St. Louis, Feb. 2, 1863.
His Excellency the President:
Sir — Appreciating
as I do the responsibilities and cares of your position, I have avoided
obtruding upon you my opinions, except in cases wherein I would, in my
judgment, have been wanting in my duty to my country had I forborne to do so. A
case of this kind, in my judgment, now presents itself, illustrating a grave
question of policy.
On the 8th of January Col. William T. Shaw received from
Major-Gen. Curtis, commanding the Department of the Missouri, written orders to
repair to Helena, Ark., and report to the officer commanding the Eastern
District of Arkansas, for duty in organizing and mustering in troops to be
raised from persons emancipated from servitude for garrison and other duties as
contemplated in the proclamation of his Excellency the President of the United
States of the 1st of January. In obedience to this order, Col. Shaw repaired to
Helena, reaching that point about the 16th of January, and reported to
Brigadier-General Gorman, commanding, delivering the order of General Curtis.
General Gorman positively refused to recognize Col. Shaw as an officer under
his command; positively refused to issue any orders or to afford Col. Shaw any
facilities to execute the orders of Gen. Curtis; used grossly insulting
language to Col. Shaw for being willing to act under such an order; stated that
if he (Gen. Gorman) had any officer under his command that would help to
execute such orders he would have him mustered out of service, and that if any
man should attempt to raise negro soldiers there his men would shoot them.
Throughout the entire interview his demeanor and language to Col. Shaw was
grossly insulting and abusive. Shortly after this interview, a member of the
Second Arkansas Cavalry handed to Col. Shaw a letter directed on the outside of
the envelope, "Col. Shaw, in charge of negro camp." The letter was as
follows:
Executive Office, Helena, Ark., Jan.
23, 1865.
General Orders No. 2.
No person, or persons, in the State of
Arkansas shall be enlisted, or recruited, to serve as soldiers except by an
officer duly appointed by the Military Governor of this State.
amos F. Eno,
Secretary
of State, pro tem.
Col. Shaw finding he could not execute the order of Gen.
Curtis, reported in person to him.
Mr. President, I do not desire to intermeddle in matters
with which I have not legitimate concern, nor do I think I am so doing in
bringing this matter to your notice. Col. Shaw is a gallant officer from the
State of Iowa, commanding the Fourteenth Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry. He
led his regiment bravely at Donelson and Shiloh; was taken prisoner at the
latter place, and after a long and severe imprisonment, was paroled and
exchanged in October last. Except in military position, he is at least Gen.
Gorman's equal. He has been grossly insulted while endeavoring, as a good
soldier should, to execute the orders of his superior officer.
But the precise point to which I desire to direct your
attention is this: The proclamation issued by you on the 1st of January last
was an act the most important you have ever performed and more important than,
in all human probability, you will ever again perform. I shall not here argue
whether its results will be good or evil.
Had you not believed the good of the country imperatively
demanded its issuance, you would not have issued it. I most cordially and
heartily endorse it But, Mr. President, that proclamation cannot be productive
of good results unless it is observed and put in force. You know its
promulgation has afforded many men a pretext for arraying themselves against
the country, and if, having been promulgated, it is allowed to be inoperative,
its effects must be all evil and none good. Then how may it be executed? Can it
be, will it be, by such men as General Gorman?
Permit me to say, in all frankness, but with proper respect
and deference, the history of the world cannot show an instance where a policy
of a nation to array men strongly for or against it was ever successfully
carried into effect by its opponents. It is not in the nature of things it
should be so, and with the facts herein presented within my knowledge, I can
not feel that I have discharged my duty without saying that, in my judgment, it
cannot produce the good effects its friends believe it is capable of producing,
and must produce only evil, unless you depend for carrying it into effect upon
those who believe it to be a wise and good measure.
Many men holding high commands in the armies of the Union
openly denounce the proclamation as an “abolition” document, and say it has
changed the war from a war for the Union into a war for freeing the negroes.
This is caught up and goes through the ranks and produces a demoralizing effect
on the men whose affiliation has been with the Democratic party, and they say “they
did not enlist to fight for niggers;” while the men whose affiliation has been
with the Republican party are disheartened and discouraged at discovering that
the policy of the President, which they heartily endorse and approve, is
ridiculed and thwarted by the men who should carry it into effect. If that
proclamation is not to be respected and enforced, it had better never have been
issued. I am unwilling to be misinterpreted or misunderstood. I am not
influenced by party political considerations. There are few men in the country
with whom I have differed more widely politically than with Gen. Butler, yet it
is to me a source of great pleasure that he is to supersede, at New Orleans, a
distinguished and able officer of my own political faith. Gen. Butler is
prompt, ready and anxious to do the work assigned him, and such are the men we
must have to obtain success. I care not what their political opinions have
been, if they are unconditionally for the Union to-day.
Permit me further to call to your notice the document copied
herein issued by “Amos F. Eno, Secretary of State, pro tem.” As the Governor of the loyal
State of Iowa, duly elected by the people of that State, I would not feel at
liberty to order that no person should be enlisted or recruited as soldiers in
Iowa, except by an officer duly appointed by myself; and it certainly seems to
me that the subordinate of a military governor, appointed by you, for a State
in rebellion against the government, should not have that power. This act of
this man is evidence of the determination of men holding their authority from
you to disregard and bring into disrepute the policy you have felt bound to
adopt. There is a further act of this Mr. Eno that I feel obliged to bring to
your notice. He claims to act as the Adjutant-General of the Military Governor
of Arkansas, and I am informed by authority, upon which I confidently rely, he
turned from 100 to 150 sick and wounded soldiers out of a comfortable house,
wherein they had been placed, in order to use the house as his headquarters;
that these poor fellows were removed while it was raining, and that some of
them actually died while being removed. There are many sick and wounded Iowa
soldiers at the place, and some of them may have been among those thus treated.
I would not, in my judgment, be discharging my duty to them, if I did not bring
this matter to your notice and demand an investigation of the facts alleged.
Very respectfully,
Your obedient
servant,
SAMUEL J. KIRKWOOD.
SOURCE: Henry Warren Lathrop, The Life and Times of
Samuel J. Kirkwood, Iowa's War Governor, p. 267-9
