Captain Simpson, who has been selected by Admiral Foote as
his Fleet Captain and special confidant, arrived to-day from Newport. Both he
and F. were waiting for me, and met me at the church door as I came from
morning service, and accompanied me to my house. We had some general talk in
regard to propositions and duties. Foote desires to leave this evening for the
North and Simpson goes with him.
Admiral Lardner called this afternoon. Came on from
Philadelphia for instructions and final orders. He will sail on Tuesday in the
Ticonderoga to take command of the West India Squadron. I am to encounter the
resentment of Wilkes and Du Pont at the same time. They are not friends, but
may suppress mutual dislike in a mutual assault on me. Wilkes does not
disappoint me, but Du Pont does. The former is the least dangerous, though the
most rash and violent.
SOURCE: Gideon Welles, Diary of Gideon Welles,
Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson, Vol. 1: 1861 – March 30,
1864, p. 318
