The evening times., 1896-04-10
ON A DELICATE MISSION

1t was a critical point In the war. The
Union armies We're costing the government
So, 100000 day, and up to that time had
met with little success. Part OF the Mis-
sissippi was in the hands of the Confed-
crates, and there was danger OF losing III
the southwest. The country was in de-
spair, and the European governments were
on the point OF recognizing the Confederacy.
Miss Carroll went to ST. Louis. and after
4 careful examination, grasped the situa-
ton with comprehensive genius which
could have only been expected of a Napoleon
or Won Mo!tke. The military authors
ties had already agreed that the only way 10
strike decisive blow was 10 transfer the
army down the Mississippi river into Mis-
sissippi and make an attack from the water
front on Vicksburg.
In her report She pointed ont that the
southern part of the river was bristling
with Notifications, and that many battles
under unfavorahlc conditions must be
fought before any impression could be
made on the enemy. She declared that the
true key to the Southwest was not the Mis-
sissippi but the Tennessee.
SOLVED THE QUESTION.
She showed that the latter river marked
the true strategic line, inasmuch as it had
been overlooked and left unfortified by the
enemy. When the plan was presented 10
Col. Thomas Scott, Acting Secretary of
War, he exclaimed: Miss Carroll, be-
iievc that You have solved the question"
Hchurried a once to the White House with
the plan in his hands, and when Lincoln had
read it he was delighted. Scott was at once
,NI.,
rangcmcnts were made to follow Miss Car
rolls advice. but The details ofthc proposed
move were Kept a profound secret, and tie
generals who assisted in carrying il out aud
whoafterwa rti were credited withth whole
scheme were entirely ignorant of why they
made the moves that they did.
Every one knows the result. To the
amazcmcnt of the Conf,ricracy. the West
ern armies were transferred from the MisSis-
sppi up the Tennessee and into the State of
Mississippi. Fort Henry fell; Fort Donel-
son was astakcn; the COnfe,iera cy was divided,
and lis army was cut off from the source of
supplies. The ultimate success OF the Union
forces was assured.
HER SERVICES UNAPPRECIATED.
During the jubila,ion that followed dis
JusSioHS WIZ III botll .tuStS Ol NoH-
gress to decide to whom was due the honor
Of dcvising the brilliant plan which had re-
suited so successfully.
Miss Carroll sat In the Senate gallery
quietly listening while the praises of others
were sung, an !her name was not once men-
toned. She continued her work, however,
and was the author OF the plan which re-
suited in the final fan of Vicksburg.
Owing TO the untimely death Of President
Lincoln hers was not recognized as the
mind which haddirectcd the various moves,
and the bill which was tardily introduced
into Congress awarding her modest claim
for services was never passed.
After the war she lost what little prop
erty She had left, and was for years sup
ported, an invalid. by her devoted sister,
who had n position in one of the depart
mcnts Aud this in spite OF the fact that
Senator Jacob Howard Of the military COM
mission. appointed TO inquire into the serv-
ices rendered by Miss Carroll, reported to
the Fifty-sccond Congress: "She did more
for the country than all the military gen
erals She showed where to fight and how
to strike the rebellion on the head"