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of the time it would take and what would be required to put the forts in such condition.
We came to the conclusion that by taking the heavy guns which had been put above New Orleans to meet a fleet coming down the river, and such guns as were just below the city at Chalmette, and using them to make proper water batteries below Forts Jackson and St. Philip, we could, without doubt, hold the forts against the French fleet, especially, since if they got anywhere near past our forts, they would meet Farragut's fleet, when there would probably be a very different performance from that with the rebels when his fleet passed up. Then to my utter astonishment Weitzel added:--
“But, General, we cannot repair those forts without an order from Washington.
I will write General Totten, the chief of engineers, about it.”
I said an impatient word about Totten.
“What has he got to do with it?”
“No fort can be repaired, General, by the army regulations, without permission of the chief of engineers.”
“Well,” I said, “I can get along without that permission, for I have money and men enough with which to do it, and I will send at once for the ordnance, if we are short.”
“Oh, but, General, I do not see how I can do it.”
I loved Weitzel then as I have ever since, but not knowing whether we should have time enough to get the forts ready, I said with great impatience:--
“Well, if you cannot do as you are ordered I will get somebody else to do what I want done, but I regret it fearfully.
I should be to blame in this, not you, and my orders would justify you. You may go.”
In the course of an hour, while I was reflecting upon the difficulties of my position, my chief of staff, Major Strong, came in and said:--
“General, what have you been doing to poor Weitzel?”
“Nothing,” I answered, “but telling him what I want him to do and what he can do.”
“ But, General, you have broken his heart.
A braver and stronger man doesn't live; but I found him in his quarters sobbing like a child and so broken down that he could not tell me what you had ”
A. M. Thayer and Co. 1892.
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