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He was also charged to exercise a friendly oversight of the men, to use his influence to accommodate inconveniences, alleviate suffering, and prevent grievances, and, by his advice and interposition, to ‘promote the efficiency, fidelity, patriotic devotion, zeal, happiness, and welfare of our troops.’
The Governor furnished
Major Burt with letters of introduction to
General Hamilton, whom he afterwards met in New Orleans, and formed his acquaintance.
We shall in the next chapter refer to this expedition again, and quote from the interesting reports made by
Major Burt to the
Governor.
Massachusetts having sent forward her regiments,
Governor Andrew wrote to the
Secretary of War,—
‘To say one word about brigadiers’ (after speaking about having sent forward ten new regiments for three years service, saying nothing about the men sent forward to fill up the old regiments), ‘we claim that we are entitled to two brigadier-generals on that score; and, for the seventeen regiments of nine months men, we are entitled to four more.
We therefore recommend, first of all, Colonel James Barnes, of the Eighteenth,’ whom he describes as a ‘long-headed, able man, of thorough military education, over fifty years old, served all last fall, winter, and spring, in Martindale's brigade, now an acting brigadier with McClellan; the most constant, unremitting, and careful of men. He deserved the first promotion, and would have got it, probably, but that his regiment happened not to be in battle, for which he was not to blame.
His lieutentant-colonel (Hayes) is able to lead the regiment, if promoted to its command, with the highest honor.
He deserves promotion.’
Colonel Barnes was made a brigadier-general Nov. 29, 1862, a few days after this letter was written.
Second, William Raymond Lee, of the Twentieth Massachusetts Regiment, now acting as brigadier, under McClellan, in Sedgwick's division.
He fought at Ball's Bluff; and, in the first and last battles before Richmond, was the bravest and most chivalrous gentleman in all our commands, or in any army; educated, too, at the Military Academy, but, like Barnes, for many years in civil life.
Both these gentlemen, at my request, took regiments, not for glory or money, but because they felt, that, having been educated by the country, they were bound to appear at the first call of danger.
They have patriotic hearts, fully devoted to the manliest views of carrying on the war. Colonels Lee
