CHAPTER XXIX.

CREATES AND FIGHTS A NAVY.

Stanton's long and important professional connection with transportation enabled him to judge understandingly the importance of the Mississippi and its tributaries as commercial and military highways. Finding them practically in the hands of the insurgents when he became secretary, and being unable to secure from the Navy Department any satisfactory plan of opening them, he sent a note to Charles Ellet, in March, 1862, saying:

If this Department had several swift, strong boats on the Western rivers, commanded by energetic fighting men, I could clear the rebels out of those waters and recover the Mississippi to the use of commerce and our armies. The navy seems to be helpless and I am compelled to execute a plan of my own to avert the increasing dangers there. Can you not secretly fit out a fleet of swift boats at several points on the Ohio and descend on the rebels unexpectedly and destroy them? Please call at my office at once.

Charles Ellet, personally well known to Stanton, was an engineer of great renown and ability who had built the Fairmont, Niagara, and Wheeling bridges and invented steam rams for naval warfare. He called and discussed the matter with Stanton and his bureau chiefs, who instantly adopted Ellet's plan to buy or impress river craft of high speed at Pittsburg, Cincinnati, New Albany, etc., and transform them into rams to be used in surprising and sinking the insurgent fleet during high water.

On March 26, Stanton telegraphed to the boards of trade of Pittsburg, Cincinnati, and New Albany to appoint each a committee of three men expert in boat building and steamboating to serve for thirty days in providing an adequate defense against insurgent gunboats, of which a fleet of ten or more had already assembled at Island No. 10, in the Mississippi.

"My object," concluded the telegram, "is to bring the energetic, patriotic spirit and enlightened practical judgment of your city to

aid the Government in a matter of great moment when hours must count and dollars must not be squandered."

Ellet proceeded with haste to the river cities, in each, of which Stanton appointed a quartermaster of known character and ability with full authority to purchase and pay for whatever was wanted. At Cincinnati the patriots set exorbitant values upon their boats, whereupon Stanton telegraphed to Mayor Butler:

The Department will submit to no speculative prices. Enough good boats can be had at Pittsburg for a fair price. If not, I will authorize the quartermaster to seize such boats as may be needed, leaving the parties to seek remuneration from Congress. For those purchased the price will be paid immediately, but I want no contracts concluded without being approved by this Department. * * Hours count and

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every hour should bring the Rebellion nearer its end.

He instructed Mayor Burnett of New Albany not to wait for the arrival of Ellet, saying: "I want Pittsburg, Cincinnati, and New Albany skill, economy, enterprise, and patriotism to compete against each other. Shall give each an equal fair test and choose between them for future work. Time is a great element in choice."

In this way he aroused local pride and patriotism and, in an incredibly short time, created a fleet of gunboats under Ellet's supervision with solid prows of wood and iron, capable of steaming twenty miles per hour with the current, thirty-eight of them carrying 13-inch coast mortars with necessary hospital boats, tenders, store ships, etc. When it was ready, he placed Ellet (assisted by his brother Alfred) in command, instructing him that "the expedition must move upon the enemy with the concurrence of the naval commander on the Mississippi, for there must be no conflicting authorities in the prosecution of the war."

Reaching Memphis, Ellet applied to Commander Davis of the naval fleet (which had aleady lost two gunboats by the Confederate rams) for advice and cooperation. After an exasperating wait of several days, both cooperation and advice were refused. Davis acted, it was said, upon instructions from superiors at Washington.* The situation is disclosed by the following official telegram from Stanton to General Halleck, at Corinth, on June 5:

*Ellet had his ram project declined by the czar of Russia and rejected repeatedly by Secretary Welles of the navy, as not original nor effective. Hence Stanton had espoused an enterprise which the navy had pronounced impractical and worthless, and was in disrepute with that Department.

Colonel Ellet, commander of the ram fleet at Fort Pillow, informs me that he has been there a considerable time and has made repeated applications to Captain Davis, commander of the gunboats, for leave to attack the enemy's fleet, but has been uniformly refused. Captain Davis not only refuses to join Mr. Ellet or give him the protection of a single gunboat, but also refuses to allow him to attack on his own hook or allow any force to volunteer with him.

I regret the President will not place the fleet under your command. Ellet reports that the strength of the rebel batteries is greatly overrated and declares his intention to go on without the aid or approval of the gunboats.

Next day, with Stanton's consent, Ellet made the attack and destroyed, captured, or drove away the entire insurgent fleet. He was fatally wounded but continued to fight his ram, shouting to his brother: "Stick to your post, Alfred, and sink them all!" The next day Stanton telegraphed to him:

News of your glorious achievement reached us last night. Our joy is dampened only by your injury. I have seen Mrs. Ellet. She bears up bravely. I have provided passes and transportation and she will go to you at once with your daughter.*

The record is one not excelled in military history. On March 28, Stanton had formulated his plan for a river navy and despatched

*Says Mary Virginia Ellet Cabell of Norwood, Virginia, daughter of Colonel Ellet: "The great War Secretary came in person to our home on Georgetown Heights, D. C., to announce to my mother my father's glorious achievement. I have heard that this powerful War Minister was harsh and unfeeling; but I can never forget the tenderness of his manner on that occasion. He came flushed with pleasure to bring to a hero's family the first news of his success. The agony of alarm with which his announcement was received brought tears to his eyes. When my mother sank under the terror of the first forebodings that my father's injury was not so light as represented, he beckoned me from the room and, taking both my hands in his, said soothingly, 'My dear young lady, do not be alarmed. Your father's wound is slight—his achievement famous, unequaled. Cheer your mother. I will send all telegrams as they arrive, to her,' and he kept his word. His carriage dashed back that same evening, and next morning we were provided with everything required to take my mother and myself to my father, on his flagship before Memphis. Thanks to Mr. Stanton's kindness and promptness, we reached my father before he sank and while he was conscious that the blow he had struck to the enemies of his country must cost him his life. The rebel flag, taken

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by my brother Charles from the Memphis post-office during the close of the battle, is still in my possession."