Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1896-07-25
ONE OF THE FLEET.

essary already arranged for his trans
portation, and thus things went along
smoothly"
did vessel owners or railroads offer
obstacles to your movements?
''Never to my recollection. Occa-
sionally small shipowner would OBJ
Ject. but it was useless. The large ship.
owners were always very glad to re-
ceive employment by the government.
because they received liberal compen-
sation and prompt payment. But in
those days, when the military power of
the federal government was every
where displayed, it would have been
foolish for any steamer or railroad
manager to offer obstacles to the move
merts of the armies. 1t would have
been somewhat hazardous, for men
wcIe frequently convicted of disloyalty
and sent to prison on slight provoca
ton. When the life of the nation was
at hazard, we gave little thought to the
views or opinions of individuals. We
went right ahead and did business in
our own way.
Il do not now remember how many
| transports were employed in carrying
the expedition of Gen. Banks around to
| New Orleans, but it was big job
There were naval vessels accompany
| the expedition to protect the trans
ports; but, of course, / had no control
! Of any naval vessels. The transports
carried all of the troops in Banks eN-
pedition, all of the horses, cattle, bat
;eries. hard tack and other food, and it
cost lots of money. l don't remember
| any thing about the total amount, but
| it was immense.
Then there We're two expeditions
| against Fort Fisher: one under Gen.
| B'iiler, and the other under Gen. Terry.
| moved the Eleventh and Twelfth corps
! from Virginia to Tennessee. / sent the
! Ninth corps to the relief of Knoxville.
/ 1 fioated Schofieid's Twenty-third corps
| over into North Carolina In some of
those movements, and they were in a
| hurry, 1 had to grab cars and boats
wherever / could find them. Then
| when my cars went west loaded with
| troops l had to chase after them with
my most vigorous assistants, in order
| to get them back for future movements.
| Oh. if we didn't work in those days, no
| fellows ever worked. The men in the
field never knew how it happened that
| things went so smoothly. When Gen.
Sherman reached Savannah he found
my fleets outside awaiting him with
mails, provisions and ammunition. The
cid man compiimented me very highly
afterwards, and said that he did not
expect to get any assistance for week
or ten days after reaching his destina-
j ton. But there was my fleet; and
wherever a regiment, brigade, division
or army corps was to be moved had
the transportation ready at the time
and place designated in general orders
from the headquarters of the army.
Il have signed many check for
$1,000 to S50O.00O, and handed it over
to my assistants to disburse in accord.
ance with specific orders previously
written by me- During the last year
of the war signed checks for 81 ,0OO, 900
And how much do you suppose lost
i during those busy and trying years OF
civil war? I settled my accounts with
the government without having single
cent missing or unaccounted for. That
is what am most proud of in my mil
itary career. OF course it was a grea-
commission. a responsible position, an.j
any man might feel proud of having
been placed in such supreme command
But the system of business was such
that not a cent was lost in the dis
bursements of all those millions; and
that is certainly something that man
may be proud of. and may even be ex
cused for Dragging about
! SMITH d. FRY.