name of one senator from the northwest and one representative from Pennsylvania, whereupon he burst out vehemently: "Oh, I know them. They are both d-d cowards; neither one of them will ever come within five hundred yards of the War Department. I'll take care of them; you can leave that to me and go fearlessly about your business."

The order relieving me from service in the Cavalry Bureau came April 7, but before starting to the field I called upon the Secretary to pay my respects and take my leave. Inasmuch as he had invited me to make such suggestions as might occur to me for the betterment of administration, I ventured, in recalling that circumstance, to say: "Mr. Secretary, I regret to inform you that a mistake has been made in assigning Colonel Ekin, the Quartermaster's Department, to duty as chief of the Bureau." Instantly he flew into a rage, exclaiming: "What in hell is the matter with Ekin?" I replied: "Nothing except he is a volunteer with neither rank nor experience for the position." The Secretary rejoined: "Why can't he give his orders in my name?" To this I replied: "He can, but you will not have the time to explain what you want done, and he will not have the knowledge to decide what he should do." The Secretary, with increasing anger, and a still louder voice, then said: "Well, I wish the whole d- d thing were in hell. What do you recommend?" In reply I suggested that General Halleck, chief of staff of the army, should have supervision over the Bureau, explaining that Colonel Kautz, my principal assistant, an experienced old officer, aided by Colonel Martin, the adjutant general, also an able officer, would be com

petent to carry on the business of the Bureau without delay or interruption, and especially without annoying the Secretary with the details. My suggestion was accepted, and, so far as I know, the results were satisfactory, but it may be remarked that the withdrawal of Kautz for duty in the field a few weeks later placed the burden more firmly on Halleck's shoulders. As he was far from being a practical soldier, he came to the conclusion before the war ended that the cavalry was but a poor arm at best, and that horses enough could not be found to supply the organized regiments with remounts.

XIII

SERVICES IN WASHINGTON

Administration and duties of Cavalry Bureau-Horse-purchasing stations-Governors Andrew, Morton, and Dennison-Grant at Nashville-Dine with LincolnLincoln and Ward Lamon-Discontentment with government-Loyalty of army-Return to field service.

My services in the Cavalry Bureau at Washington extended from January 23 to April 7, 1864, or about ten weeks. It ended in accordance with the understanding between General Grant and Secretary Stanton at the time the detail was made. It covered a wide range of subjects connected with the cavalry service, as fully shown in the records and correspondence of the Bureau. They touched every question that could arise in regard to the organization, equipment, mounts, remounts, armament, instruction, efficiency, and standardization of that most expensive arm. The purchase, supply, and care of horses at the depots, their preparation, and issue for service, their care and recuperation when sick or worn down by overwork and exposure required constant supervision and involved daily correspondence by telegraph and letter with army commanders, chiefs of cavalry, horse inspectors, Bureau officers, commanders of camps, and governors of

states. I was occupied from morning till night, week days and Sundays, not only with those matters, but with senators, representatives, contractors, manufacturers, and inventors. It was my duty to serve as a breakwater to the Department and a protection to the public treasury against fraud and spoliation. When it is remembered besides that in doing all this it was necessary to keep myself solid with those in authority over me, without running to them with details, it will be readily understood that I had no time for play, and that my job was no sinecure. I was then in my middle twenties and absolutely without general experience or any but the most superficial knowledge of the business world. I had no guide but army regulations and standing orders and what I had learned at West Point, supplemented by my short service after graduating, in regard to organization, supply, maintenance, and administration of armies and their several branches. It follows that I depended mainly upon my capacity to gather facts and to apply common sense and good judgment in the use of them.

From the first I made it a rule to lay nothing over, but to take action upon every case as it arose. This I learned from Dana, who had by all odds the greatest capacity for work and was the best administrator I ever met in public office. With intense powers of concentration he disposed of one case after another exactly as a competent mason lays bricks. He hardly got one settled in place before he took another in hand. And thus it was all day long, week in and week out. It was my good fortune to room and board in the same house with Dana. We went to our offices together in the morn

ing and left them at the close of office hours in the afternoon. When our day's work was done, it was our custom to go out on horseback for an hour and a half and on Sundays to visit the Giesboro depot and camp of instructions which I had early placed under the command of Colonel Lowell, of the Massachusetts Cavalry. We led a strenuous life, devoting our whole time and attention to the public service and to the cause of the country. We accepted but few invitations, in fact, none except such as came to us in the way of duty. As soon as I got the machinery of my Bureau in condition to transact business with certainty and dispatch, I sought and obtained authority to visit New York, Boston, Elmira, Louisville, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Cincinnati, and Columbus for the purpose of inspecting horse-purchasing stations, conferring with the quartermasters, inspecting officers, and governors.

At Boston I made the acquaintance of Governor Andrew, at that time almost the first of the so-called war governors. I found him full of interest in all that pertained to the organization and supply of the army. He was bold, vigorous, and active, and not only promised but gave me every assistance in his power. At Columbus I met Governor Dennison, and at Indianapolis Governor Morton. With such men as these coöperating and supporting the plans of the Government, it was easy to command the resources of their states in the matter of troops and other means for carrying on war. Morton was evidently a more rugged character than either Dennison or Andrew. With less learning and less suavity than either, he was a tremendous force and bent all his energies to supporting the war against the Con