Gentlemen of the House of Representatives: — In reply
to your resolutions of inquiry in regard to clothing furnished the First Iowa
Regiment, I have the honor to say:
When the telegraphic dispatch from the Secretary of War
informing me of the requisition for the First Regiment reached me, I did not
anticipate the uniforming the men at the expense of the State, as such course
had not, so far as I knew or could learn, been pursued in the Mexican War.
Fearing, however, that the suddenness of the danger might render it desirable
to furnish uniforms, I immediately wrote to the Secretary of War asking
information on that point; but the interruption of communication at Baltimore
prevented me from receiving any answer. Judging from the fact that other States
were preparing for uniforming their volunteers, that it would be desirable to
have the same done here, I sent an agent to Chicago to purchase materials for
uniforms; but the sudden and great demand for that kind of goods had exhausted
the supplies in that city. On learning this by telegraph, and fearing there
would not be time to await a supply from New York, I immediately instructed the
persons acting as Commissaries to purchase materials and make uniforms at the
points where the several companies had been raised. The persons who had the
matter in charge at the several points were, at Dubuque, D. N. Cooley Esq. and
Capt. F. J. Herron. Capt. Herron was sent specially from Davenport to Dubuque
to select the materials and direct the uniforms in such manner as the companies
preferred. At Cedar Rapids, Dr. Carpenter; at Davenport, Hiram Price Esq.; at
Muscatine, Hon. Jos. A. Greene, and at Burlington, Major J. G. Laumau. At
Muscatine and Iowa City the material was purchased and the making of the
clothes superintended by committees of citizens. Under these circumstances it
was impossible to procure the same uniform for the whole regiment. All that
could be done was to have the men of each company clothed alike, but differing
from those of other companies. It was also impossible to procure as good
material as would have been desirable, had more time been allowed. Much of the
clothing was made by the ladies, which to that extent lessened the cost. The
amount of clothing furnished, so far as the means now in my possession enable
me to state, is as fallows:
Capt. Herron's company, Dubuque; each man, hat, frock coat,
pants, two flannel shirts, two pairs of socks and pair of shoes.
Capt. Gottschalk's company, Dubuque; blouse instead of coat,
and other articles same as Capt. Herron's.
Capt. Cook's company, Cedar Rapids; hat, two flannel shirts,
pants, socks and shoes, no jacket or coat.
Capt. Mahanna's company, Iowa City; hat, jacket, pants, two
flannel shirts, socks and shoes.
Capt. Wentz's company, Davenport; hats, blouse, pants, two
flannel shirts, socks and shoes.
Capt. Cumming's company, Muscatine; cap, jacket, pants, two
flannel shirts, socks and shoes.
Capt. Mason's company, Muscatine; same as Capt. Cumming's.
Capt. Matthies' company, Burlington; hat, blouse, pants, two
flannel shirts, socks and shoes.
Capt. Streaper's company, Burlington; same as Capt. Matthies’.
Capt. Wise's company, Mt. Pleasant; same as Capt. Matthies’.
I am not certain that all the companies were furnished with
socks, shoes and shirts. Some of the shoes, I have reason to believe, were not
of good quality costing only from $1.25 to $1.50 per pair, others I know were
good, costing from $2.00 to $2.50 per pair. One thousand extra shirts were sent
to Keokuk to supply any deficiency that may have existed in that particular.
Most of the material for pants was satinett, and not of good quality, costing,
as far as the same came under my observation, from forty to sixty cents per
yard by the quantity. The entire amount expended for clothing, so far as I can
give it from the data in my possession, is about $12,000 or $13,000. If it be
desirable in your judgment to have the companies of this regiment uniformed
alike, it will be necessary to furnish all with coats and pants of the same
make, and to furnish an additional number of hats or caps. Hats were procured
for all, but some preferred the cap and procured it, and the cost has been
provided for. I cannot think that all the companies need new shoes, as some of
the shoes furnished were of excellent quality and have not yet been worn more
than two or three weeks.
I am satisfied that it is for the comfort of these troops
that many of them be furnished with pants and shoes, and some with socks. As
the Second and Third regiments will be clothed throughout alike, it would no
doubt be very gratifying to the First regiment to be placed in the same
position, and it will afford me much pleasure to carry out whatever may be your
wishes in regard to it.
SAMUEL J. KIRKWOOD.
May 23, 1861.
SOURCE: Henry Warren Lathrop, The Life and Times of
Samuel J. Kirkwood, Iowa's War Governor, p. 131-2
