personal memoirs-1-第19节

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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。　　His　career　as　my　successor；　as　well　as　in

other　capacities　in　which　he　was　permitted　to　act　during　the　war；　was

to　say　the　least　not　savory。　　The　war　over　he　turned　up　in　Chicago　as

president　of　a　bank；　which　he　wrecked；　and　he　finally　landed　in　the

penitentiary　for　stealing　a　large　sum　of　money　from　the　United　States

Treasury　at　Washington　while　employed　there　as　a　clerk。　　The　chances

that　this　man's　rascality　would　be　discovered　were　much　less　when

chief　of　the　departments　of　transportation　and　supply　of　an　army　than

they　afterward　proved　to　be　in　the　Treasury。　　I　had　in　my　possession

at　all　times　large　sums　of　money　for　the　needs　of　the　army；　and　among

other　purposes　for　which　these　funds　were　to　be　disbursed　was　the

purchase　of　horses　and　mules。　　Certain　officers　and　men　more　devoted

to　gain　than　to　the　performance　of　duty　（a　few　such　are　always　to　be

found　in　armies）　quickly　learned　this；　and　determined　to　profit　by

it。　　Consequently　they　began　a　regular　system　of　stealing　horses　from

the　people　of　the　country　and　proffering　them　to　me　for　purchase。　　It

took　but　a　little　time　to　discover　this　roguery；　and　when　I　became

satisfied　of　their　knavery　I　brought　it　to　a　sudden　close　by　seizing

the　horses　as　captured　property；　branding　them　U。　S。；　and　refusing　to

pay　for　them。　　General　Curtis；　misled　by　the　misrepresentations　that

had　been　made；　and　without　fully　knowing　the　circumstances；　or

realizing　to　what　a　base　and　demoralizing　state　of　things　this　course

was　inevitably　tending；　practically　ordered　me　to　make　the　Payments；

and　I　refused。　　The　immediate　result　of　this　disobedience　was　a

court…martial　to　try　me；　and　knowing　that　my　usefulness　in　that　army

was　gone；　no　matter　what　the　outcome　of　the　trial　might　be；　I　asked

General　Halleck　to　relieve　me　from　duty　with　General　Curtis　and　order

me　to　St。　Louis。　　This　was　promptly　done；　and　as　my　connection　with

the　Army　of　Southwest　Missouri　was　thus　severed　before　the　court

could　be　convened；　my　case　never　came　to　trial。　　The　man　referred　to

as　being　the　cause　of　this　condition　of　affairs　was　appointed　by

General　Curtis　to　succeed　me。　　I　turned　over　to　the　former　all　the

funds　and　property　for　which　I　was　responsible；　also　the　branded

horses　and　mules　stolen　from　the　people　of　the　country；　requiring

receipts　for　everything。　　I　heard　afterward　that　some　of　the　blooded

stock　of　southwest　Missouri　made　its　way　to　Iowa　in　an　unaccountable

manner；　but　whether　the　administration　of　my　successor　was

responsible　for　it　or　not　I　am　unable　to　say。



On　my　arrival　at　St。　Louis　I　felt　somewhat　forlorn　and　disheartened

at　the　turn　affairs　had　taken。　　I　did　not　know　where　I　should　be

assigned；　nor　what　I　should　be　required　to　do；　but　these

uncertainties　were　dispelled　in　a　few　days　by　General　Halleck；　who；

being　much　pressed　by　the　Governors　of　some　of　the　Western　States　to

disburse　money　in　their　sections；　sent　me　out　into　the　Northwest　with

a　sort　of　roving　commission　to　purchase　horses　for　the　use　of　the

army。　　I　went　to　Madison　and　Racine；　Wis。；　at　which　places　I　bought

two　hundred　horses；　which　were　shipped　to　St。　Louis。　　At　Chicago　I

bought　two　hundred　more；　and　as　the　prices　paid　at　the　latter　point

showed　that　Illinois　was　the　cheapest　marketit　at　that　time

producing　a　surplus　over　home　demandsI　determined　to　make　Chicago

the　centre　of　my　operations。



While　occupied　in　this　way　at　Chicago　the　battle　of　Shiloh　took

place；　and　the　desire　for　active　service　with　troops　became　uppermost

in　my　thoughts；　so　I　returned　to　St。　Louis　to　see　if　I　could　not　get

into　the　field。　　General　Halleck　having　gone　down　to　the　Shiloh

battle…field；　I　reported　to　his　Assistant　Adjutant…General；　Colonel

John　C。　Kelton；　and　told　him　of　my　anxiety　to　take　a　hand　in　active

field…service；　adding　that　I　did　not　wish　to　join　my　regiment；　which

was　still　organizing　and　recruiting　at　Jefferson　Barracks；　for　I　felt

confident　I　could　be　more　useful　elsewhere。　　Kelton　knew　that　the

purchasing　duty　was　but　temporary；　and　that　on　its　completion；

probably　at　no　distant　date；　I　should　have　to　join　my　company　at　the

barracks；　so；　realizing　the　inactivity　to　which　that　situation　of

affairs　would　subject　me；　he　decided　to　assume　the　responsibility　of

sending　me　to　report　to　General　Halleck　at　Shiloh；　and　gave　me　an

order　to　that　effect。



This　I　consider　the　turning…point　in　my　military　career；　and　shall

always　feel　grateful　to　Colonel　Kelton　for　his　kindly　act　which　so

greatly　influenced　my　future。　　My　desire　to　join　the　army　at　Shiloh

had　now　taken　possession　of　me；　and　I　was　bent　on　getting　there　by

the　first　means　available。　　Learning　that　a　hospital…boat　under

charge　of　Dr。　Hough　was　preparing　to　start　for　Pittsburg　Landing；　I

obtained　the　Doctor's　consent　to　take　passage　on　it；　and　on　the

evening　of　April　15；　I　left　St。　Louis　for　the　scene　of　military

operations　in　northeastern　Mississippi。



At　Pittsburg　Landing　I　reported　to　General　Halleck；　who；　after　some

slight　delay；　assigned　me　to　duty　as　an　assistant　to　Colonel　George

Thom；　of　the　topographical　engineers。　　Colonel　Thom　put　me　at　the

work　of　getting　the　trains　up　from　the　landing；　which　involved　the

repair　of　roads　for　that　purpose　by　corduroying　the　marshy　places。

This　was　rough；　hard　work；　without　much　chance　of　reward；　but　it；　was

near　the　field　of　active　operations；　and　I　determined　to　do　the　best

I　could　at　it　till　opportunity　for　something　better　might　arise。



General　Halleck　did　not　know　much　about　taking　care　of　himself　in　the

field。　　His　camp　arrangements　were　wholly　inadequate；　and　in

consequence　he　and　all　the　officers　about　him　were　subjected　to　much

unnecessary　discomfort　and　annoyance。　　Someone　suggested　to　him　to

appoint　me　quartermaster　for　his　headquarters；　with　a　view　to

systematizing　the　establishment　and　remedying　the　defects　complained

of；　and　I　was　consequently