The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-06

vile road. The loyal people Of East Tennessee
had done their utmost through the whole timo
to send in provisions and forage, and Longstreet
left open the very avenues which Burnside
most desired. We found ammunition very short,
and projectiles for our rife guns had been made
in the town. The utmost constancy and una
nimity had prevailed during the whole siege:
from Burnside down to the last private no man
thought of retreat or surrender.
The next morning after our arrival. Dec. Z,
Sherman started back to Chattanooga with all
his force not needed at Knoxville. Col. Wilson
and l returned with him. reaching Chattanooga
on Dec. 10. Everything in tho army was now
so safe. quiet, and regular that I felt l could be
more useful anywhere else. 30 the day I got back
I asked leave of Mr.. Stanton to go North. l did
not wait for his reply, however. Tho morning
of the 18th Grant sent for me to come to his
headquarters, where he asked mo to go to WASH
ington to represent more fully to Stanton and
Halleck his wishes with regard to the winter CAM
paign. AS the matter vas important l started
at once, telegraphing Mr.. Stanton that. IL he
thought 1t unnecessary for me to go, contrary
orders would reach me at any point on the rail-
road.
PLANS TO MOVE TOWARD MOBILE.
I reached Washington about the middle of
December. and Immediately gave to Mr.. Stanton
an outline Of Grants plan and reasons for a
winter campaign. The President, Mr.. Stanton.
and Gen. Halleck all agreed that the proposed
operations were the most promising in sight;
indeed. MIR. Stanton was enthusiastic in favor
of the scheme as I presented 1t to him. He said
that the success of Grants campaign would end
the war in the Mississippi Valley. and practi.
cally make prisoners of all the rebel forces in
the interior Of Mississippi and Alabama. without
our being at the direct necessity Of guarding and
feeding them. But Halleck,. las a sine qua non.
insisted that East Tennessee should first be
cleared out and Longstreet driven off rerma-
nently and things up to date secured. before new
campaigns were entered upon.
The result was that no winter campaign was
made in 1s63-64 toward the Alabama River
towns and Mobile. Its success, in my opinion.
was certain. and I so represented to Mr.. Stanton.
Without jeoparding our interests in any other
quarter, Grant would have opened the Alabama
River and captured Mobile q full year before it
finally fell. Success meant permanent security
for everything we had already laid hold OF, and
would at once have freed many thousands of
garrison troops for service elsewhere. AS long
as the rebels held Alabama they had a base
from which to strike Tennessee. 1 had un-
bounded confidence in Grants skill and energy
to conduct such a campaign into the interior,
cutting loose entirely from his base and subsist-
ing Off the enemy's country. At the time he had
the troops and could have finished the job in
three months.
After I had explained fully my mission from
Grant ! asked the Secretary what he wanted me
to do. Mr.. Stanton told me he would like to
have me remain in the department until / was
needed again at the front. Accordingly l was
given an office In the War Department, and be-
gan to do the regular work of an assistant to the
Secretary of War. This was the first time since
my relations with the War Department began
that I had been thrown much with the Secre-
tary. and ! was very glad to have an opportu-
nifty to observe him.
EDWIN M. STANTON.
Mr.. Stanton was a short. thick. dark man,
with a very large head and a mass of black hnir.
His nature was intense. and he was one of the
most eloquent mon that ! ever met. Stanton
was entirely absorbed in his duties. and his
energy In prosecuting them was something
almost superhuman. When he took hold of tho
War Department the armies seemed to grow.
and they certainly gained in force and vim and
thoroughness.
One of the first things which struck me In Mr..
Stanton was his deep religious feeling and his
familiarity with the Bible. He must have
studied the Bible a great deal whom he was a
boy. He had tho frmest conviction that the
Lord directed our armies. Over and over again
have / heard him express tho same opinion
which he wrote to the Tribune after Donelson:
=" Much has recently been said of military COM
binations and organizing victory. / hear
such phrases with apprehension. They COM
menced In infdel France with the Ital.
ian campaign. and resulted in Waterloo.
Who can organize yictoryi Who can
combine the elements of success on the battle
feldf Wo owe our recent victories to the Spirit
Of tho Lord, that moved our soldiers to rush
into battle, and filled the hearts of our enemies
with dismay. The inspiration that conquered
in battle was In the hearts Of the soldiers and
from on high; and wherever there Is the same
inspiration there will be the same results"
There never was any cant in Stanton's religious
feeling. 1t was the straightforward expression
OF what he believed and lived. and was as simple
and genuine and real to him as tho principles OF
his business.
Stanton was a serious student of history. He
had read many books on tho subject-more than
on any other. ] should say-and no was fond OF
discussing historical characters with his asso-
ciates, not that he made n show of his learning.
He was fond, too. of discussing legal questions,
and would listen with eagerness to the state
ment OF cases in which friends had been inter-
estod. He was a man who was devoted to his
friends. and no had a good many with whom
he liked to sit down and talk. In conversation
he was witty and satiricAl; he told a story well.
and was very companionable.
There is a popular impression that Mr.. Stan
ton took a malevolent delight in browbeatinR
his subordinGtes, and every now and then max