I learn from various sources to-day that an impression has been made, or has been attempted to be made on you, that I (and perhaps my brother and nephew) have been trying to induce the company being made up by Capt. Thornborgh, Dr. Virden and others to break off an engagement to join your Company and to join my nephew's Company. I desire to say that if any one has made such assertion in reference to me, it is a colorless falsehood. I heard yesterday for the first time, that any movement had ever been made or thought of by anybody to induce that Company or any part of it to join yours. I had been informed that Dr. Virden and others, engaged in making up that Company, doubted whether they could make up a full Company—and that in the event they could not—that a portion of them would probably join my nephew's Company—that Dr. Virden would probably join it himself as physician, if he could have an assurance of a salary of $100 per month. I have been invited on the day of the Regimental muster to attend at Crawford's on last Saturday and promised to so. I went will the bonafide purpose of aiding them to make up a full Company—and in case of a failure to get them to join in Shubal’s and in your Company and thus make up two full Companies. Dr. Virden, as I had learned, had been treating with my nephew on the basis above stated, and I was willing to guarantee the salary he demanded and so told him, but at that time I had not the slightest suspicion that any negotiation had been thought of by you and him or any body else for you. We were more successful than was suspected. Another effort is to be made next Wednesday to fill up that Company. If it fail I would most gladly aid to try to get them to divide and join in as nearly equal proportions as possible my nephew's and your Company.
Whilst I knew of one or two individuals here base enough to try, by any means, to make the impression on you that I am trying to build up my nephew's Company to the prejudice of yours, I cannot suppose you would allow any such impression to be made on you without allowing me to be heard. I am now and have been at all times ready to do anything in my power to aid you in making up your Company, and such, I know, are the feelings of my brother and nephew—and if you come to the Jackson old place on Wednesday you will find us cooperating with you in the proper spirit to make up both Companies.
SOURCE: J. G. de Roulhac Hamilton, Editor, The Correspondence of Jonathan Worth, Volume 1, p. 154-5
No comments:
Post a Comment