This appointment General Scott
secured for him. Afterwards he became colonel of a Massachusetts
regiment of volunteers and at the end of the war he was a brigadier-
general of volunteers.
I left Washington for Massachusetts May 1. I was delayed a night and
until four o'clock the day following at Annapolis, where General Butler
was in command. I had my quarters with him, and during the night the
long roll was beaten. The troops came out, and I waited for the
result, which was the discovery that the call was due to a
misunderstanding of the signal rockets. I left Annapolis in a small
steam tug that came out of the Raritan Canal. We were buffeted about
in the bay by a heavy wind, the captain lost his reckoning, anchored,
and the next morning we found ourselves uncomfortably near to the
Maryland shore.
The next day, May 2, I reached New York and from there I sent the
following letter to Governor Andrew:
NEW YORK, May 2, 1861.
Sir:--I arrived here this afternoon, and I hope to report to you in
person Saturday. I had free conversation with the President, General
Scott, Mr. Seward, Mr. Chase, General Cameron, and Mr. Blair, upon
public affairs. The impression I received from all, except perhaps
Mr. Seward, was favorable to a vigorous prosecution of the war. Mr.
Seward repeated his words of December and February.
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