File XXIV
General W. W. Morris in command in General Wallace’s absence—General Sheridan’s order to arrest E. W. Andrews, formerly adjutant general to General Morris.
General W. W. Morris, who had been in command of the First Brigade, with headquarters at Fort McHenry (of whom I have spoken before), was placed in command of the Department.
To make himself familiar with the work in the departments, he interviewed the heads; finally he wanted to see me. He made the call pleasant by saying: “I hear your work well spoken of,” for which I of course thanked him. I told him I had been Assistant Provost Marshal under him at Fort McHenry. The old soldier brightened up and remarked: “Oh, yes, now I remember; my Adjutant General blamed you for all his troubles. Do you think Andrews was wrong?” I answered: “Yes, he ought to have worn the grey.”
Not many days after, I received a telegram from General Sheridan, directing the arrest and confinement of E. W. Andrews, captain, and formerly Assistant Adjutant General.
Believing that if Andrews was in Baltimore he would first call on General Morris, I went there at once, and showed the General the telegram. Very soon Andrews, with his usual pomp, came in. He espied me at once. I showed him my authority from General Sheridan, to arrest him. I permitted him to see General Morris—in my presence, however—and extended him all courtesies I consistently could; finally taking him in a carriage to Fort McHenry, I obtained the following receipt:
Feb. 25, 1865.
Recd. from Captain Wiegel, E. W. Andrews, a prisoner, for safe keeping.
Dan. Macauley,
Col. 11th Ind. Vet. Vols.,
Commanding Brigade.
This receipt was given me in the room formerly occupied by E. W. Andrews, as Adjutant General. What a fall was there!
This was Andrews’s exeunt, for I have never seen him since. I subsequently, however, learned of his offense in the Valley. It was more flirting with the enemy. Some of Mosby’s men had been captured, and Andrews came to their rescue and vouched for them as being peaceful citizens, upon which they were released, but in a few days they were again captured while committing warlike depredations.