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the whole vote of the city of New York was to be deposited for McClellan at the election to be held just one week from that date; that the Republicans were to be driven from the polls; that there were several thousand rebels in New York who were to aid in the movement; and that Brig.-Gen. John A. Green, who was known to be the confidential friend of the governor, was to be present, bringing some forces from the interior of the State to take part in the movement.
The fact of such an organization was testified to over and over again.
The number of troops on Governor's Island under General Dix, who commanded the Department of the East, was shown to be very small, indeed, and was counted on as unreliable, as they were a garrison of the regular army.
The secretary came in just after I had finished reading the papers.
“What do you think of that, General?”
he asked.
“Do you believe all this?”
I said.
“The information is perfectly reliable,” he replied, “and I must act upon it.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“I want you to go there and take command of the Department of the East, relieving General Dix, and I will have sent you from the front a sufficient force to put down any insurrection.”
“I don't want to take command of the Department of the East and lose my command in the front,” said I.
“And then I think it would not be good politics to relieve General Dix, a New Yorker, from his command, just on the eve of election.
Let me suggest that if I am to go I might be sent there with troops enough to take care of the city, and let me report to General Dix, leaving him in command.”
“But,” said Stanton, “Dix won't do anything.
Although brave enough, he is a very timid man about such matters, as he wants to be governor of New York himself one of these days.”
“Well,” I said, “then send me with directions to report to him to command the troops that are to preserve the peace in the city of New York.1 But I want to go only upon the understanding that if we come to a row I shall have a confidential order from the President by which I can relieve General Dix at once, and take supreme ”
1 See Appendix 85.
A. M. Thayer and Co. 1892.
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