John Harrison Wilson, The life of Charles Henry Dana

But not satisfied with this, it urged the new secretary to turn his attention next to such jobbers and peculators as might be suspected of robbing the government at this crisis in the sale of horses, arms, provisions, clothing, or military munitions, and in every case to visit the guilty rascal with the most summary punishment. It concluded with the statement:

... If Secretary Stanton can succeed in clearing Washington and its vicinity of rebel spies and contract-jobbers, we believe our generals will take care of the open and declared traitors in arms, and that we shall soon have the rebellion under foot. Heaven grant it!

While this and other editorials may appear, a half-century later, to have been unnecessarily harsh in their epithets and expressions, it can scarcely be denied that they were called for by a condition of affairs which seriously embarrassed the government and which fully justified the adoption of the most drastic measures. It is to be noted that this editorial was followed by remarkable results, brought about by the direction of Stanton. Almost immediately after his accession to office he organized a Secret Service force which became most efficient in the detection of frauds and disloyal practices against the government. When Dana later became Assistant Secretary of War he was charged, in addition to many other duties, with the general supervision of this force, and used it vigorously and impartially for the detection and punishment of rascally practices, on the part of delinquent purchasing quartermasters and contractors for fuel, forage, harness, tents, clothing, and horses. It is personally known to me that many important persons were involved directly or indirectly in these rascalities. A considerable number were tried by military commission, and punished by fine and imprisonment. Restitution was exacted with a firm hand, and large sums of