102 Ten Years of my Life. 



therefore wrote to Stanton, enclosing the despatch from General 

 Steedman about Fehx, and I called again at the War Depart- 

 ment. Stanton was in, but too much occupied to see me. I 

 therefore sent in my letter and despatch, which were filed. 

 By General Fry I always heard what was going on in the War 

 Department in reference to my husband, and he told me that 

 Stanton would not make him a general without having a special 

 recommendation from General Thomas himself. Under the 

 27th of Ivlarch I find in my diary, ' I feel very unhappy, but I 

 wiU succeed, even if it kills me.' 



Senator Yates felt pity for my distress, and sent a despatch 

 to General Thomas, and when he had waited in vain for an 

 answer, he wrote to General Steedman. I became quite ill 

 with anxiety and vexation, but was resolved to succeed, and 

 not to have any rest until I had done so. 



As the troops under the command of Felix were partly from 

 New York, partly from New Hampshire, I resolved to interest the 

 governors of those States, whose wishes could not well be dis- 

 regarded by Stanton. 1 had, moreover, to attend to the busi- 

 ness of other ofiicers of the brigade, who had been recom- 

 mended for promotion, but not received yet their commissions 

 from the governors. I therefore went with Groeben to New 

 York, and before leaving for Albany I sent a despatch to good 

 old Governor Gilmore, of New Hampshire. 



Arrived in Albany, I called on Senator Harris, whom I want- 

 ed to go with me to Governor Fenton of New York. I did 

 not find the senator, but being too impatient to wait for his 

 return, I went with Groeben to Fenton, who received me with 

 great kindness. He attended at once to my wishes in reference 

 to the commissions for the officers, with which Groeben start- 

 ed immediately to Bridgeport, whilst I returned to New York. 

 I found there a despatch from Governor Gilmore, which I 

 answered. Everything I could do I had done ; the governors 

 promised their best, and in so far I succeeded beyond all my 

 hopes ; but I became so impatient with all these d^ays, that 

 I on my way back to Washington fell ill at Philadelphia. Dr. 

 Mitchell, for whom I sent, said that I required only rest, and 

 with that I should be well again in a few weeks. 



Mrs. Corvin and the Colonel had taken a house in George- 

 town, a delightful place on the other side of the rocky creek, a 

 kind of suburb ot Washington, where many of the rich citizens 



