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Edwin McMasters Stanton, 1814-1869.
With the war costing the federal government a million dollars a day, Edwin M. Stanton proved ideal for the vital cabinet post of secretary of war. In January 1862, he replaced the inefficient and politically motivated Simon Cameron, who left the department mired in waste and scandal. Stanton immediately brought about an effective reorganization, establishing strict procedures for negotiating war contracts and vigorously investigating fraudulent ones. Although many officials in Washington found Stanton irascible and arrogant, he maintained good relations with generals in the field, and Lincoln grew to rely upon his precision and vigor in administering the war effort. |