At Department as usual. The President sent for me to meet
the Secretary of War. Found he had nothing to talk about except the supply of
an additional sum to Gov. Gamble, of Missouri, to be used in defending the
State against invasion and guerillaism. Agreed to confer with the Secretary of
War on the subject. Enquired as to progress of the War. No information, and
nothing satisfactory as to what is to be expected. Coming out Stanton told me
that McClellan wants bridges built across the Potomac and Shenandoah, as
preliminaries to movement; to which Halleck wont consent. Dan helps Zeke doing
nothing.1
Delighted this morning by news of Gen. Wadsworth's
nomination for Governor of New York, on the first ballot.
In the afternoon, went with Garfield to see Hooker, who was
very free in his expressions about McClellan. He said it was not true that
either the army or the officers were specially attached to him; that only two
corps, whose commanders were special favorites and whose troops had special
indulgences, could be said to care anything about him; that other officers — he
himself certainly — thought him not fit to lead a great army; that he is timid
and hesitating when decision is necessary; that the battle of Antietam was near
being lost by his way of fighting it, whereas, had the attack been simultaneous
and vigorous on the enemy's right, center and left, the rout would have been
complete; that our force in the battle exceeded the enemy's by 30,000 men, and
that the defeat of the enemy should have been final. He said also, that when
Pope had drawn off a large part of the rebel force from Richmond and orders
came to McClellan to withdraw, he urged him to give, on the contrary, orders
for advance; that the orders were actually given and then revoked, much to his
chagrin. This recalled to my mind a conversation with Gen. Halleck at that
time. I said to him, that it seemed to me our people could now certainly take
Richmond by a vigorous push, as Pope had 60,000 of the rebels before him, and
at least half of the remaining 60,000 were south of the James, leaving only 30,000
with the fortifications on the north side; to which Gen. Halleck replied, that
it was too dangerous an undertaking. I said, “If this cannot be done, why not
return to Fredericksburgh, leaving Richmond on the left?” “This,” he said, “would
be quite as dangerous — a flank movement, in which our army would be exposed to
being cut off and totally lost.” Gen. Hooker said that the movement I suggested
could have been executed with safety and success. He said, also, that he was
somewhat reconciled to leaving the Peninsula by being told that it was a plan
for getting rid of McClellan, and the only one which it was thought safe to
adopt. This he thought so essential, that anything necessary to it was to be
accepted.
Returning from Gen. Hooker's, as well as going, Gen.
Garfield gave me some very interesting portions of his own experience. This
fine officer was a laborer on a canal in his younger days. Inspired by a noble
ambition, he had availed himself of all means to acquire knowledge — became a
Preacher of the Baptist Church — was made the President of a flourishing
Literary Institution on the Reserve — was elected to the Ohio Senate, and took
a conspicuous part as a Republican leader. On the breaking out of the War he
became a Colonel — led his regiment into Eastern Kentucky — fought Humphrey
Marshall near Prestonburgh — gained position rapidly — was made at my instance,
a Brigadier — fought under Buell at Shiloh — and was now in Washington by
direction of the Secretary of War, who proposes to give him the Department of
Florida. A large portion of his regiment, he said, was composed of students
from his college.
Went to Seward's to dinner, where I met the Marquis of
Cavendish, and his brother, Col. Leslie of the British Army; Mr. Stuart and Mr.
Kennedy of the British Legation; Genl. Banks, and Mr. Everett. Gen. Banks
earnest against more separation of forces until the rebel army is crushed.
Home. Found there Genl. and Mrs. McDowell. Soon after, Capt.
and Mrs. Loomis came in. Could not help the Captain who wished to be
Quartermaster of Genl. Sigel's Corps.
To bed tired and unwell
________________
1 A reference to the familiar story of Daniel Webster's
boyhood.
SOURCE: Annual Report of the American Historical
Association for the Year 1902, Vol. 2, p. 94-6
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