John Harrison Wilson, The life of Charles Henry Dana

[214] was a smug young major of artillery, dressed in a new uniform whose buttons bore the letters U. S., while the clasp of his sword was marked with the eagle of Uncle Sam. Our people entertained him with a cigar and a drink of whiskey, of course, or rather with two drinks.... This is an awful country for drinking whiskey. I calculate that on an average a friendly man will drink a gallon in twenty-four hours. I wish you were here to do my drinking for me, for I suffer in public estimation front not doing as the Romans do. ...

In his official letters from Grant's headquarters, as well as in his interesting Recollections of the Civil War, published by D. Appleton & Co. many years afterwards, Dana gives a full account of his own experiences, as well as of the events that came day by day under his observation, hence it is not thought necessary to do more than briefly summarize the statements he has made, except where incidents and adventures occurred which he has failed to recount. Having gained his information directly from Grant, or from his staff-officers and subordinates, his letters are of peculiar value, as showing from time to time the evolution and progress of the different movements, the conduct and attitude of the various officers mentioned, and the nature of the obstacles to be overcome. No history of the campaign which does not take them into account can be relied upon as literally correct. So far as known, no one else connected with the army pretended to make so close a record of what was done. Dana recounts having gone with a staff-officer to inspect a covered emplacement for a heavy rifle behind the levee on the point opposite Vicksburg, by which it was thought great injury might be inflicted on the important buildings of the city. He spent much time, besides, in visiting the sites of the various canals and noting the progress of the work upon them, and at times seemed to base high hopes upon their efficiency. In one instance he quotes me as saying that the work could not be opened