William Schouler, A history of Massachusetts in the Civil War: Volume 1

‘ [259] from Maine, one from New Hampshire; and it is hoped that they will all be pressed forward at the earliest day.’ While this correspondence was going on, and Sherman waiting for his regiments in New York, the Secretary of War sent orders direct to General Wilson, which he received on the 24th, ‘to report to General Butler, and form a component part of his proposed expedition.’ The Governor then wrote to Secretary Cameron, ‘I have been much perplexed and embarrassed during the last few days by contradictory orders and assurances, issuing from your department.’ To avoid which, he said the regiments in this State should be organized through, and not outside of, its Governor. He also says, ‘General Butler, it is evident to me, desires naturally to secure to his own command, with or without consultation with me, according as best he may, all the force he can, even to the prejudice of what General Sherman has a positive right to expect from Massachusetts.’ Mr. Cameron replied on the 27th, that General Sherman was to be supplied first, afterwards General Butler. ‘It is the intention of this department,’ he says, ‘to leave to your Excellency all questions concerning the organization of troops in your State, and the orders to which you refer were designed to be subject to the approval and control of the Executive of Massachusetts. It will be my endeavor to act strictly in accordance with your suggestions.’ This extract is underscored in the original.

This appears explicit enough; and yet the same system of cross purposes was kept up for some time after at Washington, to the insufferable annoyance of the Governor, complicating and retarding recruiting, and delaying the completion of the regiments. On the 1st of October, General Order No. 86 was issued by the Adjutant-General of the army, forming the six New-England States a military department, the headquarters at Boston, and providing that ‘Major-General B. F. Butler, United States Volunteer Service, while engaged in recruiting his division, will command.’ In connection with this, the Secretary directed the Paymaster-General to detail an assistant to pay the men enlisted, and to be enlisted, by General Butler, a month's pay from date of muster in, which was a