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July 16.—He wrote a long letter to General Butler, protesting against his taking ‘from the three months regiments under his command, when about to leave for home, on the expiration of their time of service, the Springfield rifled muskets, which they carried with them, and giving them poor smooth-bores in exchange.
The muskets belonged to Massachusetts, and were wanted to arm our three-years' volunteers.’
The rifled muskets were retained, however, and the men came home with the smooth-bores.
On the same day, he wrote to the Secretary of the Navy in regard to Southern privateers capturing our commerce on the seas, and of the anxiety felt in the mercantile community about them.
He urges that stronger measures be taken to seal up the Southern ports, and again offers him the privilege of buying the steamers Cambridge and ‘Pembroke.’
The Governor was unable to visit the camp at Taunton, and witness the departure of the Seventh Regiment from the State.
He wrote an excuse to Colonel Couch, in which he expressed warmly and sincerely his regrets that business required his presence at the capital.
‘I am reluctant,’ he says, ‘to permit any regiment to depart from Massachusetts without a chance to bid it God-speed, that I was even inclined to delay you for a day or two in order to secure such an opportunity; but, on reflection, it seemed to me unwise to postpone for a mere sentiment your call to active duty.
We shall watch your career, and rejoice in your successes with no less eager interest than that with which we followed those regiments which preceded you, and those which are to tread in your footsteps.
And to you, personally, I wish to express my thanks for your quiet, considerate, and judicious conduct; and I beg you never to hesitate to call upon Massachusetts, whenever you need, for sympathy and aid.’
About the beginning of June, an agent of the loyal people in the city of Wheeling, Va., came to Boston, and represented that they were greatly in need of two thousand muskets, which they could not obtain from the Government, nor from any of the other States.
Governor Andrew, aware of the importance of Wheeling as a military point, agreed at once to furnish
1868. E. P. DUtton and Co. Boston,.
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