allotted threescore and ten,
rather below the raediura stature, with delicately
outHned and neatly trimmed gray side-whiskers.
Although he wears a serious countenance he is
fond of social gatherings where moderation is the
rule, and makes himself as entertaining with the
young raerabers as with those nearer his own age.
He can raake an interesting after-dinner speech,
and has a fund of stories always on hand to enter
tain and enliven his listeners. It is especiaUy
among his soldier companions that Colonel Can
non is always chatty, and he delights to grasp the
hands of his old comrades of the Civil War. It is
only recently that he joined the Military Order of
the Loyal Legion, and at the last meeting he re
lated the following incident of the Fenian uprising.
General Sweeney commanded the Fenian army
that crossed the Canadian border. United States

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 219
Marshal Foster, of Verraont, captured General
Sweeney and dispersed the array. Foster was
Colonel of one of the Vermont regiraents in the
war, and was proraoted to be a Brigadier-Gen
eral. He vvas a Titan in stature and strength, but
was modest, quiet, and singularly engaging. Yet
he was full of resources, and evidently had a con
tempt for the Fenian raiders. He followed their
forces to the Canadian border, and reached the
field after they had engaged the Canadian troops.
He quietly entered their Unes, picked up General
Sweeney, put him into a carriage he had ready at
hand, and then drove to St. Albans, with the army
following their prisoner comraander. Perhaps
this is the first and only instance on record of an
entire array being captured by a civil officer.
Generals Meade and McDowell, who arrived the
day after the affair, declared that this was the
boldest instance of grand strategy on record.
From the New York Sun, April 11, 1885.
The Union League Club coraes squarely up to
the mark, avowing itself to be what it is, a thor
oughgoing RepubHcan organization. This is a

220 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
sincere and manly expression, and we congratu
late the club on having made it. More than all,
we congratulate Colonel Le Grand B. Cannon on
his carrying through such a declaration. The
Republican Party owes a great deal to Colonel
Cannon, but he has rarely rendered it a greater
service than in this instance. A brave, accom
plished, earnest, and most intelligent and fearless
gentleman, such a leader is of priceless value to
his party. Would there were many such, Derao
crats as well as Republicans ! The country would
be the gainer, no matter in which party they
might predominate.

CHAPTER XVIII.
IN CONCLUSION.
From earliest manhood I have taken an active
interest in business, and especially in pubUc affairs,
recognizing that the theory of republican govern
ment assuraes that every citizen shall be a politi
cian, and shall take an interest in public affairs.
A member of the Whig Party from its organiza
tion, I was afterward, and have ever since been,
associated with the RepubUcan Party, whose car
dinal principles are a protective policy designed
to develop our resources, a stable currency, and
a uniform standard of value. The enduring rec
ord of the Republican Party will be its subduing
the Rebellion, and its able administration of pub
lic affairs for thirty successive years, in restoring
harmony, elevating the public credit to a higher
standard than enjoyed by any other nation, and
the development of our industries by protective
duties, all of which have ensured general national

222 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
prosperity, and by which we are the largest pro
ducing and wealthiest nation on earth. But such
a result could only have been achieved by the
people electing to legislative and executive office
raen of highest intelligence, thoroughly national,
and in all their legislation governed by practical
views and not by the unstable theories of a school
of political adventurers, vvho assert that political
econoray is an exact science and can be success
fully applied to all nations and to all conditions of
business in national life.
I especially desire to irapress on my family that
society divides itself practically on the same lines
under any system of governraent, be it imperial,
monarchical, or republican. People of property,
business ability, progress, the educated, reHgious
and law-abiding, on one side ; and the ignorant,
poor, lawless, agitators and revolutionists on the
other. The latter have had temporary successes,
as they vvill have in the future ; but intelligence
and property will assert theraselves in the end,
and not infrequently, perhaps, by curtaiUng per
sonal rights in governraent.
The decline and decay of nations has been the

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 223
result of excessive individual wealth, and its abuse
in leading to luxury, selfishness, frivolity, and de
bauchery, to the exclusive gratification of private
pleasure and the neglect of public duty, which
justly produces irritation with the raasses, and
leads in the end to violent resistance to lawful
authority. It raay be safely assuraed that all un
just legislation and perversions of law, all the cor
ruption, all the tyranny and brigandage of the
police in our city, and the venality of our courts,
has been the outgrowth of the neglect and indiffer
ence of the better class of our people of their pub
lic, political duties, of a selfish and almost crim- •
inal neglect of attendance at political meetings
and the poU^. Only when their liberty, prop
erty, and lives are threatened by widespread cor
ruption are they aroused. Then they find it no
easy matter to drive out the villains they have
perraitted to govern them.
Tt should be remembered that it is a sovereign
duty to serve the country, in war or peace, and
that under a repubHc individual responsibility is
paramount, and is measured only by opportuni
ties. If his duties are faithfully discharged the

224 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
individual is respected and his influence is large,
and society is comparatively safe. I hope, there
fore, that these truths will be remerabered and
practised by my family. I would especially ira
press upon them that the disturbing elements of
society are at this very time seriously agitating
the nations of the earth, and therefore the duty,
the sovereign duty of every thoughtful person,
more especially in a republic, never to forget or
neglect his public political duties as a citizen, is
emphatic and vital.
I hope these important truths will be reraera
bered and practised by my family. It is most
coraraendable by honest means to secure prop
erty, but it should not be forgotten that there is
more satisfaction in the acquisition of wealth than
in its possession. Comraercial success with not a
few begets an arabition for social recognition, not
by any raeans difficult of attainraent in the present
low tone of fashionable society, which fails to dis
criminate between notoriety and reputation. All
such low views and aims I desire my family
and friends to guard against and to spurn, re-

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 225
membering that self-respect is a valuable posses
sion. I further desire especially to reraind ray faraily
that, following the habits of ray ancestors, I have
always been active in business Hfe, principally, in
my day, in corporations as director or raanager.
This disposition to active work in the affairs of
the world I inherited from my ancestors, who for
two centuries and a half have been prominent in
business life, and who have been uniformly suc
cessful, there never having been an instance of
failure or insolvency in their history from gener
ation to generation ; a result which could only
have been accomplished by prudence and econ
omy, and particularly by always keeping their
personal expenditure within their earnings and
income. Knowing that with the most inteUigent
sagacity in investment the personal Securities of
the highest credit of one year may become worth
less, by a change of conditions, in the course of a
few succeeding years, the only safety for ensuring
such results is that annually a surplus should be
accuraulated from the incorae to raeet the possible

226 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
contingencies of investment in the future. This
experience is universal, and recognizing the fact
that the necessary expenses of an increasing and
growing faraily increase measurably with the age
and condition of its merabers, the only possible
safety for the future is that the personal expenses
of a family shall always be within the annual in
corae. By following this rule inflexibly, disaster
cannot overtake a faraily.
The philosophy of life' is governed by rules
which cannot be violated with impunity. Being
endowed with a fair average of health, it is of the
first importance that the mind and body should
be employed in sorae active work, and that work
should be relieved by rest and by diversion, in
the direction of healthful exercise or social enjoy
raent, above all with one's own family. Home
should be the centre of Hfe.
To keep up with the progress of the age, it is
important to find one's associations with the
younger generation. To keep young one must
keep with the young. I have as far as possible

REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION. 227
avoided old fogies, and found my pleasures with
my juniors. There is a double compensation in
this. Youth has a natural respect for its seniors,
which serves to temper youthful impulses and ex
travagancies ; and age is freshened by the associ
ations of youth.
Live as far as possible a natural life ; rise early
and go to bed early — don't turn day into night
and night into day ; thus you will preserve diges
tion and the nervous system, secure health, and
prolong life. Don't cultivate disease by imagin
ing that you are afflicted with a succession of ail
ments. Disease can be cultivated by the imagina
tion about as readily as flowers can by glass and
water. Beat disease by the will rather than by
the apothecary. Don't have tirae to be sick.
Statistics prove that only five per cent of the ills of
life are averted by the doctor. The doctor is
more a luxury than a necessity. The laboratory
and the microscope are discovering the origin of
disease, and how to prevent it. A venerable Ger
man physician, in active practice in his hundred
and second year, being asked what rules of health

228 REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION.
he had practised, repHed that he had violated
every rule of health that he had ever heard of.
In other words, he had never cultivated disease.
In short, be brave and not a coward. Life is of
little value if one is in constant apprehension that
it is threatened.