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

‘ [255] Sherman about it during the past week. We are raising five new regiments, all of which I mean Sherman shall have if you will get an order from the War Department to send them to him.’ This letter was returned to the Governor with the following indorsements: ‘Respectfully submitted to the War Department. A. Lincoln.’—‘Let this be done. Simon Cameron, Secretary of War.’—‘I send you the order you desire. William H. Seward.’ On the 9th of September, General Sherman writes from New York to the Governor, ‘The public interest requires that the remaining troops for this expedition assemble here at the very earliest day practicable.’ To which the Governor answered on the eleventh, ‘The new regiments are going forward towards completion very rapidly. General Wilson has about nine hundred men in camp to-day.’ The other regiments were rapidly filling up; two would be completed by the twentieth, ‘and three more in a good state of forwardness by that time.’

So matters stood on the 11th of September. The Governor, every one connected officially with him, the city and town authorities, were actively at work, and lending all their energies to complete these regiments for General Sherman. It was a great surprise, then, that, after the promises made by the authorities at Washington, and the urgent necessity which existed of completing the organization of these regiments, the Secretary of War should, on the tenth of this very month, give authority to Major-General Butler to raise six new regiments in New England, and to arm, uniform, and equip them. The first intelligence Governor Andrew had that such authority had been given, was by a telegram dated Washington, Sept. 11, and jointly signed, ‘A. Lincoln, President,’ and ‘Simon Cameron, Secretary of War,’ stating that ‘General Butler proposes raising in New England six regiments, to be recruited and commanded by himself, and to go on special service: we shall be glad if you, as Governor of Massachusetts, will answer by telegraph that you consent.’ On receipt of this despatch, the Governor immediately answered, ‘Authorize State to raise whatever regiments you wish additional. We will first fulfil engagements with General Sherman, ordered by Secretary of War; then add ’