The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-05
at Cairo. Ill. was directed to be in Cairo on
June II. My formal appointment, which I did
not receive until after I reached Cairo. read:

WAR DEPARTMENT,
WASHINGTON CRY. d. c., June 10, 1863.
sm, BY direction of the President, o commission
has been appointed. consisting Of Messrs. George 8.
Boutwell,. Stephen T. Logan, and yourself. to examine
and report upon all unsettled claims against the War
Department. at Cairo. ILL.,. that may have originated
prior TO the nrst day OF April. 1863.
Messrs. Boutwell, and Logan have been requested to
meet with you at Cairo on the 18th day OF Juno in
slant, in order that the commission may be organized
on that day and enter Immediately upon the dis
charge Of its duties.
You Will be allowed a compensation of IS per day
and mileage.
Mr.. Thomas Means. who has been appointed solic-
itor for the Government, has been directed to meet
you at Cairo on the 18th instant, and win act under
the direction of the commission In the investigation
OF such claims as may be presented.
EDWIN II. STANTON. Secretary Of War.
Hon. CHARLES A. DANA OF New York. Cairo. Ill.
On reaching Cairo on the appointed day. I
found my associates. Judge Logan Of Spring
field, ILL.,, one Of MI. Lincoln's friends, and Mr..
Boutwell, of Massachusetts, (afterward Governor
Of that State, Secretary of the Treasury, and Q
Senator) both present. We organized on the
18th, as directed. Two days after we met Judge
Logan was compelled by illness to resign from
the commission. and Shelby NJ. Cullom, now
United States Senator from Illinois, was sp-
pointed in his place.
II hiuih hioh " uuu ny uOW UuNNuCOo
far to tho front, but Cairo was still an important
military depot-almost an outpost-in command
Of Gen. William K. Strong, whom I had known
we'll in New York MS a Republican politician.
There was a largo number OF troops stationed in
the town, and from there the armies on the Mis-
sissippi. in Missouri. and kentucky got all their
supplies and munitions of war. Tho Quarter
masters DEPARTMENT there had been or
ganixed hastily, and the demands upon 1t
ID a. a.
ness had been done by green volun-
teer officers who did not understand tho
technical duties of making out military requisi-
tions and returns; the result was that the ac-
counts were In great confusion. and hysterical
newspapers wcre charging the department with
fraud and corruption. The matter could not be
settled by any ordinary means. and the commits
aion went there as a kind of supreme authority,
accepting or rejecting claims. and paying them
as We thought fit. after examining the evidence.
Sixteen hundred and ninety-six claims,
amounting to S599, 218.36. were examined by
US. OF those approved and certified for pay.
ment the amount was $4b1. Jos. 80.
OF the claims rejected a considerable portion
were for losses suffered In the active operations
of the army. either through departure from dis
clpline on the part of soldiers. or from requisi-
tions made by officers who failed to give re-
ceipts and certificates to the parties. who were
thus unable to support their claims by sufficient
evidence. Many claims of this description were
also presented by persons whose loyalty to the
Government was impeachod by credible wit
nesses. In rejecting these the commission set
forth the disloyalty OF the claimAnts In the cor
~tifcates written on the face of their accounts.
Other accounts. whose rightfulness was estab-
lished, were rejected on proof OF disl0yalty. Tho
commission regarded completely In the rebellion
as barring all claims against the United States.
A very small percentage of the claims were
rejected because Of fraud. In almost every case
it was possible to suppose that the apparent
fraud was accident. My observation through.
out the war was the same. / do not believe that
so much business could be transacted with q
closer adherence to the line of honesty. That
there were frauds is a matter Of course. because
men, and even some women. are wicked. but
they were the exception.
FIRST MEETING WITH GRANT.
All the leisure that had at Cairo l spent in
horseback riding up and down tho river banks
and In visiting the adjacent military posts. My
longest and most interesting trip was on the
Fourth OF July, when / went down the Missis-
sippi to attend a big celebration at Memphis. I
remember it particularly because II was there
that / first met Gen. Grant. The officers sta
toned In the city gave a dinner that day to which
l wasinvited. At the table / was seated between
Grant and Major John A. Rawlins of his stan. I
remember distinctly the pleasant impression
Grant mado-that of "a man of simple man.
ners, straightforward. cordial, and unpretend-
Ing. He had already fought the successful
battles OF Fort Donelson and Shiloh. and when /
met him was a MajOr-General In command OF
the district OF West Tennessee. Department OF
the Missouri. under Halleck, with headquarters
at Memphis. Although one would not have
suspected 1t from his manners. he was really
under a cloud at the time because OF thu opera
lions at Shiloh. Those who did not like him had
accused him OF having been taken by surprise
there. and had declared that he would have
been beaten II Buell. had not como up. IOtten