On the 2d of August I was ordered from Washington to live upon the country, on the resources of citizens hostile to the government, so far as practicable.  I was also directed to “handle rebels within our lines without gloves,” to imprison them, or to expel them from their homes and from our lines.  I do not recollect having arrested and confined a citizen (not a soldier) during the entire rebellion.  I am aware that a great many were sent to northern prisons, particularly to Joliet, Illinois, by some of my subordinates with the statement that it was my order.  I had all such released the moment I learned of their arrest; and finally sent a staff officer north to release every prisoner who was said to be confined by my order.  There were many citizens at home who deserved punishment because they were soldiers when an opportunity was afforded to inflict an injury to the National cause.  This class was not of the kind that were apt to get arrested, and I deemed it better that a few guilty men should escape than that a great many innocent ones should suffer.

On the 14th of August I was ordered to send two more divisions to Buell.  They were sent the same day by way of Decatur.  On the 22d Colonel Rodney Mason surrendered Clarksville with six companies of his regiment.

Colonel Mason was one of the officers who had led their regiments off the field at almost the first fire of the rebels at Shiloh.  He was by nature and education a gentleman, and was terribly mortified at his action when the battle was over.  He came to me with tears in his eyes and begged to be allowed to have another trial.  I felt great sympathy for him and sent him, with his regiment, to garrison Clarksville and Donelson.  He selected Clarksville for his headquarters, no doubt because he regarded it as the post of danger, it being nearer the enemy.  But when he was summoned to surrender by a band of guerillas, his constitutional weakness overcame him.  He inquired the number of men the enemy had, and receiving a response indicating a force greater than his own he said if he could be satisfied of that fact he would surrender.  Arrangements were made for him to count the guerillas, and having satisfied himself that the enemy had the greater force he surrendered and informed his subordinate at Donelson of the fact, advising him to do the same.  The guerillas paroled their prisoners and moved upon Donelson, but the officer in command at that point marched out to meet them and drove them away.

Among other embarrassments, at the time of which I now write, was the fact that the government wanted to get out all the cotton possible from the South and directed me to give every facility toward that end.  Pay in gold was authorized, and stations on the Mississippi River and on the railroad in our possession had to be designated where cotton would be received.  This opened to the enemy not only the means of converting cotton into money, which had