ucky and the Mississippi Valley. Thus far in the war
there had been no masterly moves, but, on the contrary, masterly
inactivity. With such splendid chances for heroes, who would improve
them? Neither Wolfe nor Washington had played Micawber, but had
created opportunities. Carleton wrote, "Now is the time for the
highest order of military genius.... We wait for him who shall improve
the propitious hours." So in waiting went out the gloomy year of
1861. At Louisville, Ky., Carleton made the acquaintance in detail of
General Buell's army. The commander, Don Carlos Buell, did not enjoy
the presence of correspondents, and those from Cincinnati and New York
papers had been expelled from the camp; nor was Carleton's letter from
the Secretary of War, asking that "facilities consistent with public
interests" be granted him, of any avail. He wrote on New Year's day,
"No more troops are needed here, or on the Potomac at present; what is
wanted is _activity_,--activity,--activity."

Following Horace Greeley's advice, Carleton went West. On January 4th,
having surveyed the land and people, he sent home two letters, then
moved on to Rolla, in the heart of Missouri, and, having got out of
St. Louis with his passes, he found himself, January 11th, at Cairo.
There the New England men were warm in their welcome of the sole
representative of the press of the Eastern States, though St. Louis,
Chicago, Cincinnati, and New York journals were also represented.
Among these were A. D. Richardson, of the New York _Tribune_, and
Whitelaw Reid, of the Cincinnati _Gazette_. Unlike General Don Carlos
Buell, General U. S. Grant, in command at Cairo, had no horror of
newspaper correspondents, and granted them all reasonable facilities.
For the first time Carleton looked upon the gunboats, "three being of
the coal-transport pattern, and five of the turtle style," with sides
sloping inward, both above and below the deck. A shot from the enemy
would be likely either to fly up in the air or "go into the realms of
the catfish." As to the army, Carleton noticed that, as compared with
the Army of the Potomac, discipline was much more severe in the East,
while real democracy was much more general in the West. Men seemed
less proud of their shoulder-straps. The rules of military etiquette
were barely observed.

"There is but very little of the soldier about these Western troops.
They are armed citizens, brave, active, energetic, with a fine
physique, acquai