Saturday morning, the 30th of August, I rode out into the
country and turned in at the Soldiers' Home. The President’s horse was standing
by the door, and in a moment the President appeared, and we rode into town
together.
We talked about the state of things by Bull Run and Pope’s
prospect. The President was very outspoken in regard to McClellan’s present conduct.
He said that it really seemed to him McC. wanted Pope defeated. He mentioned to
me a despatch of McC.s in which he proposed, as one plan of action,
to “leave Pope to get out of his own scrape and devote ourselves to securing
Washington.” He spoke also of McC’s dreadful panic in the matter of Chain Bridge,
which he had ordered blown up the night before, but which order had been
countermanded; and also of his incomprehensible interference with Franklin’s
Corps which he recalled once, and then, when they had been sent ahead by
Halleck’s order, begged permission to recall them again; and only desisted
after Halleck’s sharp injunction to push them ahead till they whipped
something, or got whipped themselves. The President seemed to think him a
little crazy. Envy, jealousy and spite are probably a better explanation of his
present conduct. He is constantly sending despatches to the President and Halleck
asking what is his real position and command. He acts as chief alarmist and
grand marplot of the army.
The President, on my asking if Halleck had any prejudices,
rejoined: — “No! Halleck is wholly for the service. He does not care who
succeeds or who fails, so the service is benefited.”
Later in the day we were in Halleck’s room. Halleck was at
dinner and Stanton came in while we were waiting for him, and carried us off to
dinner. A pleasant little dinner and a pretty wife as white and cold and
motionless as marble, whose rare smiles seemed to pain her. Stanton was loud
about the McC. business. He was unqualifiedly severe upon McClellan. He said
that after these battles there should be one court-martial, if never any more.
He said that nothing but foul play could lose us this battle, and that it
rested with McC. and his friends. Stanton seemed to believe very strongly in
Pope. So did the President, for that matter. We went back to the Headquarters
and found General Halleck. He seemed quiet and somewhat confident. He said the
greatest battle of the century was now being fought. He said he had sent every
man that could go to the field. At the War Department we found that Mr
Stanton had sent a vast army of volunteer nurses out to the field, probably
utterly useless, over which he gave Genl Wadsworth command.
Everything seemed to be going well and hilarious on
Saturday, and we went to bed expecting glad tidings at sunrise. But about eight
o'clock the President came to my room as I was dressing, and calling me out,
said: — “Well, John, we are whipped again, I am afraid. The enemy reinforced on
Pope and drove back his left wing, and he has retired to Centreville where he says
he will be able to hold his men. I don't like that expression. I don't like to
hear him admit that his men need holding.”
After awhile, however, things began to look better, and,
people's spirits rose as the heavens cleared. The President was in a singularly
defiant tone of mind. He often repeated, “We must hurt this enemy before it
gets away.” And this morning, Monday, (September 1), he said to me, when I made
a remark in regard to the bad look of things: — “No, Mr. Hay, we must whip
these people now. Pope must fight them; if they are too strong for
him he can gradually retire to these fortifications. If this be not so, — if we
are really whipped, and to be whipped, we may as well stop fighting.”
It is due in great measure to his indomitable will that army
movements have been characterized by such energy and celerity for the last few
days. There is one man who seems thoroughly to reflect and satisfy him in
everything he undertakes. This is Haupt, the Railroad man at Alexandria. He
has, as Chase says, a Major General's head on his shoulders. The President is
particularly struck with the business-like character of his despatch, telling
in the fewest words the information most sought for, which contrasted so
strongly with the weak, whining, and incorrect despatches of the whilom
General-in-Chief. If heads or shoulder straps could be exchanged, it would be a
good thing, in either case, here. A good railroader would be spoiled, but the
General gained would compensate. The corps of Haupt starting from Alexandria,
have acted as pioneers, advance-guard, voltigeurs,
and every other light infantry arm of the service.
SOURCES: Clara B. Hay, Letters of John Hay and
Extracts from Diary, Volume 1, p. 60-4; Tyler Dennett, Editor, Lincoln and the
Civil War: in the Diaries and letters of John Hay, p. 44-7.
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