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Colonel Joselyn, of our Fifteenth Regiment, precisely similar to that in the case in which you are interested.
You will see that it is about hopeless to induce the Secretary of War to let any rebel go from the North to the South, to arrange an exchange for himself.
But General Hitchcock seems to think there would be no objection to the reverse of the arrangement, and is willing to arrange, with any of our men whom the rebels will send North, for the return of rebels, and exchange for them.
I will stir up the case again, nevertheless.
In April, two enlisted men were tried by court-martial for military offences, and sentenced to be shot.
On the 21st of April, the
Governor wrote to
Major Cabot,
commanding Fort Warren, where the condemned men were confined,—
Are there any mitigating circumstances in the cases of either of the two soldiers under sentence of death, which would justify my asking the President or General Dix by telegraph to commute or delay execution?
I would gladly save either, or both, if consistent, and, if any doubt exists, will urge delay for investigation.
We do not find the answer which
Major Cabot returned to this letter.
It was probably unfavorable, as the men were shot, in compliance with the sentence pronounced by the court-martial.
On the 25th of April, the
Governor telegraphed to
Secretary Stanton, that he had received a despatch from
General Dix, informing him that all of the heavy artillery companies on duty in the forts would be immediately ordered to the field, and requesting that a militia regiment be called out to take their places at
Fort Warren and elsewhere.
The Governor says,—
In order to systematize matters, I wish you would let our twelve heavy artillery companies be organized and march as a regiment.
Eight companies were raised for general service.
Cabot's battalion of four companies, though raised with special understanding, yet will march willingly with other eight in regimental organization, under him as colonel, for heavy artillery duty.
The request was peremptorily refused by
Secretary Stanton.
On the 25th of April, the
Governor wrote to
Senator Sumner and forwarded him copies of the telegrams he had received, and those which he had sent.
The twelve companies numbered about eighteen hundred men. Referring to
Secretary Stanton's
