upon that as the main field of the war.  I had no idea, myself, of ever having any large command, nor did I suppose that I was equal to one; but I had the vanity to think that as a cavalry officer I might succeed very well in the command of a brigade.  On one occasion, in talking about this to my staff officers, all of whom were civilians without any military education whatever, I said that I would give anything if I were commanding a brigade of cavalry in the Army of the Potomac and I believed I could do some good.  Captain Hillyer spoke up and suggested that I make application to be transferred there to command the cavalry.  I then told him that I would cut my right arm off first, and mentioned this superstition.

In time of war the President, being by the Constitution Commander-in-chief of the Army and Navy, is responsible for the selection of commanders.  He should not be embarrassed in making his selections.  I having been selected, my responsibility ended with my doing the best I knew how.  If I had sought the place, or obtained it through personal or political influence, my belief is that I would have feared to undertake any plan of my own conception, and would probably have awaited direct orders from my distant superiors.  Persons obtaining important commands by application or political influence are apt to keep a written record of complaints and predictions of defeat, which are shown in case of disaster.  Somebody must be responsible for their failures.

With all the pressure brought to bear upon them, both President Lincoln and General Halleck stood by me to the end of the campaign.  I had never met Mr. Lincoln, but his support was constant.

At last the waters began to recede; the roads crossing the peninsula behind the levees of the bayous, were emerging from the waters; the troops were all concentrated from distant points at Milliken’s Bend preparatory to a final move which was to crown the long, tedious and discouraging labors with success.

I had had in contemplation the whole winter the movement by land to a point below Vicksburg from which to operate, subject only to the possible but not expected success of some one of the expedients resorted to for the purpose of giving us a different base.  This could not be undertaken until the waters receded.  I did not therefore communicate this plan, even to an officer of my staff, until it was necessary to make preparations for the start.  My recollection is that Admiral Porter was the first one to whom I mentioned it.  The co-operation of the navy was absolutely essential to the success (even to the contemplation) of such an enterprise.  I had no more authority to command Porter than he had to command me.  It was necessary to have part of his fleet below Vicksburg if the troops went there.  Steamers to use as ferries were also essential.  The navy was the only escort and protection for these steamers, all of which in getting below had to run about fourteen