Complaints of slow progress at Charleston reach us. Censure
is thrown upon Dahlgren which is not altogether just. His undue promotion
requires extraordinary ability and effort to lift him above the rivalries and
jealousies of his contemporaries in the profession. He has prudence, caution,
intelligence, but not the dash and fearless daring to distinguish himself which
would reconcile them to the favoritism he has experienced. Then, worse than
this, the Navy, and he as commander in a conjoint movement, encounter the army
jealousy. All failures, or any want of success, is imputed to the Navy, though
entirely blameless, and though the fault, if any, is with the military. Without
the Navy, Morris Island could not be retained by the army, and all proceedings
would terminate, yet the Navy gets no credit. Its services are not properly
appreciated, and General Gillmore, though a good engineer, is, I apprehend, not
adapted to full command, — cannot manage men, and has the infirmities which
belong to engineers and those who are trained to secondary and scientific
positions. They can criticize, and blame others without the faculty of
accomplishing great results themselves.
SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles,
Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 1: 1861 – March 30,
1864, p. 449
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