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and just act which
Governor Andrew accomplished during his visit to
Washington at this time.
On the 15th of July, he wrote to
Morris L. Hallowell,
Esq.,
Philadelphia, father of
Colonel Hallowell, Fifty-fourth (colored) Massachusetts Volunteers, as follows:—
When I was in Washington a few days since, I obtained the passage of an order, that paymasters should pay the colored troops the full pay of soldiers, secured to them by the recent act of Congress, from Jan. 1, 1864.
Thus six months of pay will, under the promised order, be made at one time.
The question as to their pay previous to Jan. 1, 1864, is still unsettled; although, from a conversation I had with the Attorney-General, I think we shall have his opinion before long.
I requested him to give an opinion at that time.
This he declined to do, on the ground that the request did not come from the President.
The President has, however, called for his opinion, which is delayed by the fact that the assistant Attorney-General is sick, and by other pressing employment of the office.
But the Attorney-General intimated that his decision in Chaplain Harrison's case, and his opinion given some time ago to the Secretary of the Treasury relating to the citizenship of colored men, would be sufficient to determine the point.
I write this knowing your interest in the cause, and thinking that you would feel gratified that thus much progress had been made in obtaining justice for the colored troops; and through you I know that the facts will reach Colonel Hallowell, even if he has left Philadelphia.
Colonel Hallowell had been staying at his father's home for some weeks, recovering from wounds received in battle.
On the 18th of July, the
Governor wrote to
Colonel A. G
Browne, Jr.,
military secretary, who was then in
Washington.
asking him to call at the office of the
Provost-Marshal-General to have immediate measures taken to have the men enlisted in rebel States mustered into the service.
‘From my last advices from Washington,’ he said, ‘I learn that there is a delay in the preparations, and that the camp at Washington is not ready for the reception of recruits.
It is of the utmost importance that the machinery should be in perfect running order, as such a delay at this time may prove fatal to all our efforts.’
He then notices the bitter hostility of
Major-General Sherman to recruiting agents coming into his army, and said,—
