immorality and distress . . . followed. . . . Under the Articles of War I considered it my imperative duty to use every proper means . . . to abate these evils.
``While such a state of affairs existed . . . Mrs. [Charles] Craig, a lady of the highest respectability and wife of the planter alluded to in the allegations, came to my office, and weeping told me that a negro girl who had been raised under her own eyes, and whom she regarded as almost one of her own family was in a house of prostitution, with, I think five other negro girls. I inquired whether she could point out the house, and on being answered that she could, I gave her the order to the Provost Marshal which appears in the allegations. There was no understanding that any of these girls should be delivered up to their masters. If they had been white I should have given the same order. . . .
``Forman asserts that Craig was a rebel. . . . I assert that he was a Union man, and as loyal to the United States. . . . as most people would have been under the circumstances. . . .'' (DLC-RTL).
Steele also enclosed a letter of the same date from General U. S. Grant to Elihu B. Washburne, as follows:
``I have just been shown a letter from the President to Brig. Steele stating that his name had been withheld from the Senate for promotion in consequence of charges that had been made against him for returning fugitive slaves to their Masters.
``Gen. Steele is one of our very best soldiers. . . . He is in every sense a soldier. . . . No matter how far any policy of the Government might vary from his individual views he would conform to it. . . . Besides I have never heard him express an opinion against any policy of the administration and know he would do nothing to weaken the power of the President. . . .
``I hope the President & the Senate will be disabused of any opinion they may have formed prejudicial to Gen. Steele. . . .'' (Ibid.).
Steele was appointed major general dating from November 29, 1862.
[2] The document has not been located but Steele's letter of February 15 indicates the author as Jacob G. Forman, a former army chaplain who was acting as postmaster at Helena, Arkansas.