The Washington critic., 1885-09-09

the elephant overheard that hal weighe
him down so heavily. lie could not help
but know that General Butler was going in
command Of the expedition. The m1ticr
was constantly discussed with him; ho
knew that he had placed himself and all OF
his numerous staff on board the flagship
Ben dc Ford. and everybody spoke Of him
cs commander OF the troops.
BUTLER IN THE WAY.
II, a conversation wiM Gclcrd Grant /
expressly toH linn that I wdntcd po'hing 10
do wih General butter, and he promised me-
JdiHJWy that he shoRi not harc day c,H-
ncctioH riM the crpcdHiOH. Two months
waited, the fleet ready to sail at an hours
notice, and | acquicsccd in the Generals
decision that lie could not spare troops
without cndangcring the dcfcuscs In his
front. said: "Thcn the expedition viii
never go until Butler has n finger In the
pie, and sure enough, when Butler said
70, We went. The lear Of weakening the
dcftLsCs disappeared when Butler prescnte
his plan for blowing the forts down, and
IN Amy was shipped 50 quick (unprcpircl)
On the transports that they almost sIi,e in
the middle Of heavy gale. General Grant
knew that did not care a ilg for The pow
der beat, though was very willing to try
L rs an experiment, but not disposed tD
trust IT altogether. INiHh i mast uHtUi-
somc in hiw to listen for mgmcnt to the
idle talk Of Buffers staff and his timid cal
tulutiug engineer who only wanted some
excuse for net doing their duty.
WHERE THE BLAME BELONGS.
The Lieutenant General AMI | were
together eighteen months before Vicks-
burg-nevcr had to wait for me- nor did
any Of his generals (but | have had to
wait for them, and he should have sup
posed from the past, and my anxiety to g
to work, that had not become any slower
in my movements than was on the Mis-
sissippi His course prorcs To NE mat he
wouid sacrifice his best FRIEND rather hda "
dHy odimi .fM on Lieutenant Gcae,M
GrdjJ. lie WW tdkc 10 hjniscit all Mc crcih
II his more Ho,r that il is sUcccSSfW wh N
he dcSurcs all the blame for The first future
10 take Tie pidcc. All this is now saddlel
Gu General Butler and history will tell
YOU nothing of General Grants share in It.
! tell IL to you for your own personal sat
isfactiOn that you may know and feel that
you are entitled to the entire credit for
getting this expedition of and for its sue
cess | am merely the agent, and only
used to advantage the ample means placed
at my disposal, which anyone else could
have done as well as /. | expect you some
times think | am
A LITTLE TOO IMPoLITIC
in what say, but that is my nature. | am
always ready TO fight right away if any one
reflects upon the navy. | know that no
country under the sun ever raised u navy as
you have done in the same space of time,
aud that no navy ever did more. Gould
the navy operate in James River Richmond
would now be ours. Vicksburg, stronger
place, fell when the navy was brought to
bear on IT. Every place has fallen where
naval cannon has been brought into
play.
This is not pet place with the Lieuten-
ant-Gcneral, and he leaves IL with about
1,CC0 men, and don't think knows much
about the situation. An army man thinks
If lie has II gunboat at his back he is all
safe, but this Is one case where at times the
gunboats are driven off by bad weather, and
those inside cannot cooperate effectively.
have given you long letter, but find
an apology for myself in the fact that |
know your whole heart is in the navy, and
that everything concerning 1t interests you.
Again permit me to thank you for the cont
dcnce you have always placed in me, and
the opportunities you have given me for
distinction, and assuring you that 1t has
lCcn my warmCst wish to merit only your
appreciation,
| remain, respectfully and sincerely, your
oEediont servant, DAVID ID. PORTER.
To the Hon. Gideon Wclles, Secretary of the
Navy, Washington, ID. G.