April 25.
. . . I desire . . . to say that we can send to you four
thousand more troops from Massachusetts within a very short time after the
receipt of a requisition for them.
Do you wish us to send men as we may be able to get them
ready, without awaiting requisitions? And can we send by sea up the Potomac?
Cannot the river be kept open and safe to Washington? What shall we do, or what
do you wish us to do, about provisioning our men? Is Fort Monroe supplied with
provisions?
Will you authorize the enlistment here and mustering into
the U. S. service of Irish, Germans and other tough men, to be drilled and
prepared here for service? We have men of such description, eager to be
employed, sufficient to make three regiments.
Finally, will you direct some general instructions and
suggestions to be sent to me as to anything — no matter what or how much —
which you may wish from Massachusetts, and procure General Scott also to do so,
and we will try to meet, so far as may be, every wish of the Government up to
the very limit of our resources and our power.
Will you put the 6000 rifles, now at the U. S. Arsenal at
Watertown at our disposal for our men, and send immediately orders for
that purpose?
SOURCE: Henry Greenleaf Pearson, The Life of John A.
Andrew: Governor of Massachusetts, 1861-1865, Volume 1, p. 205-6
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