Recollections of the Civil War With the Leaders at Washington and in the Field in the Sixties

In this vivid memoir, a former Assistant Secretary of War recounts his three years in the Union’s highest wartime circles. From his first face‑to‑face encounter with President Lincoln to the hectic corridors of the War Department, the narrative blends personal observation with the political pulse of the era. He describes how newspapers helped shape public opinion and how his own journalistic instincts colored his work in Washington. The early chapters capture the scramble to organize armies and the behind‑the‑scenes negotiations that set the stage for the conflict’s escalation.

The memoir offers rare glimpses of the generals who would become legends—Grant, McClellan, and Sherman—through candid conversations and on‑the‑ground reports. He recalls the frantic planning of the Vicksburg campaign, the tension over command decisions, and the small, human moments like sleeping on church pews while maps were debated. Interwoven are anecdotes about Lincoln’s temperament and his cabinet, adding a personal dimension to the familiar historic portrait. Readers gain a sense of the urgency and uncertainty that defined the Union’s strategic choices during the war’s first half.