I having been selected, my responsibility ended with my doing the best I knew how.

If I had sought the place, or obtained it through personal or political influence, my belief is that I would have feared to undertake any plan of my own conception, and would probably have awaited direct orders from my distant superiors.

Persons obtaining important commands by application or political influence are apt to keep a written record of complaints and predictions of defeat, which are shown in case of disaster.

Somebody must be responsible for their failures.
With all the pressure brought to bear upon them, both President Lincoln and General Halleck stood by me to the end of the campaign.

I had never met Mr.