impossible because of iron brackets screwed firmly into

"By order of the Commander-in-Chief,

I took the order to General Halleck, and said that I would like to

accept, but he was not willing I should do so until the consent of

the War Department could be obtained. I returned to my tent much

disappointed, for in those days, for some unaccountable reason, the

War Department did not favor the appointment of regular officers to

volunteer regiments, and I feared a disapproval at Washington. After

a further consultation with Captain Alger and Lieutenant Walbridge, I