Proclamation of Oliver P. Morton, Governor of Indiana, April 16, 1861

PROCLAMATION BY THE GOVERNOR.

Whereas, An armed rebellion has been organized in certain States of this Union, having for its purpose the overthrow of the Government of the United States;

And WHEREAS, The authors and movers in this rebellion have seized, by violence, various forts and arsenals belonging to the United States, and otherwise plundered the Government of large amounts of money and valuable property;

And Whereas, Fort Sumter, a fortress belonging to the United States, the exclusive possession and jurisdiction over which were vested in the General Government by the Constitution of the United States, has been besieged by a large army, and assaulted by a destructive cannonade and reduced to submission, and the National flag hauled down and dishonored;

And Whereas, The President of the United States, in the exercise of the power vested in him by the Federal Constitution, has called upon the several States remaining true to their allegiance to aid him in the enforcement of the laws, the recovery of the National property, and the maintainance of the rightful authority of the United States;

Now, therefore, I, Oliver P. Morton, Governor of the State of Indiana, call upon the loyal and patriotic men of this State, to the number of six regiments, to organize themselves into military companies, and forthwith report the same to the Adjutant General, in order that they may be speedily mustered into the service of the United States. The details of the organization are set forth in the instructions of the Adjutant General, herewith published.

OLIVER P. MORTON, Governor.

Lewis Wallace, Adjutant General.

Indianapolis, April 16, 1861.

SOURCE: William H. H. Terrell, Indiana in the War of the Rebellion, p. 332

Oliver P. Morton, Governor of Indiana, to Abraham Lincoln, April 15, 1861

Executive Department Of Indiana,

Indianapolis, April 15,1861.

To Abraham Lincoln,

President of the United States:

On behalf of the State of Indiana, I tender to you, for the defence of the Nation and to uphold the authority of the Government, ten thousand men.

oliver P. Morton,

Governor of Indiana.

SOURCE: Indiana Republican State Central Committee, Oliver P. Morton, of Indiana: A Sketch of His Life and Public Services, p. 15

Simon Cameron to Richard Yates, Governor of Illinois, April 15, 1861

WASHINGTON, April 15, 1861.

His Excellency, Richard Yates:

Call made on you by to-night's mail for six regiments for immediate service.

SIMON CAMERON, Secretary of War.

SOURCE: T. M. Eddy, The Patriotism Of Illinois, Volume 1, p. 78

Proclamation of Samuel J. Kirkwood, Governor of Iowa, April 17, 1861

PROCLAMATION.

Whereas, The President of the United States has made a requisition on the Executive of the State of Iowa for one regiment of militia, to aid the Federal Government in enforcing its laws and suppressing rebellion. Now therefore I, Samuel J. Kirkwood, Governor of the State of Iowa, do issue this proclamation and hereby call upon the militia of this State immediately to form, in the different counties volunteer companies, with the view of entering the active military service of the United States for the purpose aforesaid. The regiment at present required will consist of ten companies of at least seventy-eight men each, one captain and two lieutenants to be elected by each company.

Under the present requisition only one regiment can be accepted, and the companies accepted must hold themselves in readiness for duty by the 20th of May next at farthest. If a sufficient number of companies are tendered, their service maybe required. If more companies are formed and reported than can be received under the present call, their services will be required in the event of another requisition upon this State. The nation is in peril. A fearful attempt is being made to overthrow the Constitution and dissolve the Union. The aid of every loyal citizen is invoked to sustain the General Government.

For the honor of our State let the requirement of the President be cheerfully and promptly met.

SAMUEL J. KIRKWOOD

Iowa City, April 17, A. D. 1861.

SOURCE: Henry Warren Lathrop, The Life and Times of Samuel J. Kirkwood, p. 114

From Washington

WASHINGTON, May 20.

Gen. Saxton arrived at Fort Monroe this morning, and goes to New York, this evening.  Most of the passengers will be in New York on Friday.

Voluminous dispatches were received from the Gulf today.  They related principally to the details of the recent movements connected with the capture of New Orleans.  The vessels of the fleet have been judiciously distributed, under Com. Lee, going up as far as Vicksburg, for purposes which it would be improper to state.  It appears from the documents that Commodore Farragut carried out his instructions to the letter and was ably and cheerfully sustained by all under his command.

On our forces occupying Pensacola, the Mayor promised that the citizens would behave themselves peacefully.  The rebels had evacuated the place on hearing that our steamers, the day before, were going to run into Mobile Bay, and that the squadron and mortar boats would soon follow.

Commander Porter left Ship Island on the 7th, with the steamer belonging to the mortar fleet, and the Rachel, for Mobile bar, for the purpose of fixing a place for the mortar boats to lie and plant buoys for the ships to run in by when they should arrive.

Great excitement is said to exist within the forts at the progress of the fleet. – There was reason to believe that Fort Gaines was evacuated, and that the troops there were leaving to reinforce Fort Morgan.

Special to Herald.

All here are filled with expectations of a great battle at Corinth and Battour’s Bridge before the week ends.  It is expected that these two battles will practically conclude the campaign, and leave nothing else to be done but to put down the guerilla fighting.

The recent proclamation of the President begins to give great satisfaction to all classes.  The conservatives are satisfied, and the ultras do not find fault.  It is manifest to all, that Mr. Lincoln has taken the bit in his teeth and intends to have his own way, Cabinet or no Cabinet.  The general impression here is, since the utterance of the proclamation, there is no one can approach 

Abraham Lincoln in popularity.  It is regarded as an evidence of unalterable firmness and true grit.

Special to Tribune.

A call is soon to be made upon the States for additional volunteers to the number of at least 100,000; careful inquiry has elicited the fact that our army is smaller than has been represented, even in official accounts numbering not 500,000 effective men.  This fresh force is to be mainly used as a reserve, to be stationed at convenient points to meet emergencies.

Times’ Special.

The subject of lake defences and lake commerce was very forcibly and fully presented this morning, at a meeting of the New York delegation in Congress, by the  Hon. Samuel B. Ruggles, who appeared in behalf of the State.  The principal topics discussed were the present undefended condition of the lakes and the great the and rapid growth of the commerce on these waters; also the vital importance of the cereal products of the States surrounding the lakes, in furnishing the elements of foreign commerce, and consequently in swelling the amount of duties on imports to be received in exchange.

The two cardinal measures growing out of these discussions, and which must occupy the attention of Congress, will be the opening of adequate canals from the eastern and western extremities of the lakes; the first to be effected by enlarging the locks in the Erie and Oswego canals, and the other by the enlargement of the canal from Chicago to Illinois river.  It is hoped that these great measures may be united as integral portions of hone harmonious system, permitting the passage throughout the line of mail-clad vessels sufficient for the defense of these great waters.

The World’s correspondence, under date of Baltimore Cross Roads, Va., 16 miles from Richmond, May 18th says: “I make a prophecy that Richmond is abandoned by the enemy without a fight, and that we occupy it within 48 hours.  If not all signs fail.  This is the advance division towards Richmond.

Cavalry are beyond at Bloton Bridge.  The enemy blew it up yesterday.  Little will it impede our progress, for the stream is narrow, the water but three feet deep and we can ford.

An effort will be made in the House to-morrow to adjourn from the 28th inst. Until the 2d of June, in order to enable members to visit their homes and give time for putting the hall in summer trim.  Those who favor the proposition that such arrangements will not delay business, as the house is far in advance of the Senate in this respect.  The House only contemplates a holiday.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, May 22, 1862, p. 1

Ulysses S. Grant to Jesse Root Grant, May 6, 1861

Camp Yates, near Springfield,

May 6th. 1861.

Dear Father:

Your second letter, dated the first of May has just come to hand. I commenced writing you a letter three or four days ago but was interrupted so often that I did not finish it. I wrote one to Mary which no doubt was duly received, but do not remember whether it answers your questions or not.

At the time our first Galena company was raised I did not feel at liberty to engage in hot haste, but took an active interest in drilling them, and imparting all the instruction I could, and at the request of the members of the company, and of Mr. Washburn, I came here for the purpose of assisting for a short time in camp, and of offering, if necessary, my services for the war. The next two days after my arrival it was rainy and muddy so that the troops could not drill and I concluded to go home. Governor Yates heard it and requested me to remain. Since that I have been acting in that capacity, and for the last few days have been in command of this camp. The last of the six regiments called for from this State, will probably leave by tomorrow, or the day following, and then I shall be relieved from this command.

The Legislature of this State provided for the raising of eleven additional regiments and a battalion of artillery; a portion of these the Governor will appoint me to muster into the service of the State, when I presume my services may end. I might have obtained the colonelcy of a regiment possibly, but I was perfectly sickened at the political wire-pulling for all these commissions, and would not engage in it. I shall be in no ways backward in offering my services when and where they are required, but I feel that I have done more now than I could do serving as a captain under a green colonel, and if this thing continues they will want more men at a later day.

There have been fully 30,000 more volunteers who have offered their services, than can be accepted under the present call, without including the call made by the State; but I can go back to Galena and drill the three or four companies there, and render them efficient for any future call. My own opinion is that this war will be but of short duration. The Administration has acted most prudently and sagaciously so far in not bringing on a conflict before it had its forces fully marshalled.  When they do strike, our thoroughly loyal states will be fully protected, and a few decisive victories in some of the southern ports will send the secession army howling, and the leaders in the rebellion will flee the country. All the states will then be loyal for a generation to come. Negroes will depreciate so rapidly in value that nobody will want to own them, and their masters will be the loudest in their declamation against the institution from a political and economic point of view. The negro will never disturb this country again. The worst that is to be apprehended from him is now: he may revolt and cause more destruction than any Northern man, except it be the ultra-abolitionist, wants to see. A Northern army may be required in the next ninety days to go South to suppress a negro insurrection. As much as the South have vilified the North, that army would go on such a mission and with the purest motives.

I have just received a letter from Julia. All are well. Julia takes a very sensible view of our present difficulties. She would be sorry to have me go, but thinks the circumstances may warrant it and will not throw a single obstacle in the way.

There is no doubt but the valiant Pillow has been planning an attack on Cairo; but as he will learn that that point is well garrisoned and that they have their ditch on the outside, filled with water, he will probably desist. As, however, he would find it necessary to receive a wound, on the first discharge of firearms, he would not be a formidable enemy. I do not say he would shoot himself, ah no! I am not so uncharitable as many who served under him in Mexico. I think, however, he might report himself wounded on the receipt of a very slight scratch, received hastily in any way, and might irritate the sore until he convinced himself that he had been wounded by the enemy.

Tell Simpson that I hope he will be able to visit us this summer. I should like very much to have him stay with us and I want him to make my house his home.

Remember me to all.

ULYSSES.

SOURCE: Jesse Grant Cramer, Editor, Letters of Ulysses S. Grant to His Father and His Youngest Sister, 1857-78, p. 34-7

Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant to President Abraham Lincoln, July 19, 1864

GRANT'S HEADQUARTERS,

City Point, July 19, 1864 – 10 a. m.

 (Received 8.30 p. m.)

His Excellency A. LINCOLN,

President of the United States:

In my opinion there ought to be an immediate call for, say, 300,000 men to be put in the field in the shortest possible time. The presence of this number of re-enforcements would save the annoyance of raids, and would enable us to drive the enemy from his present front, particularly from Richmond, without attacking fortifications. The enemy now have their last men in the field. Every depletion of their army is an irreparable loss. Desertions from it are now rapid. With the prospect of large additions to our force these desertions would increase. The greater number of men we have the shorter and less sanguinary will be the war. I give this entirely as my views and not in any spirit of dictation, always holding myself in readiness to use the material given me to the best advantage I know how.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume XXXVII, Part II (Serial No. 71), page 384.  A slightly different formatted copy of this letter also appears in James Grant Wilson’s General Grant’s Letters to a Friend 1861-1880, p. 36; James H. Wilson, The Life of John A. Rawlins, p. 434-5

Proclamation

To the People of Iowa!

__________

The Rebellion, against which you have been so long and so gallantly contending, is not yet quelled, but requires yet another sacrifice to complete its work.  The enemy is now putting forth every effort desperation can suggest to accomplish his purpose.  He is levying en masse all men within his reach capable of bearing arms, and is now holding our armies in check, has driven one division out of Virginia, and threatens to invade Maryland, and capture Washington itself.

Our government calls for more troops, and must have them.  Having done so much to crush this foul conspiracy against our government, and having been lately so signally blessed in our labors, we must meet these new efforts of the enemy with corresponding force.  The valor and patriotism of Iowa have never been appealed to in vain.  They now have one more test and will not fail.  We have sent more than twenty thousand men to the field, and every one a willing volunteer in his country’s cause.  Our soldiers have proved themselves the “Bravest of the Brave.”  We have thousands more as heroic hearts who are wanted with their brothers in the field.

It is probable that more than one regiment will be required, and that they will be sent to Washington.  I call on the young men of Iowa to answer the demand with that alacrity with which similar demands have been responded to heretofore.

Let those who cannot enlist, encourage and assist those who can, and those who can defend their country’s cause, come forward to the rescue of the best government ever given to man, from the attacks of those who would destroy all our institutions of liberty in one common ruin.

SAMUEL J. KIRKWOOD

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, June 7, 1862, p. 2.  See also Benjamin F. Shambaugh, editor, The Messages and Proclamations of the Governors of Iowa, Volume 2, p. 495-6.