The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-02
REMINISCENCES
OF Men and Events
OF THE CIVIL WAR.
BY CHARLES A. DANA,
Assistant Secretary Of War from 1859 to 1865.
HI.

ETom mcosures hdpds1Ho J0T 1""uu'p'
BURG AND THE MEN IN
~
ma Aav after writing Mr.. Stanton this letters
~ IN, Genorola NJ divisionan and Of bripndes in
Ih..zr, ,~h;oh ho.,.ood y,ckaburo wrote
80. ,..a, ,ha .t.g ogc.rs NJ tho various
A. All. ,ott.r h arc
s".ps-
peioke ~eeH ~ pam"
CAIRO. ILLINOIS, July ls' 1908.
DEAn Sir: In my letter OF yesterday 1 accioentaliy
omitted to notice Gen. q. U "ashourn among 'ho
Generals OF division In drants army. hh 'rue me-
has never commanded a division 7 nor so far as am
aware. o brigade either, having geheraily oeeh eh'
ployed IN command or e1pediuons' detachmehts' anu
ecattered bodies OF cavalry. He Is now IN command
pftwo OF the divisions detacned IRON tne sik'eehtn
Army CORPS, namely. that OF himoah ahu mat Oh w.
:. smith. ana as 1 happen TO KNOW nhiou W oe
putin COMMAND OF an army CORPS o "hicn purpose
ishns been suggested that q new corps might De Gro,
ated out OF these Two divisiohs' WIN the auui'ion ot
shat OF Lau'rah' also ue'acheo from the e'A'een'"'
or Heron. 6ht 1 understand IRON Gen. Grant 'hat
ne u NOT fa'o- apie 10 any sueh ARRANGEMENT Mwh'
burn being one or the very youngest IN rank Oh ms
AajorS generals ne ih'ehus 10 put MN IN c"nimahuo vi
esingle diNisioha rs soon as possioie' IN oroer 'hal 10
may provo MS h'hess o h'Bher co""anus ny "c'u"'
service anu S'Noho OCCASION o oluer iuier 'oeo"'
PLAIN tnat ne Is prohoteu WITHOUT reSaro W us
merits.
kno" "ashourh very Weii' oo'n as q poh''ciah
ana q military man. ana 1 say frankly that ne mas
better qualities Tor the latter than Tor the FORMER
Function. Ho Is brave. steady, respectable; receives
puggestlohs' ana weighs 'hem careiu'y' Is not aoo'o
being advised. nut acts with independence ncVerthe-
less. his judgment Is Boou, ana mis- vigilance SUM-
cient have not seen him In battle, however, ana
cannot say how FAR he holds his mind there. ldont
hnd In him, l am sorry to say, that effort to learn the
military art when every commander ought oex'
hibit, no matter whether he mas received a military
education or NOT. washourns whoie soul is NOT put
INTO the business or arms ana Tor mo that is an un'
pardonnbie defect. hut he Is n good man. ana aoove
She average OF our Generals; at least OF those IN
GRANTS command.
now come TO the stan organization ana stan on''
GERS or this army, beginning, OF course. with those
connected with the head OF the department arants
stan ID O curious mixture OF good, Dad. and indiner-
emit AS he Is neither an organizer nor q disciplinarian
himself. his stan Is naturally a mosaic OF accidental
elements and family friends. 1t contains four work
Ing men. two VINO are able to accomplish their duties
without much work. and several VINO either don't
think OF work. or VINO accomplish nothihS, no matter
what they undt rtake.
Lieut-Col. Rawlins. Grants Assistant AdtutantGen-
oral. is n very Industrious, conscientious man. who
never loses a moment and never gives himself any
indulgence except swearing and scolding. He Is a
lawyer by profession, a townsman OF Grants. and has
agreat innuence aver him' especially because he
Watcnes MIN aay anu hight' ana whenever ne com
mits the ROXY or tasting liquor hastens to remind him
that at the beginning of the war he gave him Raw.
lins) his word or honor not to touch n drop as long as
stlasted. Grant thinks Rawlins a tirst-rate Adjutant.
out think this Is a mistake. He Is too slow. and
can't wfte the english language correctly without a
great oeai OF caretui consideration. indeed Hitter
ateness Is n general characteristic or Grants stan.
and, In fact. OF Grants Generals and regimental on.
GERS OF all RANKS.
MAJOR bowers Judge-Advocate or Grants stan. Is
an excellent man. and always finds work to do.
Lieut'Coi WILSON,. lnspectorTeneral. is n person or
similar uisposition. Hei a captain OF Engineers In
the regular army, ana has rendered valuable services
IN tnat Capacity. me tortihcations OF haynes's Blun
were designed by him and executed under his direc-
ffon., His leading idea is the idea OF duty, and he ap-
IN consequence ne If unpopular among all who have
70 VII '''e WORK. h"t he mas ren'arkaole tai
en1 and uncommon executive power. and Will be
ueafo from hereafter
The ouartoTnaster'S department Is under charge OF
Aaeut'Coi' BlhGhanl' VINO Is one OF those ] spoke OF as
accomplishing much Win little work. he Is an in.
Vand Almost ana l nave never seen him when he ap-
peared 90 perfectly "eii' nut no Is a man or f'rst'
Fate abilities anu SOLID character ana, barring physi'
cal weakness up 10 even greater responsibilities than
a. ~" sea-"
The CHEZ comnlissary' Lieut.col. Macferly. is a
Sony' agreeable feiiow. who never seems 10 lie at
work; Out l nave hearn no complaint OF denciencies
IN MS aepar hien,' On the contrary 1t seems to be
one OF the most 'ficacions parts OF this great machine.
Lieut''Coi. h"ht' Provost Narshai'"eneral. Is a very
INDUSTRIOUS IN" HonS'oic man u great Improvement
On bis predecessor Col Hil'yer. who was a family
end persona niend OF Grants
There are Two aiIeS'de'cainp with the rank OF Col
onei' name y Coi'----an ana COL -, both personal
Friends OF Grants - Is a worthless. whiskey
drinking. useless fellow. --- is decent and gentle
manly. but neither oi them Is worth his salt. so far as
service TO thH Government goes Indeed. In all my
oo~seryauon' J nave never discovered the use OF
Grants aocs'le'cahp al AL oh the battlefield he
sometimes sends orders hy them. but everywhoree else
shey are Idle ioafcrs' suppose the army would be
better on II they were all suppressed especially the
Colonies.
Grant has three aides with the rank or Captain.
CAPT. hoss IL n relative OF Mrs. Grant, He has been