Saturday, July 30, 2016

Governor Horatio Seymour to Major-General John A. Dix, August 20, 1863

State of New York, Executive Department,
Albany, August 20,1863.

To Major-general John A. Dix, commanding Department of the East:

sir,—I have received yours, without date, in answer to my letter of the 15th instant. You are already advised of the causes of my delay in answering the suggestions in your communication of the 30th of July. It is also proper I should state to you that no notice was given to me of the time when the draft would be made in the city of New York, neither was I advised of the draft which was begun in July and interrupted by riotous proceedings. I learned from the New York journals received here on Monday that the draft would be made on Wednesday, which gave me but one day's time in an unofficial notice on which to consult with the Generals commanding militia in the counties of New York and Kings.

The notices sent to me by Colonel Fry advise me of the completion of the enrolment in the several districts, the number to be drafted, and the fact that the draft is ordered.

I send you herewith a copy of one of these letters; they are all substantially alike. They do not state when the draft will be made; and in most cases several weeks, and in some instances more than a month, elapse before the draft is made. I therefore expected some interval between the notice and the draft. In the case of the Sixth District in New York the letter of Mr. Fry was received the day before the draft commenced.

You will see that no time was allowed for getting credits for volunteers, for making suggestions or preparations. I do not know that the fault rests with Colonel Fry, but it is proper for me to state these facts.

Truly yours, etc.,
Horatio Seymour.

SOURCE: Morgan Dix, Memoirs of John Adams Dix, Volume 2, p. 83-4

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