The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-06-13


army De paid Anna Ella Carroll from ine
date 81 her services 20 ths country. IN
November. ISL. to the tine CT the passage
Of this act: and the further pag,n snt OF
tire sane amount as the pay ana esroa1-
merits 81 a j3r-gersral re pa41 % hef
- the end Of her life. 2s partial Enfsa sure
az recognition OF her services 90 the hs-
tIcn-
but the military committee" says Miss
Blackwell, having made this exceiiefs
summary OF evidence. Endorsed MISS Jar
rolls claim In the strongest manner anu
prepared a noble and fitting bill Gne osf-
or committees had left the award blank,
to re flied in by a puzzled ard unwilling
congress which preferred to do nothing
al alb. became greatly alarmed at what
II had done. Leaving the report unchanE-
cd az the last moment IL hastily withdrew
the bill and substituted in its place the
following surprising performance:
Be tx enacted, that the secretary Of the
interior be and he is hereby authorized
and directed 20 place upon the pension
rolls OF the United States the name Of
AnHa Ella Carroll, and 10 pay TO her
pension OF 80 per month from and after
the passage of this act during her life. for
the important military service rendered
tire country by her during the late civil
war
''Of course. the bin died Immediately OF
continued the author of "A Military GcYi-
Us..' ''one could hardly say whether 1t
would have been the more unworthy thing
to pass such bin or to pass mona at all:
but the last beng the more tiEaorouS
course. had been adopted for ten success
slYe years as il has also been resorted to
III the ten succeeding ones
The military committee of 1851, having
accomplished this astonishing feat. threw
away It's arms and ANONYMOUSLY fed, and
Congress followed in the rear. indefinite
y postponing action on an unweIcome
claim that always would turn up ineon-
testahly proven"
This was the last effort which Miss Car
roll made TO establish her claim to the
gratitude of her country. Subsequent at
tempts though receiving her assent, had
10 be made without her personal cooper
alton. as mental fatigue was imperatiysly
forbidden by her physicians. A reaction
of encouragement followed on the action
OF the committee. and she was stricken
with paralysis. For three years she how
cred between life and death. but the na-
tural vigor OF her constitution reasserted
itself. and she regained a considerable
measure OF health.
By this time her fortunes were at the
lowest ebb. and had Ii not been for an IN
married sister. who obtained work as a
teacher In Baltimore and provided for the
support of the distinguished invalid. she
would have suffered actual want Later
this same sister obtained q cierkship In the
treasury at Washington. and there Miss
Carroll died In 1884, at the age OF nearly 50
years. Her sister Miss Mary Carroll, is
now too old to work, and is said 10 be Iiv-
ing In great want.
1t is generally supposed THAI Miss Carroll
received a slight compensation from the
government for her services. but Miss
Blackwell says this is an error. In a bill
presented TO the war department in 1852 for
expenses incurred In the publication OF
war pamphlets. Miss Carroll credited 81 80
TO the secret service fund, and later she
credited 500 to the same source: but il ap-
peared afterward that this all came out OF
the pocket OF Thomas a. Scott. who in
his capacity OF assistant secretry of war;
had made the agreement with Miss Carroll
for the publication of the pamphlets
Miss Carroll also incurred expense. says
Miss Blackwell. In securing the informal
ton on which the plan OF the Tennessee
campaign was based. OF the inception OF
this plan the book gives the following ac-
count:
Ii was suggested to Miss CorrolI by the
war department that she should go West
and endeavor to form an opinion as 20
the probable result OF the proposed de-
scent OF the Mississippi by gunboats. Ac-
a month or more in studying the topog-
graphy Of the proposed line OF advance
She became convinced that the expedition
would result In disaster, and while re-
fecting upon it's dangers il came to her
as by inspiration. she said. that the sail
ors-the pliots~might offer some sugges-
ton She knew that the military leaders
would never avail themselves OF this
humble source Of information and she
7hos1whf IA. rT oil
should know the strategic points The
wife OF a pilot named Scott happened 10
he staying in Miss Carroll. .lotei and she
host 10 time IN securing an interview
with the husband. Mr. Scott said IL would
be death 20 every man who attempted
- go down the Mississippi"
What about the Tennessee and Cum
hsriand riveTs?" asked Miss Carroll. Are
they nav.gable by slnboats?''
Yes was the answer, "the Tennessee
especially"
And as he mentioned the Tennessee IL
flashed upon me-" said Miss Carroll. with
tho certainty II conviction that had seen
my way To the salvation Of my COUNTRY"
Miss Carroll returned Immediately 10
Washington pre- pared a plan of campaign
and took il 70 Col, Scott. who was acting
secretary of war. After reading il and
hearing Miss Carrolrs verbal arguments.
he exclaimed
Miss Carroll I believe you have solved
the question
Tie hurried at once to the White House
and laid the plan before President Lin
coin. Up 70 that Tacment no plan for the
closing Of tho struggle. except down the
Mississippi had occurred TO any living
uan or woman. as far as ia known: but
from that moment Mr.. Lincoln thought
81 nothing else. Gen. Mcclellan who was
then In command opposed the plan: hut
Mr.. Lincoln quietly gave orders himself
.or change Of base as soon as possible.
The greatest secrecy possible was main
ta!ucd as 70 the origin of the plan. as Mr..
Lincoln was opposed TO having Il known
that the armies were moving under the
plan ~ civilian directed by the presi
dent as commandeT-:n-chtef. lie wanted
tae country and the armies TO believe.
for tho time hssuG. that they were doing
the whole business II savtrr the country.
ard his uuts1aely death and that Of others
prevented Miss CARROTS rcco1nltiaa
af'erwayd. Her Influence in the executive
councils WAS well known. however. and
she was spoken 90 IS "the great unrrcog-
nlsed member Of Liucoln's cabinet
Niss Carroll belonged 70 ere - the
most prominent Of tho old Maryland fam
Tiles. a0a rs her father took an active
part Sc politics. and vas for the same
time governor II his state. SIZE vas
brought "a contact with the greatest poll
t.e.Anz OF The day. This helped her IN
acquire Ser great political know ledge. ana
naaee ii possible for her 20 let the gov
erUgncat have the benefit % her study and
reflection.
VITA The sloo3 full - hunors. the bes.n,
term Is all the more oppressive Cs{vr 49,