A very busy day, and I am very indifferently well to
discharge the mass of business; but got through with it before 5 P.m. Am
surprised that I do not commit more serious mistakes. Received the charges and
specifications against Wilkes. Convened the court, or ordered it to be
convened, on the 9th. Am sorry to be compelled to do this, but there is no
alternative.
Sedgwick calls about the prize law which Judge Sprague and
Dana have got up. In the main it is pretty well done, but needs some
amendments.
Seward told me in a whisper that we had met a serious
reverse in Florida. It is [not] mentioned in the papers. This suppressing a
plump and plain fact, already accomplished, because unfortunate, is not wise.
The Florida expedition has been one of the secret movements that have been
projected, I know not by whom, but suspect the President has been trying a game
himself. He has done such things, and, I believe, always unfortunately. I may
be wrong in my conclusions, but his secretary, John Hay, was sent off to join
the forces at Port Royal, and this expedition was then commenced. Admiral
Dahlgren went off on it without orders from me, and had only time to advise me
he was going. Though he has general directions to cooperate with the army, he
would not have done this but from high authority.
SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles,
Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 1: 1861 – March 30,
1864, p. 531-2
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