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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