Chapter 12: eyes of the government
- Appointment as Assistant Secretary of War recalled -- buying cotton at Memphis -- Proposes regulation of the trade -- appointed Commissioner of the army pay Department -- Joins Grant in front of Vicksburg -- correspondence with Secretary of War
Having presented the Cairo report to the Secretary of War, Dana returned to New York to look after his private business. He continued there, or in the vicinity, till the middle of November, when he was again summoned to Washington, as he supposed, to enter upon another investigation; but when he reported at the War Department the secretary offered him the position of second assistant secretary, which he at once accepted. Now occurred an incident which well illustrates the capricious temper of Stanton, and the uncertainty of all his actions till they were beyond the hope of recall. After hearing from the secretary that he should consider the matter settled, the new assistant took his leave, but unfortunately on his way out he met Charles G. Halpine, a bright Irish newspaper man who had served as adjutant-general on General Hunter's staff at Port Royal, and had afterwards gained some distinction as a writer over the signature of “Miles O'Reilly.” Nothing had been said to put Dana on guard against telling about his appointment, which must have become known to everybody immediately, and so, naturally enough, without a thought of harm, he told his friend, who repeated it to the reporters, and they in turn sent it to the New York papers as an item of news. The irascible
