Thanks of Congress. 343 and constant suffering from his wound, produced a high-strung state of mind and body, which both awed and saddened those who knew and loved him best. Public invitations, honors, and ovations began to pour in upon him, some of which will be noticed in the following chapter; but he declined most of them, or those of them which did not have a direct bearing upon popular sentiment, and the stirring up of the public mind to more devoted love of the Union and to greater sacrifices in carrying on the war. In the beginning of July the President sent to the Senate and House of Representatives the following recommendation : "I most cordially recommend that Captain Andrew H. Foote, of the U. S. Navy, receive a vote of thanks of Congress for his eminent services in organizing the flotilla on the Western waters, and for his gallantry at Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Island No. Ten, and at various other places, while in command of the naval forces, embracing a period of nearly ten months. ABRAHAM LINCOLN. This was acted upon in the following resolution: "Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the thanks of Congress be, and the same are hereby tendered to Captain Andrew H. Foote, of the United States Navy, for his eminent services and gallantry at Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, and Island No. Ten, while in command of the naval forces of the United States. "SEC. 2. And be it further resolved, That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby requested to transmit a certified copy of the foregoing resolution to Captain Foote. "Approved July 16, 1862." CHAPTER XXVI. APPOINTED CHIEF OF BUREAU OF EQUIPMENT AND RECRUITING.SPEECHES AND LETTERS AT ENLISTMENT MEETINGS.— CORRESPONDENCE.-ALUMNI MEETING AT YALE COLLEGE.-APPOINTED REAR-ADMIRAL. On the 22d of July Commodore Foote was made Chief of the "Bureau of Equipment and Recruiting;" but he did not go at once to his post in Washington. His physical system was in a totally unstrung and wretched state, and he hoped by good nursing at home to be brought into a better condition for public service. The government, as will be seen by the following letter, was, under the circumstances, willing to wait for him: "WASHINGTON, July 24, 1862. "MY DEAR SIR,-I have yours of the 22d, and am glad to learn that you are so rapidly improving. Under the circumstances, I should advise that you should remain until the time specified by you—the 6th of August. We should be glad to have you here, but there is no sufficient reason to jeopard or retard your permanent cure. Until you come, the Construction Bureau will discharge the duties of Equipment as heretofore, and we will attend to Recruiting in the Department proper; so that you can remain satisfied and undisturbed. I shall be glad to have your counsel and advice on many matters, for concentrated wisdom and the results of many good minds strengthen measures and insure good action. "How effective light-draft boats, which can not carry heavy armament, may be on the Western rivers, in low stages of the water and the banks high, is a question. They can do some service doubtless; but more, I apprehend, would be expected than they could perform. Instead of being incidental to land operations, the Navy is, from events, considered primary and indispensable to Army operations. They tell us the Navy took New Orleans; why can it not take Richmond? It overcame Presiding at an Enlistment Meeting. 345 obstructions on the Mississippi; why can it not overcome them on James River? Having done more than was expected, it is now expected we will do impossibilities. "But to revert to the object of this letter. It is best that you should take your own time to come on. I know you will do it at such time as you are satisfied it will be best for yourself and the service. "Very respectfully, GIDEON WELLES." But our wearied veteran was not suffered to enjoy perfect rest even at home. It was a time of uncommon excitement, uncertainty, and despondency in war matters. The cry was "On to Richmond" but the Union armies seemed to advance no nearer to Richmond than they had done months before. Vast preparations and expectations had been bitterly foiled. Great numbers of troops were needed to fill up the voids made by sickness and battles in our hosts. Immense war-meetings were organized in all our large cities, and every means was taken to arouse popular enthusiasm and to swell enlistment. At one of these great enlistment meetings, called on the evening of the 8th of July, in New Haven, Commodore Foote presided. In the newspaper account of this meeting the presiding officer is thus spoken of: "The meeting in Music Hall last evening, called by a number of prominent citizens, to take into consideration the subject of raising the Connecticut quota of the troops called for by the President, was fully attended and very enthusiastic. Commodore A. H. Foote, as before announced, presided. His entrance upon the stage was the signal for prolonged and vociferous cheering. The meeting was called to order by N. D. Sperry, who proposed three cheers for the gallant commodore of the Western waters, which were given with a will. "Commodore Foote briefly addressed the audience. He was pleased to see so many ladies present. It was an encouraging sign. He felt diffident in attempting to preside at so large an assembly. His life had been mostly upon the water, and his speaking had been confined to giving a few peremptory orders. He spoke in complimentary terms of Governor Buckingham, who sat near him. He spoke in terms of highest praise of Secretary Welles. Connecticut was honored by such a son. He referred to Commodore Gregory, who regretted that he could not be here tonight-his duty in superintending some monitors, that will give the English, French, and every body else who may have the temerity to interfere with us, a warm reception, calling him away from the city. The commodore concluded his remarks with an expression of his belief in the justice of the cause of the Union, and his firm reliance upon divine Providence for ultimate success." Earnest and patriotic speeches were made by Governor Buckingham and others, and at the close the following resolution was passed: "Resolved, That the thanks of this meeting are due, and are hereby most heartily tendered to our presiding officer, Commodore Foote-not only for his dignified and courteous demeanor this evening, but also for the invaluable services which he has rendered to our country.” In a day or two after, a similar war-meeting was held in Hartford, during which the president of the evening read, amid great applause, this letter: "NEW HAVEN, July 9, 1862. "MY DEAR SIR,-Your kind and complimentary note of invitation, in behalf of the committee, to attend a meeting in the city of Hartford tomorrow evening for the purpose of encouraging enlistments, has been received. "In view of the condition of the country, requiring immediate reinforcements to the Army of the Potomac to secure the possession of Richmond, the great stronghold of the rebels, I would, under other circumstances, most joyfully be with you, and add my mite toward forwarding the grand object of your meeting; but having been forced away from my command on the Mississippi, on the eve of consummating its grand object-of clearing the Western rivers of all rebel obstructions-in consequence of a wound received at Fort Donelson; and suffering to-day from the effects of presiding at the large, enthusiastic meeting here last evening, render it my duty to decline your kind invitation. But, although necessarily absent, I shall be with you in sympathy; and in another field I hope soon, in action, to do my part, as I hope and beg that every citizen will also do his, either in person or by finding a substitute, toward speedily and forever crushing this wicked, causeless rebellion. Let the ladies urge the young men to the field by their persuasive influence; or, if necessary to secure the quota assigned our state, let them decline the attentions of young gentlemen until they shall go and return, from the field of battle-having vindicated the honor of our flag, and contributed their part toward transmitting to posterity the rich legacy of that free government which our fathers have bequeathed to us at the sacrifice of much of their best blood and treasure. "We ask nothing for the Navy, which, under the efficient administration of Secretary Welles, of whom Hartford, the State of Connecticut, and the nation may justly be proud, is ready to do its part in the future, as it has done it in the past, toward vindicating our flag and sustaining the supremacy of the laws. And shall we now, after so many glorious victories, suffer an ignominious defeat for want of a timely reinforcement to the Army? No! we spurn the thought. We will furnish the gallant McClellan with men; and, patriots of Connecticut, let us rush to the rescue, and the God of Battles will continue to crown our arms with victory-enabling us to sustain our proud position, against enemies internal and external, as one of the most powerful nations of the earth. "I am respectfully and very truly yours, "Hon. William J. Hamersley, Mayor of Hartford." A. H. FOOTE. We will not mention other meetings, which were characteristic of the times, and in which the letters of the fighting commodore-whatever may be thought of them in other respects -were "weighty"-were full of spirit and fire, and stirred the country like the blast of a trumpet. In the mean time letters from the West, detailing in full the operations of the flotilla, continued to come, as if distance and separation made no difference in the feeling of unity between him and his "old command." We have space but for extracts from one of these: "U. S. FLAG-STEAMER BENTON, MISSISSIPPI RIVER, "FLAG-OFFICER A. H. FOOTE, U. S. N., New Haven, Conn. : "MY DEAR SIR,-I had the great pleasure to receive your letter of the 19th instant this morning, and I am most grateful to you for it. I am attempting to answer it under difficulties, having a felon upon the fore |