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Sigel, and of Wells to Banks; and I should like to have their wishes gratified.
Both these regiments would have gone a week ago, but for the delay in giving them their bounty and advance pay.
These regiments were assigned as desired.
Colonel Maggi, of the Thirty-third, resigned his commission April 1, 1863.
Colonel George D. Wells, of the Thirty-fourth, a judge of the Police Court of
Boston when the war broke out, who accepted the commission of lieutenant-colonel in the First Massachusetts Regiment of Infantry, three years volunteers, and who had signalized himself for bravery and military ability in the campaign on
Richmond, was killed in action, Oct. 13, 1864, and was brevetted brigadier-general of volunteers by the
President of the
United States for brave and meritorious services.
The same day (Aug. 15), the
Governor writes to
Hon. Carver Hotchkiss,
Shelburne Falls:—
For more than a month I have been engaged in a constant struggle with town officers to get deserving men from the field appointed to lieutenancies and captaincies in the new regiments, in preference to ignorant civilians, who have every thing military yet to learn.
In most instances, I have failed, owing to the necessity I am under of hastening enlistments as much as possible, and to the town authorities declaring, officially and individually, that they cannot raise men unless men at home, and from civil life, are appointed officers; and owing also to the fact that the Administration will allow no man to be appointed from the field, until all the men are raised whom he is to command.
The result is, that I have on my files several hundred of applications from prominent officers of Burnside's army and of the Army of the Potomac and of Virginia, recommending the promotion, into new regiments, of men who have distinguished themselves in the field for uniform good conduct and great bravery.
Your son's name is among the number, and, as with the rest, I should be glad to put him anywhere that a place could be found for him; but, as with the rest, I seek in vain for such a place.
If a new company of three years men is being raised by your town and its neighbors, and you can connect your son with its organization instead of some inexperienced man, who in the natural course of affairs might otherwise be injected there, that would afford me the opportunity.
It is proper to state here that the evil complained of in the
