At Dr. Payne's in
morning — sermon excellent. Home in afternoon. In the evening went to War
Department about expedition to Charleston; my idea being to have New York
regiments sent to Louisville, and Mitchell's and Garfield's brigades withdrawn
thence and sent to Port Royal with Garfield when an immediate attack should be
made on Charleston which would be sure to fall. Did not find Stanton at
Department. Went to Halleck's and found him there. Had some general talk. Was
informed by Halleck that the enemy was moving to Martinsburgh. “How
many?” — “150.000” — “How many has
McClellan?” — “About 100.000.” “Where Pennsylvania troops, said to have joined
him though raised only for emergency?” “All gone back.” — Had talk about draft.
He showed me a letter to Gamble, insisting that all officers of drafted militia
above Regimental should be appointed by the President. I expressed the opinion
that the principal of drafting Militia was erroneous — that the law should have
provided for drafting from the people an army of the United States. He agreed. —
I asked him his opinion of McClernand. He said he is brave and able but no
disciplinarian; that his camp was always full of disorder; that at Corinth he
pitched his tents where his men had been buried just below ground, and with
dead horses lying all around. The cause of the evil was that his officers and
men were his constituents.
Leaving Halleck,
Stanton and I rode together to Columbia College and back to his house. I stated
my wish concerning the two brigades and Charleston. He said nothing could be
done. The New York Regiments must go to McClellan, who absorbs and is likely to
absorb everything and do nothing. At Stanton's, saw for the first time Genl.
Harney, who mentioned several circumstances to show Frank Blair's misconduct in
Missouri matters. He said it was not necessary to fire a gun to keep Missouri
in the Union. I thought him certainly mistaken.
SOURCE: Annual
Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1902, Vol.
2, p. 97-8
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