Executive Office, Iowa,
Iowa City, Jan. 5, 1863.
M. B. Cochran, Surgeon First Regiment Iowa Cavalry,
Acting Medical Director 3d Division Army of Frontier.
Sir: — I returned from Washington on the 2nd and found your
letter of 13th December this morning. I am truly rejoiced to hear from you and
am both grateful and grieved to hear the particulars of the hard fought battle
of Prairie Grove. Iowa as usual did her share of the lighting, and did it
nobly, but also as usual lost heavily. I regret the loss of McFarland very
much. He was a noble man. How is Thompson doing? *Please write me how he is. He
is a gallant fellow. I need not impress on you the necessity of doing all that
can be done for our brave boys. Let me say one thing: Don't let them lack for
anything, “red tape” or no “red tape;” see that they have all that they need.
Please write often.
Very truly your
friend,
SAMUEL J. KIRKWOOD.
_______________
* Wm. G., [Maj..] of the 20th Reg’t
SOURCE: Henry Warren Lathrop, The Life and Times of
Samuel J. Kirkwood, Iowa's War Governor, p. 234
