Diary of Edward Bates, December 31, 1861 – Second Entry

Since last date the weather has been and is remarkably fine. Mr. Eads⁶⁷ has been here, bringing his wife, Miss Genevieve and little Mattie — He has returned, by way of N.[ew] Y.[ork] to St Louis (leaving Genevieve with us, untill [sic] his return again in a few weeks)[.] He was sadly disappointed about gitting [sic] money, and went away in no good humor with Q.[uarter] M.[aster] G[eneral] Meigs.⁶⁸ I hope it will be all right soon.

I think he has made a very favorable impression upon the Navy Dept, especially with Mr. Fox,⁶⁹ asst. Sect: He will probably contract for the building of 4 of the 20 iron ships ordered for the Navy, at $500,000 a piece — perhaps a little more.⁷⁰

Mr. Gibson⁷¹ shewed me to day a letter from Gov Gamble⁷² in very low spirits — Genl Halleck⁷³ rules out the malitia [sic]. The goods sent from here—those clothes and blanketts [sic] —expressly for Gambles malitia [sic] are taken and transfer[r]ed to other troops, this is too bad.

< [Note.] Jany 3 Mr. Gibson read me another letter from Gov Gamble in much better spirits. He thinks, in the main that Halleck is doing very well[.>]

Genl McClellan and his chief of staff, Genl Marcey [sic], are both very sick — Said to be typhoid fever — and this is making much difficulty.

The Genl: it seems, is very reticent. Nobody knows his plans. The Sec of war and the President himself are kept in ignorance of the actual condition of the army and the intended movements of the General — if indeed they intend to move at all — In fact the whole administration is lamentably deficient in the lack of unity and coaction[.] There is no quarrell [sic] among us, but an absalute [sic] want of community of intelligence, purpose and action.

In truth, it is not an administration but the separate and disjointed action of seven independent officers, each one ignorant of what his colle[a]gues are doing.

To day in council, Mr. Chase stated the condition of things in sorrowful plainness; and then, as usual, we had a “bald, disjointed chat” about it, coming to no conclusion.

It seemed as if all military operations were to stop, just because Genl McClellan is sick! Some proposed that there should be a council of war composed of Maj: Genls, in order that somebody besides the Genl in chief, may know something about the army; and be able to take command in case Genl McC[lellan] should die or continue sick.

I differed, and told the President that he was commander in chief, and that it was not his privilege but his duty to command; and that implied the necessity to know the true condition of things.

That if I was in his place, I would know; and if things were not done to my liking, I would order them otherwise. That I believed he could get along easier and much better by the free use of his power, than by this injurious deference to his subordinates [.]

I said, the Sec of War is but the Adjutant Genl. and the Sec of the Navy the Admiral of the commander in chief, and through them, he ought to know all that is necessary to be known about the army and Navy. And I urged upon him (as often heretofore) the propriety of detailing at least two active and skillful officers to act as his aid[e]s, to write and carry his orders, collect his information, keep his military books and papers, and do his bidding generally in military affairs.

But I fear that I spoke in vain. The Prest. is an excellent man, and, in the main wise; but he lacks will and purpose, and, I greatly fear he, has not the power to command.

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⁶⁷ Supra, Jan. 28, 1860, note 38.

⁶⁸ Montgomery C. Meigs : West Point graduate of 1836 ; officer in the Artillery and Engineering Corps ever since; commander of the expedition to Fort Pickens which had saved that fort; quartermaster-general with the rank of brigadier-general, 1861-1882.

⁶⁹ Supra, March 9, 1861, note 40.

⁷⁰ He did actually contract for seven armor-plated gunboats of 600 tons each to be finished in sixty-five days. He and Mr. Bates had suggested these gunboats for the Mississippi, and, before the War ended, he had built fourteen armored gunboats, seven “tin-clad” transports, and four heavy mortar boats, and had added several new ordnance Inventions of his own to them.

⁷¹ Supra, April 27, 1859, note 27.

⁷² Supra, July 23, 1859, note 39.

⁷³ Supra, Nov. 13, 1861, note 37.

SOURCE: Howard K. Beale, Editor, The Diary of Edward Bates, published in The Annual Report Of The American Historical Association For The Year 1930 Volume 4, p. 219-20