ry received his nomination at
last disillusionized even him, and in September he withdrew from the
field, to clear the way for Lincoln's re-election. He then became
connected with the promotion of a Pacific railway over the southern of
the routes which he had surveyed, lost his money and property in the
course of time, appealed to Congress for relief, and in 1890 was
by special act put on the retired list of the Army with the rank of
Major-General.

237

CHAPTER XIV. THE SAD RETREAT FROM SPRINGFIELD.

The partisans of Gen. Fremont bitterly blamed Gen. David Hunter for
having intrigued to succeed Fremont, and they rejoiced that his tenure
of that office proved to be so short-lived. This was both fallacious and
unjust.

Gen. David Hunter, while not of the highest type of military ability,
was yet far above mediocrity. He was one of the best examples of the Old
Regular Army officer--thoroughly devoted to his profession, a master of
all its details, incorruptible, inflexible, and intolerant to all whose
character and conduct lowered the standard of what Hunter thought an
American officer should be.

He was born in the District of Columbia, graduated from West Point in
1822, 25th in a class of 40 members, and had an extensive experience in
Indian fighting, commanding for several years a troop of dragoons. He
resigned in 1836, but re-entered the Army in 1842 as a Paymaster and
served as Chief Paymaster of Gen. Wool's Division in the Mexican War.

At the outbreak of the war of the rebellion he had been made Colonel
of the 6th U. S. Cav.--a new regiment--and commanded a division at Bull
Run, where he showed great gallantry and was wounded. He had been sent
out to Fremont as his second in command and adviser, in the hope that
he would control in some measure the commander's erratic course and be
instrumental in promoting better methods in his administration.

238

He was true to his duties in communicating to his superiors just what he
found in the Department of the West and properly representing Fremont's
incompetence. It was not intended that he should have permanent command
of the army, and probably no man was less desirous that he should be
than he himself, for he had a modest opinion of his own abilities and
never hesitated to subordinate himself when he thought another man would
do better in the place.

The command was given him merely as a stop-gap until another commander
could be determined upon.

I