Letter from J. K.Moorhead, esq., to the Secretary of War, objecting to the conferring of authority upon Captain Rodgers, U.S. Navy, for the purchase of vessels.1
Pittsburg, May 27, 1861.
Dear Sir: I was surprised to learn this evening that Captain John Rodgers, of the Navy Department, is now at Cincinnati buying and arranging for steamboats, that he has an agent here and is expected here in a few days himself to purchase several boats.
I am greatly surprised at this for several reasons: First, because the Navy Department, in my opinion, has no jurisdiction on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers; and secondly, because an old sea captain, however well he may understand the sea and seagoing vessels, can, of course, know nothing of rivers and river steamboats; and thirdly, because I supposed the Western command had been given to General McClellan (by the War Department), a very competent man, who had made arrangements to secure the best skill amongst our river men for the purpose of purchasing boats and transporting men and munitions of war.
I learned from Captain Fox, Chief Clerk of the Navy Department, a few days ago that Captain Rodgers had been sent out here, but I understood it was for the purpose of arranging about placing cannon on steamboats. I am now astonished to find that he claims to have charge of the entire movements on the water.
Excuse me for saying I believe this to be a grand mistake; that if not corrected will cost the Government some hundreds of thousands of dollars, and may jeopardize or greatly injure the efficiency of the service.
Besides, it is giving to the Navy a jurisdiction that I think clearly belongs to the Army, and I am proud to be able to add that the public have much the greater confidence in the latter.
Captain Rodgers was, I presume, appointed upon his own suggestion, as I could hear of no person having made such a recommendation.
General McClellan had consulted with Captain Kountz, one of our best and most efficient river men, and notified him that he would require his services in this branch, and when about to give him an order to purchase and prepare boats for transportation, to the chagrin of both, Captain Rodgers steps in with his commission or authority from the Navy.
Please give this your early attention, and inform me of the result.
Respectfully, yours,
J. K.Moorhead.
Hon. Simon Cameron,
Secretary of War.
…
- Despite any opposition, Rogers organized the Western Flotilla and supervised construction of the City-class gunboats, the first ironclad gunboats on the western rivers. He was relieved by Captain Andrew Hull Foote, a more senior officer being required by the Navy to deal with the prickly Major General John C. Fremont. (Wikipedia)