The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-06-18

NHVY NAVY UgpdTTlIUWJ EVUnInV
arrived at Norfolk the following afternoon, convey
ing dispatches to Commodore McCauley, and with
directions from the Secretary OF the Navy to confer
renee to the safety of the public property at the
Norfolk Navy Yard. performed that duty, and left
Norfolk in the Baltimore boat on the afternoon OF
the 17th OF April.
He further testifes that he returned and
reported to me, and that Immediately after,
on the afternoon of April is, / received from the
Secretary OF the Navy instructions TO proceed to
evening of the 10th of April in the Pawnee, aud
arrived at Fortress Monroe the following day at
about O'Clock.
Mr.. Weed says, after his friend Riddell
awakened him early one morning.
The next day brought us intelligence OF the loss
of Harper's Ferry Soon after this, our first taste of
rebellion, Ireceived information from an equally re-
liable source that Gosport, with its vast supply Of
munitions of war, was in danger or this informed
the Secretary of the Navy at the breakfast table at
Wizards Hotel. Believing from his manner that he
attached but little Importance to my information,
reiterated it with emphasis, etc.
This interview, if it ever took place, of
which, however, have no recollection, must
have been on the morning of the 10Th, sue
ceeding the abandonment of Harper's Ferry,
which was on the 18th of April. When,
therefore, Mr. Weed came to me with ''relia-
BILE information, which was no news to me,
whatever it may have been to him, my ''man-
ner" did not indicate excitement or sensa-
tional alarm. heard his story, and its reite-
ration with emphasis, calmly and, l trust,
respectfully; for 1 knew, what he did not
know, that Commod dore Paulding had at that
moment my orders in his pocket, directing
him to proceed to Norfolk, investing him
with full power to protect the public pro-
perty, and that he had been and was then col
lecting his forces to proceed as soon as his
vessel and men could be got ready for the
service. These facts did not communicate
to Mr.. Weed, although he had given
me what information he pos
sessed. The President, on whom Mr.. Weed
represents he called with his information,
was cognizant of these facts, and appears to
have been equally uncommunicative, and in
in order to rid himself of an inquisitive and
perhaps troublesome gentleman who had no
information to impart, dismissed him with
the remark that he would see> me- In point
of fact, the President and myself had been
two or three times in consultation the pre-
ceding day-one very heightened interview
with General Scott-on the subject of the
danger and defenses of Norfolk Navy Yard.
Thse frequent interviews were necessary
in consequence of the avalanche of duties and
difficulties that were precipitated upon us in
that eventful week, which commenced with
the fall of Sumter and the issuing of the pro-
clamation calling for troops; but was espe-
cially necessary on the 18th, from the fact
that Chief Engineer Isherwood had arrived
on the morning of that day, and reported
the strange and unaccountable conduct of
Commodore McCauley, and the unfortunate
condition of affairs at the yard under his
command. Immediately on receiving this
report, 1 went with the President to General
Scott with a view Of getting a military force
and a competent military officer to defend the
station. had some time previously had in
terviews with General Scott on this sub bject,
who uniformly said, as he now repeated, that
he would send troops for the shore defense,
as was his duty, if he had them. But Con-
gress had provided neither men nor means
for this great and terrible crisis. On this
occasion he bewailed the necessity which
compelled him to leave Harpers Berry and
its armory and arms to Instruction. mill
tary station in which his duty and his honor
as the head of the army were concerned; but
he had no men to send for their protection,
and the Massachusetts, volunteers, who were
directed to report there and at Fortress
Monroe, had none of them arrived. The
property there and at the navy yard must, he
said, be sacrificed.
Mr.. Weed says he repaired to the White
House" after seeing me. Mr.. Lincoln, how
ever, had driven out to visit some fortifica-
tions. There were, unfortunately for the
autobiography, no Notifications about Wash
out and visit. Mr.. Weed remembers too
much, an unhappy infirmity with which he is
sadly afflicted. AS the President was "out, "
he called, 'early the next morning." the
2Oth, ''stated the danger that threatened
Gosport, and how, as l feared, had failed to
impress the Secretary of the Navy with the
accuracy of my information or the necessity
of immediate action" Commodore Paulding
quietly left Washington in the Pawnee on the
evening of the 10Th, and was we'll on his way
to Norfolk when this interview with the Pre-
sident purports to have taken place. 1 know
not that the President was at that time aware
of this fact, but he was fully conversant with
all of the attending circumstances, at the same
time knowing that special injunctions were
imposed to give no publicity to the move
ment. He must have been amused when
Mr.. Weed related his interview with me, my
manner, and his fears that he had failed
to impress me. The President on his part
was as reticent as myself; but allowed the
author of the autobiography to cheer himself
with the belief that he had impressed the
President, if he had failed with the Secretary
| of the Navy, by an assurance that we coulC
not afford to lose all those cannon, and h'
would ''see Father Welles."
The appellation Father Welles" was at
later period often applied to me by nava
officers, sailors, and others, but not at tina
early period of the administration, and never
that 1 am aware of, by President Lincoln
Nor would he then, or at any time, be ikel,
to use the expression as regards myself, whel
three of the members of the Cabinet -Messrs
Bates, Cameron, and Seward-were M,
seniors. The term was sometime
kindly and affectionately applied by him t,
Attorney General Bates, the eldest of hi
political family, for whom he had tende
| reoard The remark which ia ouOtad in th
autobiography may have been made by tn
Prasidant. hnt IL is more likely To hA the off