Sir:--Your hazardous occupation of Baltimore was made without my knowledge, and, of course, without my approbation. It is a godsend that it is without conflict of arms. It is also reported that you have sent a detachment to Frederick; but this is impossible. Not a word have I received from you as to either movement. Let me hear from you.To a communication couched in that language I made no reply. He had known from the public press that the movement had been successful. Not only that, but what he claimed to be impossible, my sending a “detachment” of troops to Frederick, he knew had not only been devised but had actually been done successfully, as I had captured Ross Winans, the arch-traitor whom I had sent for, and had brought him and the troops back safely,--another “godsend” in my favor. Knowing that I could hold Baltimore as easily as. I could my hat, and knowing also that Scott knew all I could tell him, I thought I was not the “sir” to answer the communication of the commanding-general so addressed; and during the day I busied myself in taking charge of everything of warlike material in Baltimore. On the evening of that day, I received another communication informing me that the President and Cabinet had concluded to promote me to the rank of major-general, the senior in service in the war. I had reason to believe, and (lid believe, that although I was perfectly justified in doing what I had done by every rule of military law and right, and above all by my full success in so doing and holding the city, it would not be agreeable to Scott, and that he was, as I afterwards found him, in a furious rage about it. The reason of his anger was this: He had conceived a project of capturing all points around Washington, such as Baltimore and Harper's Ferry, by moving great bodies of troops as soon as he
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interrupted whenever any news came which might be of consequence, and camp rumors were very rife.
At half-past 8 o'clock on the morning of the 15th, I had brought to me in bed a communication from General Scott, dated the 14th, which, if not appalling, was certainly amusing.
It was in the following words:--
A. M. Thayer and Co. 1892.
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