[
353]
Of
Joseph W. Wheelwright,—who had raised a number of men, and who had reason to expect a command, but, for military reasons, the men whom he had recruited had been placed in other regiments to complete their organizations, thus leaving him without a command or a commission, —the
Governor wrote to the
Adjutant-General, Aug. 8,—
Mr. Wheelwright is very deserving.
There are circumstances connected with his domestic life which entitle his case to especial consideration.
I rely on you, by hook or by crook, in working over the Thirty-fifth, to find a place for a lieutenancy for him; and I am desirous that this shall be effected, if, by any possibility, it can be done.
The request is another evidence of the kind and considerate regard which the
Governor always evinced for deserving and patriotic men.
Mr. Wheelwright, was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Thirty-second Regiment, and died in the service, Jan. 18, 1863.
Meanwhile, the recruiting was going on, and with success greater than was at first believed could be attained.
The great desire of the
Governor was to fill up our regiments in the field, rather than to recruit new ones.
The generals in the army had written to him, urging the importance of this duty; among whom was
Major-General McClellan, whose letter, dated July 15, was answered by the
Governor on the 21st, in which he said he should ‘zealously and studiously seek to promote the measures and methods touching the new enlistments which you have advised.’
They fully accorded with his own views, had been expressed in his general orders in regard to recruiting.
It is much more difficult to induce men to go into old corps than to join new ones.
For this there are general reasons, some specious, but all of them superficial. . . . You may depend upon it, I shall turn a deaf ear to every resigning officer, unless I have the amplest proofs of his ability, gallantry, and innocence of any offending cause for resignation.
I deeply regret that so many officers of the volunteer army have disappointed the expectations formed of them.
The Governor adds, that he had appointed
Colonel Ritchie, of his personal staff, to visit all the
Massachusetts regiments
