personal memoirs-1-第15章

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apprehension　was　felt　by　the　Union　people　lest　the　State　might　be

carried　into　the　Confederacy。　　As　a　consequence　great　distrust

existed　in　all　quarters；　and　the　loyal　passengers　on　the　steamer；　not

knowing　what　might　occur　during　our　voyage；　prepared　to　meet

emergencies　by　thoroughly　organizing　to　frustrate　any　attempt　that

might　possibly　be　made　to　carry　us　into　some　Southern　port　after　we

should　leave　Aspinwall。　　However；　our　fears　proved　groundless；　at　all

events；　no　such　attempt　was　made；　and　we　reached　New　York　in　safety

in　November；　1861。　　A　day　or　two　in　New　York　sufficed　to　replenish　a

most　meagre　wardrobe；　and　I　then　started　West　to　join　my　new

regiment；　stopping　a　day　and　a　night　at　the　home　of　my　parents　in

Ohio；　where　I　had　not　been　since　I　journeyed　from　Texas　for　the

Pacific　coast。　　The　headquarters　of　my　regiment　were　at　Jefferson

Barracks；　Missouri；　to　which　point　I　proceeded　with　no　further　delay

except　a　stay　in　the　city　of　St。　Louis　long　enough　to　pay　my　respects

to　General　H。　W。　Halleck。









CHAPTER　VIII。



AUDITING　ACCOUNTSCHIEF　QUARTERMASTER　AND　COMMISSARY　OF　THE　ARMY　OF

SOUTHWEST　MISSOURIPREPARING　FOR　THE　PEA　RIDGE　CAMPAIGNA

DIFFERENCE　WITH　GENERAL　CURTISORDERED　TO　THE　FRONTAPPOINTED　A

COLONEL。



Some　days　after　I　had　reached　the　headquarters　of　my　regiment　near

St。　Louis；　General　Halleck　sent　for　me；　and　when　I　reported　he

informed　me　that　there　existed　a　great　deal　of　confusion　regarding

the　accounts　of　some　of　the　disbursing　officers　in　his　department；

whose　management　of　its　fiscal　affairs　under　his　predecessor；　General

John　C。　Fremont；　had　been　very　loose；　and　as　the　chaotic　condition　of

things　could　be　relieved　only　by　auditing　these　accounts；　he

therefore　had　determined　to　create　a　board　of　officers　for　the

purpose；　and　intended　to　make　me　president　of　it。　　The　various

transactions　in　question　covered　a　wide　field；　for　the　department

embraced　the　States　of　Missouri；　Iowa；　Minnesota；　Illinois；　Arkansas；

and　all　of　Kentucky　west　of　the　Cumberland　River。



The　duty　was　not　distasteful；　and　I　felt　that　I　was　qualified　to

undertake　it；　for　the　accounts　to　be　audited　belonged　exclusively　to

the　Quartermaster　and　Subsistence　departments；　and　by　recent

experience　I　had　become　familiar　with　the　class　of　papers　that

pertained　to　those　branches　of　the　army。　　Indeed；　it　was　my

familiarity　with　such　transactions；　returns；　etc。；　that　probably

caused　my　selection　as　president　of　the　board。



I　entered　upon　the　work　forthwith；　and　continued　at　it　until　the　26th

of　December；　1861。　　At　that　date　I　was　relieved　from　the　auditing

board　and　assigned　to　duty　as　Chief　Commissary　of　the　Army　of

Southwest　Missouri；　commanded　by　General　Samuel　R。　Curtis。　　This　army

was　then　organizing　at　Rolla；　Missouri；　for　the　Pea　Ridge　campaign；

its　strength　throughout　the　campaign　being　in　the　aggregate　about

fifteen　thousand　men。



As　soon　as　I　received　information　of　my　selection　for　this　position；

I　went　to　General　Halleck　and　requested　him　to　assign　me　as　Chief

Quartermaster　also。　　He　was　reluctant　to　do　so；　saying　that　I　could

not　perform　both　duties；　but　I　soon　convinced　him　that　I　could　do

both　better　than　the　one；　for　I　reminded　him　that　as　Chief

Quartermaster　I　should　control　the　transportation；　and　thus　obviate

all　possible　chances　of　discord　between　the　two　staff　departments；　a

condition　which　I　deemed　essential　to　success；　especially　as　it　was

intended　that　Curtis's　army　should　mainly　subsist　on　the　country。

This　argument　impressed　Halleck；　and　becoming　convinced；　he　promptly

issued　the　order　making　me　Chief　Quartermaster　and　Chief　Commissary

of　Subsistence　of　the　Army　of　Southwest　Missouri；　and　I　started　for

Rolla　to　enter　upon　the　work　assigned　me。



Having　reported　to　General　Curtis；　I　quickly　learned　that　his　system

of　supply　was　very　defective；　and　the　transportation　without　proper

organization；　some　of　the　regiments　having　forty　to　fifty　wagon　each；

and　others　only　three　or　four。　　I　labored　day　and　night　to　remedy

these　and　other　defects；　and　with　the　help　of　Captain　Michael　P。

Small；　of　the　Subsistence　Department；　who　was　an　invaluable

assistant；　soon　brought　things　into　shape；　putting　the　transportation

in　good　working　order；　giving　each　regiment　its　proper　quota　of

wagons；　and　turning　the　surplus　into　the　general　supply　trains　of　the

army。　　In　accomplishing　this　I　was　several　times　on　the　verge　of

personal　conflict　with　irate　regimental　commanders；　but　Colonel　G。　M。

Dodge　so　greatly　sustained　me　with　General　Curtis　by　strong　moral

support；　and　by　such　efficient　details　from　his　regimentthe　Fourth

Iowa　Volunteer　Infantrythat　I　still　bear　him　and　it　great　affection

and　lasting　gratitude。



On　January　26；　1862；　General　Curtis's　army　began　its　march　from　Rolla

to　Springfield；　Missouri；　by　way　of　Lebanon。　　The　roads　were　deep

with　mud；　and　so　badly　cut　up　that　the　supply　trains　in　moving

labored　under　the　most　serious　difficulties；　and　were　greatly

embarrassed　by　swollen　streams。　　Under　these　circumstances　many

delays　occurred；　and　when　we　arrived　at　Lebanon　nearly　all　the

supplies　with　which　we　had　started　had　been　consumed；　and　the　work　of

feeding　the　troops　off　the　country　had　to　begin　at　that　point。　　To

get　flour；　wheat　had　to　be　taken　from　the　stacks；　threshed；　and　sent

to　the　mills　to　be　ground。　　Wheat　being　scarce　in　this　region；　corn

as　a　substitute　had　to　be　converted　into　meal　by　the　same　laborious

process。　　In　addition；　beef　cattle　had　to　be　secured　for　the　meat

ration。



By　hard　work　we　soon　accumulated　a　sufficient　quantity　of　flour　and

corn　meal　to　justify　the　resumption　of　our　march　on　Springfield；　at

or　near　which　point　the　enemy　was　believed　to　be　awaiting　us；　and　the

order　was　given　to　move　forward；　the　commanding　general　cautioning

me；　in　the　event　of　disaster；　to　let　no　salt　fall　into　General

Price's　hands。　　General　Curtis　made　a　hobby　of　this　matter　of　salt；

believing　the　enemy　was　sadly　in　need　of　that　article；　and　he

impressed　me　deeply　with　his　conviction　that　our　cause　would　be

seriously　injured　by　a　loss　which　would　inure　so　greatly　and

peculiarly　to　the　enemy's　benefit；　but　we　afterward　discovered；　when

Price　abandoned　his　position；　that　about　all　he　left　behind　was　salt。



When　we　were　within　about　eight　miles　of　Springfield；　General　Curtis

decided　to　put　his　troops　in　line　of　battle　for　the　advance　on　the

town；　and　directed　me　to　stretch　out　my　supply　trains　in　a　long　line

of　battle；　so　that　in　falling　back；　in　case　the　troops　were　repulsed；

he　could　rally　the　men　on　the　wagons。　　I　did　not　like　the　tactics；

but　of　course　obeyed　the　order。　　The　line　moved　on　Springfield；　and

took　the　town　without　resistance；　the　enemy　having　fled　southward；　in

the　direction　of　Pea　Ridge；　the　preceding　day。　　Of　course　our　success

relieved　my　anxiety　about　the　wagons；　but　fancy　has　often　pictured

since；　the　stampede　of　six　mule　teams　that；　had　we　met　with　any

reverse；　would　have　taken　place　over　the　prairies　of　southwest

Missouri。



The　army　set　out　in　pursuit　of　Price；　but　I　was　left　at　Springfield

to　gather　supplies　from　the　surrounding　country；　by　the　same　means

that　had　been　used　at　Lebanon；　and　send　them　forward。　　To　succeed　in

this　useful　and　necessary　duty　required　much　hard　work。　　To　procure

the　grain　and　to　run　the　mills　in　the　country；　replacing　the

machinery　where　parts　had　been　carried　away；　or　changing　the

principle　and　running　the　mills　on　some　different　plan　when

necessary；　and　finally　forward　the　product　to　the　army；　made　a　task

that　taxed　the　energy　of　all　engaged　in　it。　　Yet；　having　at　command　a

very　skillful　corps　of　millwrights；　machinists；　and　millers；　detailed

principally　from　the　Fourth　Iowa　and　Thirty…sixth　Illinois　volunteer

regiments；　we　soon　got　matters　in　shape；　and　were　able　to　send　such

large　quantities　of　flour　and　meal　to　the　front；　that　only　the　bacon

and　small　parts　of　the　ration　had　to　be　brought　forward　from　our

depot　at　Rolla。　　When　things　were　well　systematized；　I　went　forward

myself　to　expedite　the　delivery　of　supplies；　and　joined　the　army　at

Cross　Hollows；　just　south　of　Pea　Ridge。



Finding　everything　working　well　at　Cross　Hollows；　I　returned　to

Springfield　in　a　few　days　to　continue　the　labor　of　collecting

supplies。　　On　my　way　back　I　put　the　mills　at　Cassville　in　good　order

to　grind　the　grain　in　that　vicinity；　and　perfected　there　a　plan　for

the　general　supply　from　the　neighboring　district　of　both　the　men　and

animals　of　the　army；　so　that　there　should；　be　no　chance　of　a　failure

of　the　campaign　from　bad　roads　or　disaster　to　my　trains。　　Springfield

thus　became　the　centre　of　the　entire　supply　section。



Just　after　my　return　to　Springfield　the　battle　of　Pea　Ridge　was

fought。　　The　success　of　the　Union　troops　in　this　battle　was

considerable；　and　while　not　of　sufficient　magnitude　to　affect　the

general　cause　materially；　it　was　decisive　as　to　that　particular

campaign；　and　resulted　in　driving　all　organized　Confederate　forces

out　of　the　State　of　Missouri。　　After　Pea　Ridge　was　won；　certain

efforts　were　made　to　deprive　Curtis　of　the　credit　due　him　for　the

victory；　but；　no　matter　what　merit　belonged　to　individual　commanders；

I　was　always　convinced　that　Curtis　was　deserving　of　the　highest

commendation；　not　only　for　the　skill　displayed　on　the　field；　but　for

a　zeal　and　daring　in　campaign　which　was　not　often　exhibited　at　that

early　period　of　the　war。　　Especially　should　this　credit　be　awarded

him；　when　we　consider　the　difficulties　under　which　he　labored；　how　he

was　hampered　in　having　to　depend　on　a　sparsely　settled　country　for

the　subsistence　of　his　troops。　　In　the　reports　of　the　battle　that

came　to　Springfield；　much　glory　was　claimed　for　some　other　general

officers；　but　as　I　had　control　of　the　telegraph　line　from　Springfield

east；　I　detained　all　despatches　until　General　Curtis　had　sent　in　his

official　report。　　He　thus　had　the　opportunity　of　communicating　with

his　superior　in　advance　of　some　of　his　vain　subordinates；　who　would

have　laid　claim　to　the　credit　of　the　battle　had　I　not　thwarted　them

by　this　summary　means。



Not　long　afterward　came　the　culmination　of　a　little　difference　that

had　arisen　between　General　Curtis　and　me；　brought　about；　I　have　since

sometimes　thought；　by　an　assistant　quartermaster　from　Iowa；　whom　I

had　on　duty　with　me　at　Springfield。　　He　coveted　my　place；　and　finally

succeeded　in　getting　it。　　He　had　been　an　unsuccessful　banker　in　Iowa；

and　early　in　the　war　obtained　an　appointment　as　assistant

quartermaster　of　volunteers　with　the　rank　of　captain。　　As　chief

quartermaster　of　the　army　in　Missouri；　there　would　be　opportunities

for　the　recuperation　of　his　fortunes　which　would　not　offer　to　one　in

a　subordinate　place；　so　to　gain　this　position　he　doubtless　intrigued

for　it　while　under　my　eye；　and　Curtis　was　induced　to　give　it　to　him

as　soon　as　I　was　relieved。　　Hi