James D. Hague 



no regular officers — no West Pointers 



— in this thing?" "Not one " said 

 King. " Are you all — all — civilians ? " 

 Butler insisted. " Every one," King 

 again assured him. " Then " said the 

 General, with unquotable emphasis, 

 " it shall go through !" and so it did. 



When the Secretary of War handed 

 King his letter of appointment, im- 

 mediately after the accomplishment 

 of the first necessary legislation, au- 

 thorizing the work, he said, " Now, 

 Mr. King, the sooner you get out of 

 Washington, the better — you are too 

 young a man to be seen about town 

 with this appointment in your pocket 



— there are four major-generals who 

 want your place." 



King's party was organized early 

 in 1867 and nearly all of its mem- 

 bers left New York for California, 

 via Panama, by the steamer of May 

 1 st. King started by the following 

 ship, unaccompanied by any of his 

 385 



