Mr. Seward sends me a letter from the British Chargé, stating
her Majesty's desire to confer the Order of the Bath on Lieutenant Pearson1
and desiring my opinions. I am opposed to the whole thing, and regret that our
Minister should have pressed our naval officers to take any part in the fight
with the Japanese. It appears to me to have been unnecessary to say the least,
and this English compliment is designed to fasten us more closely with the
allies against a people who have manifested more friendly feelings towards us
than any Christian power. Mr. Thurlow Weed and Mr. Pruyn may be benefited. They
have the money of the Japanese in their pockets.
At Cabinet to-day Seward, Fessenden, and Stanton were
absent, the three most important of all who should be present at these
meetings. The President was very pleasant over a bit of news in the Richmond
papers, stating the fleet appeared off Fort Fisher, one gunboat got aground and
was blown up. He thinks it is the powder vessel which has made a sensation. It
will not surprise me if this is the fact. I have at no time had confidence in
the expedient. But though the powder-boat may fail, I hope the expedition will
not. It is to be regretted that Butler went with the expedition, for though
possessed of ability as a civilian he has shown no very great military capacity
for work like this. But he has Weitzel and if he will rely on him all may be
well. I am apprehensive from what I have heard that too large a portion of the
troops are black or colored, but fear there are too few of either kind, and no
first-rate military officers to command and direct them. The Navy will, I
think, do well. It is a new field for Porter, who has been amply supplied with
men and boats.
_______________
1 Lieut. Frederick Pearson, who commanded the United States ship in the
fight of Sept. 5-8, 1864, with the Japanese.
SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles,
Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 2: April 1, 1864 —
December 31, 1866, p. 209-10
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