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

On the 1st of August, the Governor wrote a long letter to Secretary Stanton, complaining of the want of officers to muster in recruits at the several camps; the only one detailed on that duty in the State being Captain Goodhue, of the regular service.

‘Why not,’ the Governor asks, ‘appoint Colonel William Raymond Lee, and Captains Putnam and Bartlett, of the Massachusetts Twentieth; Major Robert H. Stevenson, of the Twenty-fourth, mustering officers?—all of them now at home, wounded, and unfit to return to the field, but anxious and eager to work. The want of mustering officers has cost us hundreds of men, infinite trouble, and sometimes insubordination in camps where the men have not yet been mustered.’

This request was, in part, complied with, and more army officers were detailed to attend the camps, and muster in men.

The following permission to recruit we find on the Governor's files, in his own handwriting, dated Aug. 1:—

In consequence of the request of the town of Marblehead, made by a legal town meeting, held yesterday,—a copy of the record which is handed me, attested by the town clerk,—I appoint, at the nomination of the other gentlemen who came to represent the town, Samuel Roads, Esq., additional recruiting agent for Marblehead. He will co-operate with the town's committee, and use his influence to forward the enlistment; and I ask the good people of Marblehead to support and help him with all their hearts and hands.

As the town authorities throughout the State were authorized, under general orders, to recruit the quotas of their towns, we suspect that the people of the good town of Marblehead thought their selectmen were not as active in the discharge of this peculiar duty as they wished to have them, and therefore held a town meeting on the subject.

On the 1st of August, the Governor detailed Colonel William R. Lee, Twentieth Regiment, ‘to establish a camp of rendezvous at Pittsfield, for all recruits who may offer, and be found competent.’ The United States mustering and disbursing officers in Boston were to furnish such material from their departments as might be necessary.