The letters of eminent men in admiration of Miss Carroll's papers,
published and unpublished, would fill a volume. These are only a
portion of those published by order of Congress.

Senator Jacob Howard, of the Military Commission appointed to inquire
into Miss Carroll's services, in his report of the 42d Congress,
states--

"She did more for the country than all the military generals. She
showed where to fight and how to strike the rebellion on the head,
possessing withal judicial learning so comprehensive and concise in
its style of argument that the Government gladly sat at her feet to
learn the wisdom of its powers."

This allusion to military services leads us to a still more remarkable
record of Miss Carroll's work.

[Illustration: BENJAMIN F. WADE.]

CHAPTER IV.

THE MILITARY SITUATION -- GOES TO ST. LOUIS -- INCEPTION OF THE PLAN
OF THE TENNESSEE CAMPAIGN -- GIVES IN THE PLAN AT THE WAR DEPARTMENT
-- PRESIDENT LINCOLN'S DELIGHT AT THE SOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM --
ACCOUNT WRITTEN IN 1889 -- JUDGE WADE AT BULL RUN -- FORMATION OF THE
COMMITTEE FOR THE CONDUCT OF THE WAR.

Early in the fall of 1861 a gunboat fleet was under preparation to
descend the Mississippi. It was a time of extreme peril, when the
continuance of the Union depended on immediate military success. The
Union armies had met with repeated reverses. The Confederates were
exultant and the European nations were expectant of the approaching
downfall of the United States Government. France had already put forth
her hand to control Mexico, and although in England the Union had warm
friends who still hoped for its success, the general impression was
that its defeat might be considered a foregone conclusion. Financial
ruin also seemed inevitable. The Northern army was costing the nation
two million dollars a day. The Hon. Mr. Dawes, in a speech in
Congress, had declared it "impossible for the United States to meet
this state of things sixty days longer." "An ignominious peace," he
predicted, "was upon the country and at its very doors."

At that time there was nothing in the attitude of the Union cause very
strongly to appeal to English sympathy. It was openly set forth that
the war was not waged for the extermination of slavery. Devotion to
the Union could not excite especial interest in any but an American.
On the contrary, the prevalent opinion in England was that the United
States was a dangerous and rather unscrupulous power, and t