Omaha daily bee., 1894-03-25

Cumberland and the Tennessee. He said at
favorable stages of water the gunboats could
go up the former as high as Nashville, and
the latter, at all stages, as high as the Mus
Gle Shoals in Alabama. The moment he
said the Tennessee was navlgable for gun
boats the thought flashed upon me that the
strongholds of the enemy might be turned at
once by diverting the expedition in course
of preparation to open the Mississippi up the
Tennessee, and having had frequent CONVEX
sations with Judge Evans on the military
situation | left the room to communicate this
thOught-as he had just then called at the
hotel-and asked him if 1t would not have
that effect. He concurred that 1t would,
and that 1t was the right move If 1T was a
fact that the Tennessee afforded the navi-
cation, and he accompanied me to %interro-
gate Mr.. Scott, to be satisfied as to the feast
bility of the Tennessee. The interview was
prolonged some time. At the close | told
Mr.. Scott it was my puI pose to try and in
duce the government to divert the Missis-
sippi expedition up the Tennessee, and asked
him to give me a memorandum OF the most
important facts ELECTED In the conversation,
as / wished them for this object, The same
day | wrote to Assistant Secretary of War
Thomas A. Scott, to whom | had promised to
communicate the result of my observations
while in the west, and also to Attorney Cen
eral Bates, to both of whom ] urged the i'm
%portance Of a change of campaign"
In her latest account OF the occurrence,
written by Miss Carroll when in her 18th
year by request of one OF the leading maya
zines, she adds the clinching fact of Lin
coins acceptance of her plans.
THAT night | wrote to Governor Bates,
who had the Mississippi gunboat scheme.
He presented the letter at once to the act
ing secretary of war, Mr.. Scott. They both
opposed it at first as impracticable. | re-
turned Immediately to Washington, pre-
pared a paper on that basis and took it
to Mr.. Scott, who was really acting secTc-
tary of wnr Gappra1 CnmprOu'E time
being largely consumed in cabinet meetings.
After reading my plan and hearing my YER
bal arguments, Mr., Scott's countenance
frightened, and he exclaimed: Miss Car
roll, l believe you have solved the ques-
ton
ole hurried at once to the White house,
and, with much excitement, gave it to the
president.
MIR Lincoln read it with avidity, and
when ne had finished 1t Mr.. Scott told me
that he had never witnessed such delight
as he eyinced. General Mcclellan was then
in command. He opposed the plan, but
Mr.. Lincoln quietly gave the orders him
self for a chaige of base as soon as pos
sible. Up TO that time no plan for the
close Of the struggle, except down the Mis-
sissippi. had ever occurred TO the mind OF
any living man or woman, as far as known,
but from that moment Mr., Lincoln thought
OF nothing else. He went himself at once
to St. Louis to aid in putting the plan In
motion.
Just after the fall of Fort Henry | called
at the War department and saw Mr.. Tucker,
then assistant secretary of war, He told
me that Mr.. Scott stated to him on leaving
for the west: This is Miss CARROTS plan,
and II successful the glory is hers
When the country was iubilant over the
successes that followed this change OF plan
Roscoe Conkling offered the resolution In
the house of representatives TO ascertain
what nameless hero deserved the laurels
for this mastery conception.
HER GENIUS UNCREDITED.
He had to content himself with the as
surance that the Wal department knew, but
that for reasons Of state further informa-
ton would not be forthcoming there and
then.
Anna Ella Carroll was present during the
whole discussion while the achievement was
attributed to one military leader and an
other, and says: ,
~ was present through II all, and could
at any moment have satisfied congress ana
the world as to the authorship OF the plan,
but for prudential reasons | RETAINED from
utterlng a word, 1t was decided TO refer
the question TO the military committee OF
| the house, and there the matter slept
Miss Carroll died possessed OF many eulo-
CYSTIC letters from men OF the highest posi-
ton and uudoubted integrity, She had the
testimony of Thomas A. Scott 10 Jacob NJ.
Howard, chairman OF the military commit
tee, TO consider the claim presented by Miss
! Carroll in 1s7Oi a letter from Benjamin f.