The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-02-12
votIon % his duty mlght easiIy havo savod

votion to his duty might easily have saved
him.
To recur, however, 10 my narrative After
he had disposed Of the people who had sought
him, he came 90 where ! was standing and
saluted me with great kindness and cordiality,
aud took me into his private room, where we
bad half an hours conversation. lie asked me
many questions about the condition of affairs
in the West and expressed some rather un-
friendly OF rather
DTsPARAGTNG OPINIONS or GEN. HALLECK,
with whom he had some law business Of an
unpleasant character in California few years
before. he was so intent, however, on bust
ness as indeed j afterwards discovered that
he always was) that he did not or could not
talk OF anything else, and as he did not wish
TO inform me for what purpose / had been
brought East until he had seen the President,
who Was expected back that evening from New
York, he made an appointment with me for
the next morning, when the subject Of my COM
ing 10 Washington should be taken up. IL APP
pcared that Mr.. Lincoln had gone TO New York
the day before TO consult Gen. Scott about the
military organizations and operations which il
was intended 10 saddle on me.
Ny return to the hotel was signalized by the
visits Of a considerable number Of people rep
rcsenting most Of the occupations Of Washing
ton lile-Scnators. Members of Congress and
public officials Of low aud high degree all
of whom knew more about the war, how il
should be carried on, aud who should COM
mand the armies than ] did. ] think I re-
ceived more Suggestions and advice during
that afternoon and evening at Wizards than
IN all my life together, and the advice was,
perhaps, the more valuable because il WAS
given by people who had no knowledge Of me
whatever, nor OF the bnsincss which brought
me TO Washington. As / was myself quite as
ignorant rs the least knowing one among them
OF the object Of my appearance at the Capital,
j neither relished nor even appreciated the
banquet OF good advice aud wise suggestion TO
which ] sat down. The air Of mystery worn
by everyone
ACCOMPANIED BY THE KNOWING LOOK,
which intimated how much conld be told il IL
were wise 20 do So and especially the predomi-
nance OF personal over public interests which /
could not avoid noticing, and which was so
Glueren' from my experience in the West that
u all Left nm unpleasant impression OF intrigue
ana plots extremely disagreeable in itself aud
unpromising FOR the success OF the carsa. In
fact there was a sort Of neal odor of sewer
gas ~ the AIR. which left a bad taste in the
mouth, from which even a good nights sleep
dad not altogether relieve me-
Al an early hour next morning / was with
Mr. Stanton in his private room ia the War
Department He had seen the President the
nIght before, after the iatteT's return from New
York, and was prepared % unfold 10 me the
purposes OF the Government in the immediate
future, and the part ] was expected to take in
carrying them out lie gave a rapid aud at
times humorous account Of the campaign
against Stoncwall Jackson, in which the armies
OF Gems. Mcdowell, Banks and Fremont had
been engaged, and az the conclusion OF which
jackson was marching OF, unframed, 10 Rich
mOnd, whilst the three armies. brought from
three points Of the compass, were buddled up
together between Waterloo Bridge aud Middle
town, IN the Shenandoah Valley. Although he
ala not admit IL or even intimate ANYTHING OF
Kind this was really a campaign conducted
from Washington by the President and the
Secretary Of War, in which the Generals played
no part except 10 obey orders. II left matters
no better certainly than they were before.
except that the troops under Banks Fremont
and Mcdowell, which had been scattered widely
and beyond any possibility Of supporting each
other, were brought by these movements sufIi-
clently near together TO be easily united, and
SO Tar ~ their force went
MADE CAPABLE OF EFFECTIVE WORK.
or course these troops, never having served TO-
pether, and having also been subjected 10 every
different kind Of service aud very diverse modes
OF discipline, had ideas and ways rs wide apart az
their training had been, and could not, without
time and practice, be anna lgamated into that
compact and harmonious body essential 10 such
work as Il was intended 10 do. Ia his account
Of this comic campaign against Jackson, Mr..
santon's humor did not spare the President or
himself much less any Of the Generals, who,
as j have SAID, were entirely innocent Of any
responsibility for these operations Mr. Stanton
proceeded then % explain 20 ne McCleIlans
projects against Richmond, the force nj his
command, and what he had done, as well as
failed 20 DO Whilst he used no harsh Ian.
guage, aud, indeed. indulged in no unkind
criticisms. Do was evident that be shared fully
the dIscontent OF the country at the slow
movements, tImid vaci ci.lation and ruinous de.
lay which had characterized all Of McClellan's
operations. lbs wonderful capacity for multi
plying the number of the opposing army and
increasing the strength OF its positions made
all his estimates on that subject quite unre-
Liable, and no plans Of any kind could be Judi
ciously made on such data. Whether these
eEaEgerated estimates Of the encmy's force,
which we row know. 20 have been ludicrously
eEtrayagaut, were the cause or the excuse FOR
ms diiatory movements and timid action was
Tor some time a question, but his autobiography
has solved All doubts concerning him or his
career, and has left him IN position so pitiful
aud humiliatiug that his worst enemy would
now be ashamed TO assal him.
10 be- cOItfiHtIed)