The papers this morning confirm the news of Nelson's death.
He died as the fool dieth. How sad! His early services to the Union cause in
Kentucky — his generous and manly nature—his fine talents and great energy — compelled
my admiration and esteem; while his cruelty and passion and tyranny, especially
when excited by drink, often excited my indignation. Nothing from any quarter
of much importance in a military point of view.
Genl. Garfield, at breakfast, related this: When Genl. Buell's
army was on the march to Nashville, a regiment passed in front of the house of
Genl. Pillow's brother, where was a spring of good water and a little stream
issuing from it. As the soldiers quenched their thirst and filled their
canteens and watered their horses at the stream, Pillow came out and cursed the
men, forbidding them to take water and saying that if he were younger he would
fight against the Yankees until the last man of them was killed or driven home.
A Lieutenant commanding the Company then having expostulated with him without
effect and finding the army likely to be delayed by his interference, directed
him to be put under arrest, and sent him to the Colonel. It happened that this
Colonel was an admirer of Miss Stevenson — a young lady of Nashville, a niece
of Pillow and a violent Secessionist — and had been in the habit of sending the
Regimental Band to serenade her with “Dixie” and the like, not playing any
National airs. As soon as he understood who Pillow was, therefore, he
discharged him from arrest and apologized for it; and at the same time arrested
the young Lieutenant. Pillow returned to his house, mounted his horse and rode
to Genl. Buell's Headquarters and complained that a slave of his had escaped
and was somewhere in the army. Buell gave him leave to hunt for him and with this
warrant he rode where he pleased. After fully satisfying himself he went on to
Corinth and gave Beauregard a full account of Buell's force and rate of
advance. This information led to an attack on Grant's division, which
Beauregard hoped to destroy before Buell should come—and he almost succeeded in
doing it.
At Department received a note from Seward, with memorandum
by Stuart, Acting British Minister, of conversations with Seward about cotton.
From this memorandum, it appears that Butler's order of August, authorizing
free purchases even from Slidell, and Grant's order annulling Sherman's
prohibition of payments in Gold, were, if not motived by Seward, fully approved
by him and made the basis of assurances that no hindrance to purchase and
payment on cotton for rebels would be interposed by this government.
Afterwards, or about the time of these orders, Seward proposed the same policy
of substantially unrestricted purchase for money, to me; and I was at first, in
view of the importance of a supply of cotton, inclined to adopt it; but
reflection and information from Special Agents in the Mississippi Valley
changed my views. The subject was also brought up in Cabinet, and Seward
proposed liberty to purchase 500,000 bales. Stanton and I opposed this, and the
President sided with us and the subject was dropped. I then proposed to frame
Regulations for trade to and from Insurrectionary Districts, in which was
included prohibitions of payments in gold.
To this prohibition Stuart now objects as in contravention to
Seward's assurances connected with Butler's and Grant's orders.
After considering the whole subject, I addressed a letter to
Seward declining to change the existing Regulation as to payments in gold.
Received letter from himself, stating difficulty between
himself and Agent Gallagher as to Confiscation. — Mellen thinking that
antecedents of cotton, as to liability to confiscation in prior hands and
notice to present holders, should not be investigated; Gallagher contra. Wrote
Mellen that his view is approved — thinking this may relieve Seward.
SOURCE: Annual Report of the American Historical
Association for the Year 1902, Vol. 2, p. 98-100
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