Morning journal and courier., 1885-05-12
SECRETARY STANTON.
The Transfer of Rockers Corps iron
 Virginia to Tennessee.

["Gath'' in Cincinnati Enquirer.
 was walking recently with Gen. Wilton, who was at the war office in Washington dur ing most of the conflict. Previous to the war he had been railroad contractor, and built portions of the Ohio 6 Mississippi railroad and of theTennessee railroads. When the war came Gen. McCollum, a contractor and build CT, was made chief of the railroad service of the United States, and NIT. Wilton was his associate and chief of staff In private conversation rambling in matters, of the past happened to ask MT. Wilton the ques- tion if Edwin M. Stanton had been very useful parsonage in our war. 'sWhy," said he, ''this country does not know, and it may never appreciate what it owes to Stanton. He was the great power of the Union in the war. Capable as other men were in their re- spective departments, he had the great de- partn1ent. He W. the war maker"
 In the course of the conversation which followed, asked Cant you recall some circumstances that will show me Stanton's power in the Cabinet?"
 'sYes," said Mir. Wilton, after thinking moment .I can recall one remarkable cir cumstance. 1 was sitting at my desk one day late when one of our general staff in the war department said to me: They are de- liberating in cabinet meeting now about sending Rockers corps of 20, 900 men in full fighting order from the valley of Virginia to Tennessee. Where is Gen. McCollump said that Gen. McCollum was in the city, thought, but I could not tell where to put my hand on him. 'Well,' said my inform ant, I came over here to slip this informa- tion to you, for you know that Stanton will expect you to answer up and down. I in s'antly autographed across the street to Gen. Fucker, the quartermaster of that depart ment, to send me six mounted orderlies They arrived in two minutes.
 s'I said to the first one: Ride to Gen. Nc Collum's house, and if he is there bring him here instantly To another I said: Ride up and down Pennsylvania avenue, and wherever you see Gen. McCollum stop him and send him here' I sent another to the club. In that way I dispersed six men all over the city to hunt for Gen. McCol1um, who was peculiar man, and could be iden- tified from description. The moment they were gone sat down myself to make the computations on transferring Gen. Rockers corps. got the distances from the map, the equipment, etc, and computed that if we had the whole power sf the government to back us up we could move that corps in seven days from Virginia to Tennessee. I had barely finished when in came a man from the White House, saying. 'The secre- tary wants Gen. NcCollum to come instantly to the cabinet chamber At that moment, to my great relief, in walked McCollum gave him the figures and said: T think we can do it in seven days, and we may go it in
 
 took the paper and went over to the White House."
 Said I: ssMr. Whiton, what was the inn mediate occasion for this movements'
 s'WhJ, the Confederates had defeated our troops in Tennessee, and had 1t in their pow CT by rapid march to take Nashville, and probably make their way to Louisville and Cincinnati.
 ssWhen McCollum arrived in the cabinet chamber MT. Lincoln was sitting in one chair, with his feet upon another. He looked worn and old. The cabinet was there. Stan ton was sitting near Lincoln in an intense and preoccupied way. Halleck was stand his views of the time it would take to move that corps. When McCollum entered the room MT. Lincoln said in somewhat nasal voice to him: Colonel, we want to know how long you will take to pick up Hooker's corps, which is lying down here about Bris- tow station, in the lap of Virginia, and put it down at Nashville?in
 ''McCollum said: MT. President, I shall have to figure moment or two on that Ot course, he had my memorandum there and the figuring was merely formal Said he MT. President, if l have all the help this government can give me can put those twenty thousand men at Nashville in eight days. It may be done in seven, but will say eight to be sure.'
 "At this moment Stanton leaped to his feet and approached Halleck with his fist clenched, and he hissed out the words 'There, sir, knew it could be done. I want no more, sir, of your West Point It seems, said MT. Whiton, ''that Halleck had argued that those twenty thousand men would re quire forty days to transport them. Stantor l dropped to his chair and began to write. MT | Lincoln said after pause: Then Colone McCollum, think the order will be made a once for you to transfer that corps.' Ther l was a breath of relief all through the Cabi l net when they heard that these troops coul, be transferred within that time As quicl as man could write Stanton had drafted a, order commanding Colonel McCollum an, 1 his military assistants to transfer Hooker 1 corps to Tennessee, and to arrest any office or person whatever who interposed the leas delay to the movement and send him to tn Old Capitol prison
 "McCollum came back to the War depar
 mont, the telegraph wires were put in requ
 sition, the first division of that corps wa