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

[56] a volunteer regiment, which was subsequently raised, and known as the Second Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. The subscription paper was headed by David Sears, James Lawrence, Thomas Lee, Samuel Hooper, George O. Hovey, and Mrs. William Pratt, each of whom subscribed one thousand dollars.

The call for troops, and their organization and equipment, rendered a division of military duties, and the enlargement of the staff of the Governor, a necessity. By law, the Adjutant-General, in time of peace, was Inspector-General and acting Quartermaster-General of the Commonwealth. In time of war, the triple duties of these offices could not be performed by one person; and therefore Colonel John H. Reed, who had experience in military affairs, and had served as senior aide-de-camp on the staff of Governor Banks, was commissioned, on the nineteenth, Quartermaster-General of Massachusetts, with the rank of brigadier-general. General Reed entered upon his duties immediately, and relieved the Adjutant-General of all quartermaster's duties and responsibilities. Many of the duties had previously been performed, during the week, by the aides-de-camp of the Governor, and by private gentlemen, who had volunteered their services.

From the hour the telegram was received by the Governor, the pressure of business upon the executive and military departments of the State became more and more urgent. Colonels Sargent, Ritchie, Lee, and Wetherell, of the Governor's personal staff, were on duty, answering inquiries, writing letters, and attending to the multiplicity of details which the duties of the executive rendered necessary. The Executive Council was also in session; and, on the 20th of April, it ‘was ordered that the Treasurer be authorized to borrow two hundred thousand dollars, to be held as an emergency fund for military purposes;’ also, ‘that an agent be sent to Europe with authority to purchase, on account of the Commonwealth, twenty-five thousand rifles and army pistols, to be imported as soon as may be, for the use of the militia in defence of the State and of the nation, and that the Governor issue a letter of credit to such agent for the purpose of fulfilling this order.’ The Governor