General Grant promptly ordered the appointment to issue, subject to the examination as to educational qualifications, required by the law.

The usual board of officers was appointed at Fort Leavenworth and Carson was ordered before it.

After careful examination, the board found him deficient in reading, writing and arithmetic.

Of course he could not be commissioned.

I had given him four years of my guardianship, about $1,000 of my own money, and the benefit of my influence, all in vain.