Giesboro', March 5, '64.
I have not had time to do much myself about the Spencers, —
but meeting Lieutenant Pinkham, I sent him to the Ordnance office to make the
necessary inquiries, — they say they have none to spare us, but that any
arrangement we can make with the State of Massachusetts will be favourably
endorsed at the Bureau.1 I shall be very glad if the Governor can
see his way to let us have a supply; enough for the whole Regiment if possible
— if not, at least enough for two squadrons. Perhaps it might be a good thing in
other ways to have Massachusetts furnish the California Battalion with
these arms; it would convince the men that there were some advantages in
belonging to a Massachusetts regiment — however revolting it might be to their
pride.
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1 These were the newly invented repeating
breech-loading Spencer carbines, firing seven shots. They were the first
repeating carbines in use, and greatly increased the effectiveness of cavalry
for dismounted service. This was proved soon after for Colonel Lowell's
command, as is later told, at the fight at Rockville.
SOURCE: Edward Waldo Emerson, Life and Letters of
Charles Russell Lowell, p. 316-7, 455
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