Diary of Gideon Welles: Thursday, December 21, 1865

Chandler, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, sent me a note this evening, stating that a pardon had been proposed for Pasco, recently convicted, after long struggles and delays, of a series of outrageous frauds and villainies upon the Government. Pasco was master plumber in the Philadelphia Navy Yard, one of a combination of thieves, cheats, and rascals. He was the principal scoundrel of the gang. He acknowledges that he had signed fraudulent certificates; in one instance admits that a party had delivered 20,000 pounds of copper, for which he was paid, when he actually delivered but 16,000; in another instance for 25,000 when only 19,000 was delivered. He received $8200 for the last false certificate, or one third of the swindle, the Government losing or being cheated out of about $26,000 in a single transaction. So of the former. Specifications of eleven distinct cheats similar to these, some of them of larger amounts, besides cases of actual theft, were proven on this fellow. He plead guilty, and was a week or two since sentenced to eighteen months imprisonment. Judge Cadwalader gave light punishment for the alleged reason that Pasco plead guilty and had made restitution when he could not escape conviction and fine. How much he may have cheated and defrauded the Government without detection cannot be known.

I called on the President after receiving Chandler's note and stated the facts. He was a good deal disturbed and seemed unable to express himself. He is evidently surprised, and I apprehend has blindly committed himself for a pardon. He says a large portion of the Pennsylvania delegation applied for the pardon, the district attorney among them, also a portion of the jury.

Senator Harris had quite an interview with me. Our principal chat was on the great question and he expresses himself as concurring in my opinions.

SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 2: April 1, 1864 — December 31, 1866, p. 400-1

Diary of Gideon Welles: Friday, December 22, 1865

McCulloch, Stanton, and Dennison are absent from Washington. Seward read a letter from Bigelow at Paris, which indicates peace, though all the diplomats here believe a war inevitable. Seward represents that Montholon was scared out of his wits when General Logan was appointed to Mexico. He certainly is not a very intelligent or cultured diplomat. The horizon is not perfectly clear, but the probabilities are peaceful. Had a talk with the President on the subject of Pasco. Chandler was the attorney of the Department in this investigation and prosecution at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, and I had him state the case to the President. He presented the whole very well, confirming all that I had stated, and making the case stronger against Pasco. The President was puzzled and avoided any direct answer. I have little doubt he has been imposed upon and persuaded to do a very improper thing. But we shall see. This case presents the difficulties to be surmounted in bringing criminals to justice. Pasco was a public officer, an active partisan, very popular and much petted by leading party men in official position. Detected in cheating and stealing, public men for a time thought the Department was harsh and severe in bringing him to trial. Objections were made against his being tried by court martial, and he was turned over to the civil courts. But a trial could not be had. Term after term it was carried along. Confessions from others implicated and the books and documents produced were so conclusive that finally he plead guilty and disgorged so far as he was actually detected. In consequence of his pleading guilty and making restitution of the amounts clearly ascertained, Judge Cadwalader gave him a mild sentence of only one year and a half of imprisonment. Having, after a long struggle, reached this stage, the politicians and the court favoring him, we now have the President yielding to the pressure of Members of Congress, and, without inquiry or a call for the records or the facts, pardoning this infamous leader of fraud and crime. The influence will be pernicious, and scoundrels will be strengthened. I shall be glad to know that the President has not committed himself irretrievably.

SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 2: April 1, 1864 — December 31, 1866, p. 401-2

Diary of Gideon Welles: Thursday, April 13, 1865

Gave the President the case of Stiners, court-martialed and condemned for fraud as a contractor, — similar in principle to the case of the Smiths in Boston.

Some conversation with him yesterday and to-day in regard to his speech Tuesday night and the general question of reëstablishing the authority of the government in the Rebel States and movements at Richmond.

The President asked me what views I took of Weitzel's calling the Virginia legislature together. Said Stanton and others were dissatisfied. Told him I doubted the policy of convening a Rebel legislature. It was a recognition of them, and, once convened, they would, with their hostile feelings, be inclined, perhaps, to conspire against us. He said he had no fear of that. They were too badly beaten, too much exhausted. His idea was, that the members of the legislature, comprising the prominent and influential men of their respective counties, had better come together and undo their own work. He felt assured they would do this, and the movement he believed a good one. Civil government must be reëstablished, he said, as soon as possible; there must be courts, and law, and order, or society would be broken up, the disbanded armies would turn into robber bands and guerrillas, which we must strive to prevent. These were the reasons why he wished prominent Virginians who had the confidence of the people to come together and turn themselves and their neighbors into good Union men. But as we all had taken a different view, he had perhaps made a mistake, and was ready to correct it if he had.

I remarked, in the course of conversation, that if the so-called legislature came together, they would be likely to propose terms which might seem reasonable, but which we could not accept; that I had not great faith in negotiating with large bodies of men, — each would encourage the other in asking and doing what no one of them would do alone; that he could make a better arrangement with any one the worst of them — than with all; that he might be embarrassed by recognizing and treating with them, when we were now in a condition to prescribe what should be done.

SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 2: April 1, 1864 — December 31, 1866, p. 279-80

Diary of Gideon Welles: Saturday, March 18, 1865

The President this day returned the abstract made by Eames in the case of F. Smith of Boston with an indorsement in his own handwriting, disapproving the verdict and annulling the proceedings. It is, I regret to say, a discreditable indorsement, and would, if made public, be likely to injure the President. He has, I know, been much importuned in this matter, as I have, and very skillful and persistent efforts have been pursued for months to procure this result. Senators and Representatives have interposed their influence to defeat the ends of justice, and shielded guilty men from punishment, and they have accomplished it. They have made the President the partisan of persons convicted and pronounced guilty of fraud upon the government. Of course, rascality will flourish. I regret all this on the President's account, as well as that of the ends of justice. I had in my letter to the President invited a conference after he had examined the case, and on Tuesday last, when he was not well and was in bed, I had, among other things, mentioned Smith's case. He said he had gone through with Mr. Eames' summing-up, an opinion which seemed to him to be able and impartial; that he had handed the paper to Sumner to read, etc., and he would see me in relation to it when Sumner returned the document.

Having got excited, he may have forgotten my request and his promise, and I have no doubt was reluctant to see me before the question was disposed of, knowing I should be unwilling to bring it up after such disposition. But this is unavoidable, for I must consult him as to Ben Smith and other cases hinged in with this.

The news from the army continues favorable, and it seems impossible for the Rebel leaders to continue much longer to hold out. Everything is giving way to the Union forces. The currency is getting into better shape, but there will be still tremendous struggles and revulsions before its sound restoration can be accomplished.

SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 2: April 1, 1864 — December 31, 1866, p. 260-1

Diary of Gideon Welles: Tuesday, March 21, 1865

Called on the President this morning concerning the Smith case. Asked if the same course should be pursued with Ben as with Frank. He said yes if there was no more evidence. I asked what I was to do with the employees who had been in complicity with Smith and passed his articles. We then had a little conversation as regards the master machinist, Merriam, and one or two others. The President said if they had been remiss, Smith's pardon ought not to cover them.

I stated the case of Armbrister of Philadelphia, a young contractor who had been detected like Smith, and under the stern commands of his father-in-law had made a full confession, and the latter had made full restitution to the amount of more than $14,800. That the President said was a large amount, greatly exceeding Smith's. I told him Smith had not been taken in hand by his father-in-law, had made no confession, no restitution. Now the question was whether I should prosecute and have him fined and imprisoned after doing all in his power to make the government good, while Smith, an older and, I feared, a much greater offender, who made no confession, no restitution, went unpunished.

The President was annoyed. I told him there were a number of persons under bonds, who had confessed and made restitution of smaller amounts. Were their offenses to be overlooked or excused?

After some little talk, he wished me to get our solicitor to look into these cases, and call again. He has evidently acted without due consideration, on the suggestion and advice of Sumner, who is emotional, and under the pressure of Massachusetts politicians, who have been active to screen these parties regardless of their guilt.

When at the Cabinet to-day, the President and McCulloch wished to know if I would be willing to take Arnold of Chicago for Solicitor of the Navy, and release Chandler for a Treasury appointment. While I think Arnold a worthy and an estimable man, I told the President and Secretary of the Treasury I preferred that Chandler should go forward with his duties. McCulloch was a little pressing; the President, however, did not urge the matter

SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 2: April 1, 1864 — December 31, 1866, p. 261-2; William E. Gienapp & Erica L. Gienapp, Editors, The Civil War Diary of Gideon Welles, Lincolns Secretary of the Navy, p. 607-8

Diary of Gideon Welles: Tuesday, February 7, 1865

Very little before the Cabinet. The President, when I entered the room, was reading with much enjoyment certain portions of Petroleum V. Nasby to Dennison and Speed. The book is a broad burlesque on modern Democratic party men. Fessenden, who came in just after me, evidently thought it hardly a proper subject for the occasion, and the President hastily dropped it.

Great efforts continue to be made to get the release of Smith brothers. Quite a number of persons are here in their interest, and Members of Congress are enlisted for them.

Efforts are being made to aid a set of bad men who have been cheating and stealing from the government in Philadelphia. Strange how men in prominent positions will, for mere party, stoop to help the erring and the guilty. It is a species of moral treason.

J. P. Hale is, as usual, loud-mouthed and insolent in the Senate, — belying, perverting, misstating, and misrepresenting the Navy Department. The poor fellow has but few more days in the Senate, and is making the most of them for his hate.

SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 2: April 1, 1864 — December 31, 1866, p. 238

Diary of Gideon Welles: Saturday, January 28, 1865

Have been busy, with no time to write in this book, — Congress calling for information, bills preparing, and a mass of investigations at the navy yards, all to be attended to in addition to current business. Mr. Fox has gone with General Grant to Fort Fisher.

Strange efforts are being made by some of our Massachusetts men for Smith Brothers, who have been tried for frauds and convicted. This is but one of many cases, and to relieve them because they are wealthy, and have position, ecclesiastical and political, must prevent the punishment of others. The President wrote me that he desired to see the case before it was disposed of. I told him I certainly intended he should do so after witnessing the pressure that was brought to bear. He said he had never doubted it, but "There was no way to get rid of the crowd that was upon me,” said he, “but by sending you a note.”

The Philadelphia cases of fraud are very annoying and aggravating. Our own party friends are interceding for some of the accused. They have not yet, like the Massachusetts gents, besieged the President, but they will do so. Their wives and relatives are already appealing to me.

To-day J. P. Hale had a tirade on the Department, denouncing it for prosecuting the Smiths. Was malicious towards both the Assistant Secretary and myself, and strove, as he has formerly done, to sow dissension, and stir up bad feeling. The poor fellow is having his last rant and raving against the Navy Department.

SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 2: April 1, 1864 — December 31, 1866, p. 230-1

Captain John A. Rawlins to Congressman Elihu B. Washburne, December 30, 1861

Headquarters, District of Cairo,        

December 30, 1861.

DEAR WASHBURNE:

Yours of the 21st is at hand. I was no less astounded at the contents of your note than you must have been at the information reported to you.

I thank you for the confidence manifested by you in the frank manner of your inquiry. I feel that you of all other men had the right, as you would feel it your duty, to investigate the charge. I know how much you have done for General Grant and how jealous you are of his good name, and assure you it is appreciated not only by General Grant but by all his friends.

I will answer your inquiry fully and frankly, but first I would say unequivocally and emphatically that the statement that General Grant is drinking very hard is utterly untrue and could have originated only in malice.

When I came to Cairo, General Grant was as he is to-day, a strictly total abstinence man, and I have been informed by those who knew him well, that such has been his habit for the last five or six years.

A few days after I came here a gentleman made him a present of a box of champagne. On one or two occasions he drank a glass of this with his friends, but on neither occasion did he drink enough to in any manner affect him. About this time General Grant was somewhat dyspeptic and his physician advised him to drink two glasses of ale or beer a day. He followed this prescription for about one or two weeks (never exceeding the two glasses per day) and then being satisfied it did him no good, he resumed his total abstinence habits, until some three or four weeks after the Battle of Belmont, while he was rooming at the St. Charles Hotel, Colonel Taylor of Chicago, Mr. Dubois, Auditor of State, and other friends, were visiting Cairo, and he was induced out of compliment to them to drink with them on several occasions but in no instance did he drink enough to manifest it to any one who did not see him drink. About this time Mr. Osborne, President of the Illinois Central Railroad Company, our mutual friend J. M. Douglas, and several of their friends made a visit to Cairo, and gave a dinner (or lunch) on the cars, to which the General and I were invited with others; champagne was part of the fare. Sitting near the General I noticed that he did not drink more than half a glass. The fact of his drinking at all was remarked simply because of his usual total abstinence.

But no man can say that at any time since I have been with him has he drunk liquor enough to in the slightest unfit him for business, or make it manifest in his words or actions. At the time I have referred to, continuing probably a week or ten days, he may have taken an occasional drink with those gentlemen and others visiting Cairo at that time, but never in a single instance to excess, and at the end of that period he voluntarily stated he should not during the continuance of the war again taste liquor of any kind, and for the past three or four weeks, though to my knowledge frequently importuned on visits of friends, he has not tasted any kind of liquor. Ever since I have been with General Grant he has sent his reports in his own handwriting to Saint Louis, daily when there was matter to report, and never less than three times a week, and during the period above referred to he did not at all relax this habit.

If there is any man in the service who has discharged his duties faithfully and fearlessly, who has ever been at his post and guarded the interest confided to him with the utmost vigilance, General Grant has done it. Not only his reports, but all his orders of an important character are written by himself, and I venture here the statement there is not an officer in the Army who discharges the duties of his command so nearly without the intervention of aides, or assistants, as does General Grant.

Some ten or twelve days ago an article was published in the Chicago Tribune, charging frauds on the Quartermaster's Department here, in the purchase of lumber at Chicago. General Grant immediately sent Captain W. S. Hillyer, a member of his staff, to Chicago, with instructions to thoroughly investigate and report the facts. That report and a large mass of testimony substantiating the charge had been forwarded to St. Louis when orders came from Washington to investigate the charge. The investigation had already been made. Thus time and again has he been able to send back the same answer when orders were received from St. Louis in reference to the affairs of this District.

I am satisfied from the confidence and consideration you have manifested in me that my statement is sufficient for you, but should the subject be mooted by other parties, you can refer them to Colonel J. D. Webster, of the 1st Illinois Artillery, General Grant's Chief of Staff, who is well known in Chicago as a man of unquestionable habits. He has been counsellor of the General through this campaign, was with him at and all through the Battle of Belmont, has seen him daily and has had every opportunity to know his habits. I would further refer them to General Van Renssalaer, who was specially sent to inspect the troops and investigate the condition of the District by Major General McClellan, and Generals Sturgiss and Sweeny, who were sent here by Major General Halleck for the same purpose. These gentlemen after a full and thorough investigation returned to St. Louis some two weeks ago. I know not what report they made; but this I do know, that a few days after their return an order arrived from St. Louis creating the District of Cairo, a District including Southeast Missouri, Southern Illinois, and all of Kentucky west of the Cumberland, a District nearly twice as large as General Grant's former command. I would refer them to Flag Officer A. H. Foote of the U. S. Mississippi Naval Fleet, a man whose actions and judgments are regulated by the strictest New England standard, a strict and faithful member of the Congregational Church who for months has had personal as well as official intercourse with the General.

If you could look into General Grant's countenance at this moment you would want no other assurance of his sobriety. He is in perfect health, and his eye and intellect are as clear and active as can be.

That General Grant has enemies no one could doubt, who knows how much effort he has made to guard against and ferret out frauds in his district, but I do not believe there is a single colonel or brigadier general in his command who does not desire his promotion, or at least to see him the commanding general of a large division of the army, in its advance down the Mississippi when that movement is made.

Some weeks ago one of those irresponsible rumors was set afloat, that General Grant was to be removed from the command of the District, and there was a universal protest expressed against it by both officers and men.

I have one thing more to say, and I have done, this already long letter.

None can feel a greater interest in General Grant than I do; I regard his interest as my interest, all that concerns his reputation concerns me; I love him as a father; I respect him because I have studied him well, and the more I know him the more I respect and love him.

Knowing the truth I am willing to trust my hopes of the future upon his bravery and temperate habits. Have no fears; General Grant by bad habits or conduct will never disgrace himself or you, whom he knows and feels to be his best and warmest friend (whose unexpected kindness toward him he will never forget and hopes some time to be able to repay). But I say to you frankly, and I pledge you my word for it, that should General Grant at any time become an intemperate man or an habitual drunkard, I will notify you immediately, will ask to be removed from duty on his staff (kind as he has been to me), or resign my commission. For while there are times when I would gladly throw the mantle of charity over the faults of friends, at this time and from a man in his position I would rather tear the mantle off and expose the deformity.

Having made a full statement of all the facts within my knowledge, and being in a position to know them all and I trust done justice to the character of him whom you and I are equally interested in,

I remain, your friend,

John A. Rawlins.

SOURCE: James Harrison Wilson, The Life of John A. Rawlins, p. 68-71

Diary of Gideon Welles: Thursday, April 21, 1864

There was a pleasant party at our house last evening, with an attendance of about three hundred. All passed off pleasantly, and all who expressed themselves seemed much gratified, as we were. It is spoken of as one of the most agreeable parties of the season.

Olcott and Wilson were here on Tuesday. The former is very full of frauds in Boston and is rabid to be at the books of certain parties. The man has an insatiate appetite to get on the track of suspected parties.  He shows not only ken scent but much sagacity.

Mr. Wilson has his charges and specifications against the parties in New York prepared and in the hands of the copyists.

SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 2: April 1, 1864 — December 31, 1866, p. 15-6

Diary of Gideon Welles: Wednesday, April 13, 1864

Matters press on the Department. Have been very busy. Some talk with Rice about Annapolis and the Naval School, League Island and the navy yard. Suggested that New England must not monopolize and that we should avoid even the appearance of sectionalism.

Consulted Mr. Eames yesterday and again to-day in relation to the investigations into the frauds of naval contractors and others. Told him he must go to Boston to supervise Olcott, who is fierce in diving into matters and often, I apprehend, without judgment.

SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 2: April 1, 1864 — December 31, 1866, p. 11

Diary of Gideon Welles: Monday, March 28, 1864

Saw Mr. Wilson yesterday relative to the arrests of, and proceedings against, fraudulent contractors. Told him he must take charge of the matter, be mild towards the prisoners, let them be as little interrupted in their business as possible. He appears sensible, discreet, and judicious, and I hope will manage nicely and well. I dislike the whole affair and think great responsibility is improperly on me.

The President sent for Fox and myself on Saturday evening. Fox, who had been deputed to negotiate matters with Halleck relative to transfers, was disgusted and a little overreached and had also written as well as myself to the President. The latter desired to see us both Saturday P.M. and requested an order might be prepared which we took to him this A.M. It was less mandatory than I wished, but I know his reluctance to come in conflict with the Secretary of War, — certainly not in a harsh manner. The order was mild and his own, and for the Secretary of War to issue to carry it into effect. He wished me to write an order for the Secretary of War. I could see the President wished to have before him the practical working. Gave him an order forthwith.

Captain Rolando came to-day, pursuant to orders, relative to his intercepted letter to Fox and the capture of the William Peel. Thinks the letter interpolated. I am fearful Seward will, in this case, yield too much to Lord Lyons.

SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 1: 1861 – March 30, 1864, p. 547-8

Diary of Gideon Welles: Thursday, March 10, 1864

The developments of fraud and swindling by contractors, and I fear by Navy agents and probably other officials, are represented to be astounding. Olcott, the detective, is an employé of the War Department and has been detailed to us for duty. I know less of him than I wish, for one intrusted with so delicate and responsible a duty. Fox is so greedy to get hold of the fellows that I fear he does not sufficiently respect private rights. I therefore hope Olcott is discreet and truthful.

SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 1: 1861 – March 30, 1864, p. 539

Diary of Gideon Welles: Saturday, March 12, 1864

Olcott has arrived and been most of the day with Fox, Grimes, and Odell.¹ They all came to me about 2 P.M. and represent the papers in O.'s possession as disclosing a terrible state of things. Odell and Gooch told me on Thursday that they had examined the books and papers seized, and that they showed fraud and villainy such as had never been known, and urged the arrest of Keeler, Koons, and others. Brown, the Navy Agent here, and Henderson in New York, they say, are implicated.

To-day I am told the same thing by the others also. I remarked that the Navy Department had no solicitor or law officer whom I could consult, or with whom I could share responsibility. Grimes and the others enjoined upon me not to hesitate for a moment but to seize and lock up all who are implicated or suspected.

_______________

1 Moses F. Odell, member of Congress from New York.

SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 1: 1861 – March 30, 1864, p. 540

Diary of Gideon Welles: Tuesday, March 8, 1864

Received a telegram from Admiral Lee this P.M., confirming a rumor that was whispered yesterday of the death of young Dahlgren. He was surrounded, it seems, by superior forces near King and Queen Court-House, and fell attempting to cut his way through. Most of his command was captured. A few escaped and got on board of the gunboat which had been sent for their relief.

A more gallant and brave-hearted fellow was not to be found in the service. His death will be a terrible blow to his father, who doted upon him and not without reason. I apprehend this raid was not a wise and well-planned scheme. Tested by results, it was not. Whether the War Department advised it I do not know. I heard it spoken of indefinitely and vaguely, but with no certainty till the expedition had started.

Fox is full of zeal to get hold of the fraudulent contractors and all that belongs to them, and the whole subject is committed to him. I exceedingly dislike these irregular proceedings. There should be proper law officers to whom these matters should be committed, and not impose them upon the heads of Departments. I must try to have Congress take the matter in hand, and pass the necessary laws, or devise some proper action. I do not like matters as they now are.

SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 1: 1861 – March 30, 1864, p. 537-8

Diary of Gideon Welles: Monday, March 7, 1864

Called yesterday to see Admiral Dahlgren. While there the President and Secretary of War came in with a telegram from General Butler, announcing that his son, Colonel Dahlgren, was alive and well with a force of about one hundred at King and Queen. Of course we were all gratified. The President was much affected.

To-day I have, or rather Fox, who has special charge of the matter, had, word from Olcott, the employé of the War Department, stating he had found evidence of enormous frauds by Scofield, Savage, and Raymond, and wanted the whole of them arrested, or he had them arrested. Wished a guard detailed to seize Savage's store, etc. When Fox brought me the papers, I said to him that the whole subject had been committed to him, and I could not undertake, with my other duties, to enter upon the details of frauds by these contractors. Besides I doubted the rightfulness of seizing men and their papers and valuables on mere suspicion. Advised him to consult legal gentlemen at the War Department, Olcott being a detective assigned by the Secretary of War.

A long letter from Chase in relation to permits and trade regulations, explaining his position, and showing not only some sensitiveness but a little irritation. His letter is based on a reply to two communications made by me on the 18th ult. in regard to the Ann Hamilton and the Princeton. I think him wrong in his conclusions as regards these vessels, and also mistaken as to the course and position of others. In the matter of the embargo first, and subsequently in that of communication and traffic in the Rebel regions, he took ground with me, but failed me and slid in with the others when action became necessary. I disliked the scheme of trade regulations, but it was concluded to have them, on the permits of the Treasury, War, and Navy Departments. Soon he deputed the subject of clearances to others, and Stanton deputed authority to grant permits to his officers, and abuse and demoralization followed.

SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 1: 1861 – March 30, 1864, p. 536-7

Diary of Gideon Welles: Saturday, January 23, 1864

Hiram Barney, Collector at New York, called on me. Is feeling depressed. The late frauds, or lately discovered frauds, annoy him. . . .

Chase sends me a letter in relation to Pensacola and the suggestions I made to open Trans-Mississippi to trade and commerce. In each case he fails to respond to my propositions favorably. Although late, I am for means that will bring peace and kindly feeling. Commerce and intercourse will help.

The trial of Stover, a contractor, by court martial at Philadelphia has come to a close. He is found guilty on three charges and is fined $5000, and is to suffer one year's imprisonment in such prison as the Secretary of the Navy may select. It is, in my opinion, a proper punishment for a dishonest man, but the law is in some of its features of a questionable character. Likely it will be tested, for Stover has money, obtained by fraudulent means from the government. I have deliberated over the subject and come to the conclusion to approve the proceedings, and send Stover to Fort Lafayette instead of a penitentiary. Captain Latimer writes that Stover has left Philadelphia and gone to New York. I have therefore written to Admiral Paulding to arrest and send him to Fort L. The President concurs.

SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 1: 1861 – March 30, 1864, p. 514-5

Interesting Items From The Army

The correspondent of the N. Y. World from [Pittsburg], May 7, writes as follows:

CONDITION OF THE TROOPS.

We prefer to offer no complaints about the state of the army, but, lest some good people be led to expect too much from it we are bound to say that it is no means the grand army it is supposed to be.  In the first place it is not 166,000 strong; and in the next place, fully one-third of its numerical strength is not effective.  We witnessed a division review by Gen. Davis to-day and were pleased with the appearance of the troops on the ground.  We were however struck with the diminished size of the regiments.  Several regiments, which we had known, in their better days a full thousand strong turned out with less than three hundred men.  Sickness, battle, wounds, deaths, heavy detail for transportations, and the camp guard have caused the reduction. – the men left in the ranks look well, go thro’ the evolutions well, and, we firmly believe, will fight well.  The cavalry is worn down by roads and consequent scarcity of forage.  It will hardly ever be worth anything in an engagement.

The artillery horses are also much worn down, but the men have been improved by their past experience.  Several batteries which lost their pieces have been merged into other and older batteries, where they will probably do better.  The army is in good fighting order but is not large, nor need it be expected to accomplish impossibilities.  The whole army go [sic] into the next fight to conquer – the determination is fixed, they must conquer and will.

BRIGADIER GENERALS.

We have probably on the whole as many good officers as there are in any army in the world, and possibly as many bad ones!  Of officers of high rank this may be said, because we have so many of them.  Brigadiers are so numerous that no one person can be found who knows their names.  We hear day by day of the creation of new ones by the dozen, some of whom are heard of for the first time.  The bill limiting the number of Brigadiers is regarded favorably, and it is earnestly desired that these should be made for distinction in the field.

It is also a subject of some remark that, out of the number of recent creations the claims of Col. Sweeny, of the Twenty-second Illinois should have been quite overlooked in Washington.  We was made Brigadier General of three months’ volunteers under Lyon, lost an arm at Cherubusco, was in active service eight years in the west, distinguished himself at Springfield, and received three wounds in his gallant conduct at the late battle at Shiloh.

There is also the “fighting doctor,” as he is now called through the army – Dr. Conyn who during the Sunday’s fight fought one gun in the [company] with the Captain for two hours, in the thickest of the fight and afterwards commanded one of the siege guns, in the absence of its proper officers, which contributed to greatly to the repulse of the exultant enemy; Major Cavender also the heroic commander of the batteries of the Missouri First, whose deeds have shown conspicuously from the beginning of the war, in a series of desperate battles; both have been worthy recipients of promotion for their services to the country.

PERSONAL – GEN. HALLECK.

The appearance of some of our commanders may be interesting to those who have not seen them.

General Halleck in the field is hardly the same person who might have been seen quietly gliding from the Planters house to headquarters St. Louis.  He does not look a whit more military in appearance, but looks, in his new and rich though plain in uniform, as if he were in borrowed clothes.  In truth he bears a more striking resemblance to some oleaginous Methodist parson dressed in regimentals, with a wide stiff rimmed black felt had sticking on the back of his head at an acute angle with the ground.  His demeanor in front of his tent is very simple and business like.  No pomp, no unusual ceremony, no lack of order.  His camps are pitched on a declivity on the south side of the village of Monterey.  When on horseback his Wesleyan character is more and more [prominent].  He neither looks like a soldier, rides like one, nor does he carry the state of a Major-General in the field, but is the impersonation of the man of peace.  His face is large, tabular, and Teutonic; his eyes the eyes of a genius – a kind of indistinct gray, not without expression but of that deep welling kind that only reveals the emotion without indicating its character.

GEN. CULLUM.

Gen. Cullum, who is Chief of Staff and Chief of Engineers, is a bland gray bearded old gentleman, who seems to have been in his prime fifty years ago.  He is also accoutered in the black Quaker hat, and bears a close resemblance to common engravings of Don Quixote mounted on his steed Rozinante [sic].  He exults too, in some enormous and new-fangled [leggings], which e buckles upon his shrunken calves to the great merriment of all on-lookers.  From his conversation you will soon learn that he was on the staff of Gen. Scott in Mexico – a fact which he has not forgotten.  He is supposed to be a master of scientific warfare, and we believe has a very high opinion of his chief.

GEN. GRANT.

Gen. Grant a personage now somewhat notorious, is the same unalterable good natured little man he has so often been described. – He has none of the soldier bearing about him but is a man whom one would take for a country merchant or a village lawyer.  He has no distinctive features, there are a thousand like him in personal appearance in the ranks and it is by the conspicuous stars alone that he is distinguished as a high dignitary.  A plain unpretending face, with a comely brownish-red beard, and a square forehead, of short stature and thick-set.  He is we would say a good liver, and altogether an [unpronounceable] man; he is so like others as to be only described by general terms.  He is an inveterate smoker.

Apropos of this General, the passages published from a private letter of his containing a so-called vindication of his conduct at the late battle are the laughing stock of the entire army.  He is a sad jester.  To say that he was not surprised, to intimate that all are cowards who blame him, or to excuse his being absent from the field, are insults to the intelligence of all here.  None but the brave have I heard speak thus of him, and if by accident Gen. Halleck should be disabled and he succeed to the command it would be but the beginning of much trouble.

GEN. POPE.

Gen. Pope is a large, portly person, of sociable bearing, and marked by no unusual characteristics of feature.  He is the type of a bon vivant – evidently enjoys to the full the blessings of physical comfort.  He affects a snappish and positive manner, which is not innate, but is rather put on with his uniform.  He is, we should say, ambitions and vain; this prompts him to continual action.  He is not above speaking well of his own accomplishments. – He believes, however, in fighting the enemy, and this fact wins him the best opinions of his army.  His judgment is well demonstrated in the selection of his staff officers, who rate high above the average of such selections. – His army is commanded by some of the best officers in the service, and will do him great honor when opportunity officers.  Of the other leading personages with this column more at another time.

SWINDLING CONTRACTORS.

Now that the army is in the field, with bad roads and the stock tasked to their utmost to supply the necessary rations and forage, the knavish dealing of contractors presses more heavily than ever.  While we lay encamped by the river the rations of the horses and men could be eked out by various means.  We are surprised to learn that systematic frauds upon the government have long been common in furnishing the food of the men and horses.  In the latter case it has been brought to our notice.  So many pounds of hay, oats, or corn are allowed per horse; this is rated and measured out by the bale or stack.  We are credibly told that hardly a bale of hay or a sack of oats or corn holds its full weight.  Sacks are doled out to the Quartermaster for 150 pounds, weighing actually 140, 125 and even 120 pounds, with no evidence of any loss by carriage.  The same is the way with hay and potatoes.  Bales of hay are meted out at 380 pounds, weighing less and 300.  With the hard bread, bacon and beef, there is probably not so much opportunity of fraud, as they are marked weights as issued from the scales.  The loss, I need hardly say, comes upon the poor beasts, who are now called upon to do double duty.  It is difficult to say whether the purchasing Quartermasters [sic] is privy to this swindle, but in charity let us presume he is not.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 24, 1862, p. 1