Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-09-28
THE WOMAN WHO SAVED THE
UNION.

THE WOMAN WHO SAVED THE
UNION.
Twenty years ago our country lay
in deadly peril. Involved in a gi-
gantic civil war everything seemed to
be going against us. When the war
broke out we all looked towards Gen
eral Scott, our commander-in-c chief,
the veteran of past campaigns. With
the fearful defeat of Bull Run the
conviction sank into our hearts that
the great officer, then rapidly aging,
could not carry the responsibility of
the conflict before us. Another and
another general was tried. Defeat
followed defeat. No one seemed
capable of planning successfully so
vast business as the subjugation of
the southern confederacy, extending
over an immense area, full of enthu-
siasm in its evil cause, with officers
and armies and resources long pre-
pared for the conflict. Our faithful
president, surrounded by his counsel
lors, sat overwhelmed with care and
immersed in gloom. The Northern
army was costing the nation two mil
lion dollars day. Senator Dawes,
in a speech in the house, had declar-
ed it "lmpossible for the United
States to meet this state OF things
sixty days longer: an ignominious
peace was upon the country and at
its very DOORS" SO confident were
the European powers of the speedy
dissolution of the Union, that Fran ce
had already extended her hand to
control Mexico, and England showed
by her tone that she considered our
defeat a foregone conclusion.
Then there came a sudden change.
A new campaign opened. Victory
followed victory. The confederates
perceived with CONSERVATION that we
had found the key to the whole stu
alton, and that with the Tennessee
campaign we had cut the rebellion TO
the heart The fall of fort Henry
opened the navigation of the Tennes-
see river. Its capture was followed
by the evacuation of Columbus and
Bowling Green. Fort Donelson was
given up, and its garrison of IA 900
troops marched out as prisoners of
war. Pittsburg Landing and Corinth
followed, and Beauregard saw with
dismay that this wonderful campaign
of the Tennessee had sealed the fate
of the confederaoy.
By-and-by the inquiry arose: Who
planned this wonderful campaign
Grant had achieved a brilliant sue
cess as an energetic and efficient gen
eral But he had been acting on g
line laid out for him. No one pre-.
tended that he had planned the cam
paign. A debate as to its origin
took place in the house of representa-
tives, Feb. "a, 1862, and in the sen
ate on March 13, of the same year
1t was ascribed in turn to Lincoln
himself, to the secretary of war, tt
General Halleck, TO Commodore
Foote, to the combined wisdom Of
Generals Grant, Halleck, and FoOte
TO General C. F. Smith, to Genera
Fremont. Lincoln maintained 81
lence. He and his most trusted con
fidantes knew that the whole cam
paign had been planned by a woman
and that woman Anna Ella Carroll O
Maryland.
Hon. Benjamin F. Wade, chairman
of the committee on the conduct o
the war, in numerous letters, bear
testimony to this fact, and says: $
have sometimes reproached mysel
that | had not made known the au
thor, when they were discussing tn
reso luton in congress 10 find out
But Mr.. Lincoln and Mr.. Stanton
were opposed to its being known tha
the armies were moving under th
plan of a civilian, "(and that civilian
woman.) He wanted the armie
to believe that they were doing tn
whole business of saving the coun
try In repeated letters Mr.. Wad
testifies that Miss Carroll planned tn
campaign, aud speaks of her grea
previous services, of her influence
which prevented the secession o
Maryland, of the powerful pamphlet
on the conduct fo the war, prepared
by her at Lincoln's request. He say
, (writing to her:)
s'The country, almost in her las
extremity, was saved by your sagac
ity and unremitting labor; indeed
your services were so great that
! is hard to make the world believe it
, That all this great work should b
! brought about by woman is incon
ceivable to vulgar minds. You can
not be deprived of the honor of hav
, ing done greater and more efficien
services for the country, in the tim
of her greatest peril. than any othe
, person in the Republic, and a knowl
edge of this cannot be long repressed.
J Similar emphatic testimony wa
, borne by Col. Thomas A. Scott, as
sistant secretary of war, to whor
Miss Carroll had submitted her plan
J and who informed her in 1862 tha
the "adoption of her plan has save,
the country millions of money ais
by Hon. Edward Bates, member O
| the cabinet, by Cassius M. Clay, b,
, Reverdy johnson, by S. P. Chase