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By appointing, as one of our agents, a gentleman who resides in the vicinity of Sherman's army, who is well known about there, I think that the matter can be arranged satisfactory, and that he will raise no further objection to the system.
I do not apprehend any opposition from the commanders of any other of our armies.
The enlistments made in rebel States by the
Massachusetts agents were 1,257 men, who were credited to the quota of the
Commonwealth.
On the 18th of July, the
Governor wrote to the
President of the
United States,—
I trust your call for volunteers will be for two hundred thousand at a time, repeating the calls until you have half a million called for. Calling by instalments gives needful time; meantime the present campaign does not suffer, since no new draft will help this campaign.
I shall send five regiments of hundred days men, beginning with two this week.
On the 22d of July, he telegraphed to
Major Henry Ware,
assistant military secretary, who was at
Washington,—
Suggest to Mr. Stanton the propriety of an order limiting the State bounty to volunteers in rebel States to some maximum sum,say, three hundred dollars; thus preventing injurious competition.
I select that amount as being national bounty likewise.
Telegraph reply immediately.
The suggestion here made was wise and proper, but was not acted upon by the
Secretary, as he regarded it impracticable to be put in execution.
The competition among the agents of the several loyal States to obtain recruits, by one overbidding the other in the payment of bounties, was a source of much regret, and the cause, in a great measure, of the plan not succeeding as well as its friends expected.
On the 28th of July, the
Governor received a telegram from
Major-General John J. Peck, commanding the Department of the East, headquarters New-York City, stating that there was danger of a hostile descent upon the coast of
Maine from the
British Provinces.
To which the
Governor answered on the same day,—
If, officially or personally, I can render any service toward averting or suppressing any such danger, I beg you to command me. I have
