There was scarcely a young active officer at the head of any important department--at least I cannot recall one.

Long years of peace had fossilized the service.
The same cause had produced like results, I understood, in the Navy Department, but I was not brought in personal contact with it.

The navy was not important at the beginning; it was the army that counted.
Nothing but defeat was to be looked for until the heads of the various departments were changed, and this could not be done in a day.

The impatience of the country at the apparent delay in producing an effective weapon for the great task thrown upon the Government was no doubt natural, but the wonder to me is that order was so soon evolved from the chaos which prevailed in every branch of the service.
As far as our operations were concerned we had one great advantage.
Secretary Cameron authorized Mr.Scott (he had been made a Colonel) to do what he thought necessary without waiting for the slow movements of the officials under the Secretary of War.

Of this authority unsparing use was made, and the important part played by the railway and telegraph department of the Government from the very beginning of the war is to be attributed to the fact that we had the cordial support of Secretary Cameron.