Thursday, September 4, 2014

Governor Samuel J. Kirkwood to Hon. Asahel W. Hubbard, June 12, 1861

From information received from yourself and others, there is reasonable ground to apprehend difficulties in your Judicial District

The great distance from the exposed points to my residence, and the consequent delay in communicating with me, together with the probable necessity for prompt action, renders it, in my judgment, desirable that I give a large discretionary power to some person, resident in the exposed region, to act for me in case of emergency, and your well-known character for prudence, firmness, intelligence and integrity have indicated you as the proper person. I earnestly hope you may feel at liberty to accept the position for which this letter will be your authority.

If, upon careful examination of the facts, you deem it advisable so to do, you can place in quarters for discipline and drill such numbers of men in your city as, in your judgment, may be best and for such time as you may think proper.

I would suggest on this point that the regular drill of the soldiers may not be essential to the effective service of men engaged in scouting and Indian fighting further than is necessary to ensure a prompt obedience to orders.

You will, when in your judgment necessary for the protection of your people, order the men, or such part of them as you deem necessary, to pursue and capture any hostile bands of Indians, or to do such other service as your judgment may satisfy you is necessary for the safety of your people.

In short, I clothe you with all my power in this particular, agreeing to adopt as my own such action as you may take in the premises. Permit me to suggest the exercise of both caution and firmness. Under excitement you may be urged to adopt measures that cool reflection will show to be unnecessary; but be careful not to fail in doing whatever may be necessary, in your best judgment, for your defense. In a word, I rely upon your calm, cool, deliberate judgment, and will abide by the exercise of it.

I write this because the money and means at my command are quite limited, and I desire to avoid the slightest unnecessary expense, while doing promptly and fully all the public interest may demand. You may feel some delicacy in assuming this responsibility, fearing that in some particulars your action may not meet my approval. On that head, I have this to say: Although it is quite possible that were I on the ground, your judgment and mine might differ as to the proper action on some particular question, as the minds of men seeking the same result will frequently differ as to the means of obtaining it, yet I am prepared to adopt and stand by whatever you may do.

SOURCE: Henry Warren Lathrop, The Life and Times of Samuel J. Kirkwood, Iowa's War Governor, p. 168-9

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