WAR PREPARATIONS IN THE NORTH.

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will break down.” It is true I then looked slender for a man six feet high ;yet I had confidence in the elasticity of my constitution, and the result justi-fied me, while it also showed how liable one is to mistake in such things.Garfield found that he had a tendency to weakness of the alimentary system,which broke him down on every campaign in which he served, and led to hisretiring from the army at the close of 1863. My own health, on the otherhand, was strengthened by outdoor life and exposure, and I served to theend with growing physical vigor.

When Mr. Lincoln issued his first call for troops, the existing laws made itnecessary that these should be fully organized and officered by the severalStates. Then, the treasury was in no condition to bear the burden of warexpenditures, and, till Congress could assemble, the President was forced torely on the States for means to equip and transport their own men. Thisthrew upon the governors and legislatures of the loyal States responsibilitiesof a kind wholly unprecedented. A long period of profound peace hadmade every military organization seem almost farcical. A few inde-pendent companies formed the merest shadow of an army, and the Statemilitia proper was only a nominal thing. It happened, however, that I helda commission as brigadier in this State militia, and my intimacy withGovernor Dennison led him to call upon me for such assistance as I couldrender in the first enrollment and organization of the Ohio quota. Arrang-ing to be called to the Senate chamber when my vote might be needed, Igave my time chiefly to such military matters as the governor appointed.Although, as I have said, my military commission had been a nominal thing,and in fact I had never worn a uniform, I had not wholly neglected theoreticpreparation for such work. For some years, the possibility of a war of seces-sion had been one of the things which were forced upon the thoughts ofreflecting people, and I had given some careful study to such books of tacticsand of strategy as were within easy reach. I had especially been led to readmilitary history with critical care, and had earned away many valuable ideasfrom that most useful means of military education. I had, therefore, somenotion of the work before us, and could approach its problems with less lossof time, at least, than if I had been wholly ignorant.

My commission as brigadier-general in the Ohio quota in national servicewas dated the 23d of April. Just about the same time Captain George B.McClellan was requested by Governor Dennison to come to Columbus forconsultation, and, by the governor’s request, I met him at the railway stationand took him to the State House. I think Mr. Lars Anderson (brother ofMajor Robert Anderson) and Mr. L’Hommedieu of Cincinnati were withhim. The intimation had been given me that he would probably be mademajor-general of the Ohio contingent, and this, naturally, made me scanhim closely. He was rather under the medium height, but inuscularlyformed, with broad shoulders and a well-poised head, active and graceful inmotion. His whole appearance was quiet and modest, but when drawn outhe showed no lack of confidence in himself. He was dressed in a plaintraveling dress and wore a narrow-rimmed soft felt hat. In short, he seemed