VOL. XV THE MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WITH NOTES AND QUERIES JANUARY, 1912 No. 1 PERSONAL REMINISCENCES OF THE REBELLION T (Third Paper) HE loss of the capital might lead to the breaking up permanently of the Union. It was this that caused an excitement that could not be restrained. The people rose in their majesty, determined, matter what might be the sacrifice, to save the capital and with it the Union. Believing what every person believed, that the capital was in danger, and without being able to communicate with the authorities at Washington, I assumed the responsibility of carrying out not only the views and wishes of the Union Defence Committee, but those of the whole people of the North, which embraced no less the Federal capital than the whole Union. On May 7th, after I had left New York for my headquarters, as required by Lieutenant-General Scott, I received from the Secretary of War the following letter, not, however, in reply to any letter from myself: WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, May 6, 1861. To Major-General John E. Wool, Troy, N. Y.: MY DEAR SIR: Appreciating as I do your long, able and faithful services and loyalty to the cause of the country, I write merely to request that no requisition for troops or orders for their removal be hereafter issued without first communicating with this department. You will, my dear sir, not consider this any reflection on anything you may have heretofore done, but merely to avoid any conflict of orders. or confusion of arrangements, and that the department may at all times |