Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-07-23
PROUD OF HIS RECORD.
Ten. Van Vilet, Oldest Living OFF,
Ger in the Army.
During the Closing Year of the War
He Spent Many Millions OF
Dollars WAjhout Losing
"a Ono Cent.
Especial Washington letter.

One OF the most 1amlllar 1gureS on
the streets of the national capital is
that of Maj. Gen. Stewart Van Vliet, re-
tired. He is short and stout, growing
very stout, and his beard and hair have
long been silvered by the touch of time.
Although the oldest living officer in The
army, he is sturdy, strong and intel
lectually vigorous. Moreover, he is one
of the most entertaining conversation
alists in our social life.
AS the general entered Chamberlain's
club one evening recently, an army Of
ficer remarked: There goes a man who
spent more money during the last three
years of the civil war than any other
man connected with the government.
He disburSed fabulous sums, and yet
made no mistakes" This remark was
peated 10 Gen. Van Vliet, with the in
quiry: ''How much money did you dis
burse, all told?"
"That would be hard to say" re-
spondel the veteran. II never thought
that it would be neither interesting or
necessary to foot up grand total. 1t
was more than $1O0,00O,0C0, and proba
bly, 100000. 1t certainly was a big
pile of money, come to think of it,"
GLOW was it expended?" a.. ,...e-
"Well, you see had been chief quar-
termaster of the Army of the Potomac,
and Gen Ingalls, succeeded ME There was
considerable money disbrsed by me
in that office; but when went to New
York city and was given entire char ge
of all transportation on the Atlantic
coast east of the Allegheny mountains,
/ had big job, and it took more money
than had ever dreamed of handling to
properly carry on the business of my
department. L not only had to look
after ocean transportation, but all rail
way transportation of troops, ordnance
material, quartermasters' stores and
clothing, and all the supplies for the
commssaries. l was obliged to make
provision for every change of base and
every expedition of the armies Of the
east; and they were always on the
move"
Did you have authority over the lines
of transportation
certainly. l virtually controlled
every railroad line east of the Al
leghenics, and / controlled all of the
shipping on the Atlantic coast, OK
cepting the regular transatlantic
steamer lines. 1t was in my power and
discretion to take possession OF every
ocean-going craft, no matter how large
or how small. AL | had to do was 20
take possession in the name of the gCv-
crnment. and the ship owners could but
submit. Of course. when their business
was injured, it was the duty of the gcv-
eminent to indemnify them"
Did you use many vessels?"
Did 1? Well l should say so. I had
regular trip steamers. l had lines Of
ocean-going vessels making regular
trips to the blockading squadrons, to
all the fleets and all of the naval and
military stations along the coast. The Sc
vessels were organized and made regular
trips to the various stations, as far az
New Orleans, and each one had specific
duty to perform. l had 200 or 300 YES
sells thus regularly engaged on the
ocean; butinaddition to those boats had
hundreds and hundreds of steamers of
all sorts On the rivers, sounds, bays and in
land waterways. These were transports,
dispatch boats, freight and supply
boats some of them among the fastest
craft atloat, and others under sail and
under tow"
How many ships were under yaur
| commando"
Bless me ii know exactly; but there
were more than 10000 of them; more
than were commanded by all the adj
mirals in the world in times of war or
in times of peace. The sailing vessels