Opinions on Welles?

[JerryD]

Reading Gideon Welles' diary and nearly done with the Civil War years, and have to admit my opinion of him has changed quite a bit. Still think he did a pretty good of running the Navy Department, but man was he a sourpuss. He rarely has a good thing to say about anyone, other than Lincoln, Foote, Farragut and D. Porter. And even Lincoln he gives faint praise. Was surprised he was so negative on Seward and Stanton (not so surprised he was so negative on Chase). Maybe I shouldn't be too surprised as I know he was a strong supporter of Andrew Johnson, so should not surprise me he is not a great judge of character. He is also very jealous of Seward and Stanton and does not like how Lincoln meets with them privately so much. Welles is always whining about his perceived slights and not being included in more decisions, and about how Lincoln, though well meaning, is often led astray by Seward and Stanton.

Its getting pretty tiresome reading about him whining about just about everyone and everything. He strikes me as someone with no sense of humor with very entrenched ideas of how things should be done. Oddly enough, just read how he wished Lincoln had replaced Halleck with McClellan, and commenting that Meade and Grant were over their heads and not up the jobs they have. He seems to have an especially harsh view of Halleck (fair enough), but to have a soft spot for generals like McClellan and Rosecrans, while dismissing Grant and Meade.

Just wondering if we have any fans of Welles out there and if so, what am I missing? To his credit, he seems to be scrupulously honest, and I do give him high marks for his operating the Navy Department. He deserves respect for that. But man, he seems like a miserable human being.

 

[jackt62]

I read Welles' diary some years ago and agree he had strong opinions about many of his contemporaries. Still, as you point out, he did a good job of running the Navy Department, a none too small job given the vast areas and responsibilities the Navy was assigned. Overall, I would give him high marks for his overseeing the expansion of both blue and brown water naval forces, introducing new technology and armaments, maintaining the blockade, and crucial cooperation and coordination with army operations on many fronts.

 

[Bruce Vail]

I'd call myself a fan of Welles -- with some reservations. True he disliked Seward and some of the other cabinet members, but then again they were not a very likable bunch. Welles was wrong in opposing the blockade at the beginning of the war, but he accepted his political defeat on this point and worked hard to try and make the blockade work. He was right that the Anaconda Plan was not going to work according to its original conception, but worked steadily and efficiently for the necessary expansion of the Navy.

Welles had a political life outside of the Civil War. Originally a Jacksonian Democrat, he became disillusioned with the pro-slavery extremists in the party and drifted into the Republican camp by 1860. After the death of Lincoln, he tried to work with Johnson on a Reconstruction policy that would be generous to the South. He was a Connecticut politician originally and was influential in state affairs throughout his adult life.

 

[JerryD]

I read Welles' diary some years ago and agree he had strong opinions about many of his contemporaries. Still, as you point out, he did a good job of running the Navy Department, a none too small job given the vast areas and responsibilities the Navy was assigned. Overall, I would give him high marks for his overseeing the expansion of both blue and brown water naval forces, introducing new technology and armaments, maintaining the blockade, and crucial cooperation and coordination with army operations on many fronts.

Pretty much agree. I guess I am more responding to him as a person and not so much in terms of his service. He was instrumental in winning the war and did an admirable job running his department. But not the kind of guy I'd want to have a beer with. It seems he is constantly whining about something in his diary. But perhaps that is the nature of a diary; an outlet to vent your spleen in private.

 

[JerryD]

I'd call myself a fan of Welles -- with some reservations. True he disliked Seward and some of the other cabinet members, but then again they were not a very likable bunch. Welles was wrong in opposing the blockade at the beginning of the war, but he accepted his political defeat on this point and worked hard to try and make the blockade work. He was right that the Anaconda Plan was not going to work according to its original conception, but worked steadily and efficiently for the necessary expansion of the Navy.

Welles had a political life outside of the Civil War. Originally a Jacksonian Democrat, he became disillusioned with the pro-slavery extremists in the party and drifted into the Republican camp by 1860. After the death of Lincoln, he tried to work with Johnson on a Reconstruction policy that would be generous to the South. He was a Connecticut politician originally and was influential in state affairs throughout his adult life.

I am aware that post war he seemed to backslide a bit to being more of a Democrat and came to hate both Grant and the Radicals, but you can see the seeds of it during the war. He keeps making the point that the rebelling states should be able to put down their arms and resume their place as if nothing had happened, and says Lincoln and the US has no right to require abolition of slavery as a condition to resuming their rightful place among the states. That this would be a violation of states rights. Which, IMO, is not only legally wrong, but flies in the face of what was possible after a long bloody war supposedly over these very same states rights. He appears to be blind to this practical reality, and it really makes him look quite inflexible and impractical.