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Adjutant-General of the
Commonwealth, showing their exact condition, nothing more was necessary to be done.
Colonel Adams says,β
Major-General Foster repeatedly assured me, that he considered them as good as any regulars in the army; and he was never weary of extolling the energy, efficiency, accomplishments, and bravery of Massachusetts officers, and the intelligence, docility, discipline, and courage of Massachusetts privates.
Colonel Adams concludes his report in these words:β
I was much impressed with the untiring energy and interest with which General Foster looked after every thing within his reach; and I was pleased at the high commendation he bestowed upon Colonels Stevenson, Amory, and Upton, in especial.
I was the bearer of a recommendation from him to the Secretary of war, that Colonels Amory and Stevenson should be appointed brigadier-generals.
He desired me to solicit your recommendation for them also.
During the early part of the year 1862, three allotment commissioners were appointed by the
President, as provided by acts of Congress, passed July 22, 1861, and Dec. 24, 1861.
These acts provided,β
First, for the transmission, free of expense, of portions of the soldiers' pay to their families or friends, as had been done under the half-pay system in the navy.
Second, for the appointment, by the
President, for each State which chose to adopt this system, of three commissioners, without pay, who should visit the troops, and invite each soldier to avail himself of this opportunity.
In February, 1862,
President Lincoln, upon the recommendation of
Governor Andrew, appointed, as commissioners for
Massachusetts;
Henry Edwards, of
Boston;
Frank B. Fay, of
Chelsea; and
David Wilder, Jr., of
Newton.
They immediately proceeded to visit all the Massachusetts volunteers,βin the Army of the Potomac, under
General McClellan; in the Shenandoah Valley, under
General Banks; and at
Warrenton, under
General McDowell: and, when the Army of the Potomac moved to
James River, they accompanied it to Fortress
