The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-04-14

perate attempt TO take Maryland out Of
the Union, with the intention of Selling
Washington and inaugurating a southern
congress there Senator John G.. Breckin-
ridge had just made a sensational and
powerful speech, which was calculated to
turn the balance in favor of secession.
While the fate OF the state was trem bling
in the balance Miss Carroll issued a pam
phlet containing such clear and fOrcible ar
guments in reply that the war department.
circulated large edition, which did much
toward holding the citizens of Maryland
loyal to the Union.
But her greatest service was rendered a
year later. President Lincoln, having rec
Ognized that she possessed unequaled fore
sight and rare military Judgment, asked
her to go to st. Louis and try to form an
opinion as to whether a proposed expedi-
ton down the Mississippi would succeed
or fail. 1t was "A critical point in the war.
The Union armies were costing the gov
eminent 81, 600, coo day, and up TO that
time had met with little success. Part of
the Mississippi was in the hands of the
Confederates, and there was danger of
losing all the southwest. The country was
in despair, and the European governments
were on the point of recognizing the Con
federacy.
Miss Carroll went to St. Louis, and aft
er a careful examination grasped the stu
alton with a comprehensive genius which
could have only been expected of a Ma
poleon or Won Moltke The military
authorities had already agreed that the
only way to strike decisive blow was to
transfer the army down the Mississippi riv-
or into Mississippi and make an attack
from the water front on Vicksburg. In
her report she pointed out that the south
ern part of the river was bristlIng with
Notifications and that many battles under
unfavOrable conditions must be fought be-
fore any impression could be made on the
enemy. She declared that the true key to
the southwest was not the Mississippi, but
the Tennessee She showed that the lat
ter river marked the true strategic line
inasmuch as it had been overlooked and
left unfortified by the enemy
When the plan was presented to Colonel
Thomas Scott acting secretary of war, he
exclaimed, Miss Carroll, 1 believe that
you have solved the question" He hur-
ried at once to the White House with the
plan in his hands, and when Lincoln had
read it, he was delighted. Scott was at
once sent west to carry out the plan, and
all arrangements were made to follow Miss
Oarroll's advice, but the details of the pro-
posed move were kept profound secret,
and the generals who assisted in carrying
it out, and who sfterward were credited
with the whole scheme, were entirely ig
norant of why they made the moves that
they did.
Every one knows the result. To the
amazement Of the Confederaoy, the west
ern armies were transferred from the Mis-
sissippi up the Tennessee and into the state
of Mississippi. Fort Henry fell; Fort Don
elson was taken; the Confederecy was di-
vided, and its army Yves cut of from the
source Of supplies. The ultimate success
Of the Union forces was assured.
During the jubilation that followed dis
cussions were held In both houses Of con-
gress to decide to whom was due the honor
Of devising the brilliant plan which had
resulted so successfully. Miss Carroll sat
in the senate gallery quietly listening
while the praises of others were sung and
her name was not once mentioned. She
continued her work, however, and was the
author of the plan which resulted in the
final fall OF Vicksburg. Owing to the I'M
timely death of President Lincoln hers
was not recognized as the mind which had
directed the victorious moves, and the bill
which was tardily introduced into con
gress awarding her modest claim for serv-
ices was never passed. After the war she
lost what little property she had left and
for years was supported, an invalid, by a
devoted sister, who had position in one of
the departments. And this in spite of the
fact that Senator Jacob Howard of the
military commission appointed to inquire
into the services rendered by Miss Carroll
reported to the Forty second congress:
the military generals. She showed whore
the head ="