WAR DEPARTMENT, His Excellency JOHN W. ELLIS, Governor of North Carolina, Raleigh: SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a letter addressed to this Department on the 2d instant by Graham Daves, esq., your private secretary, inquiring the cause of the delay in the issue of the arms called for by you on account of North Carolina's quota for the current year. The rifles were ordered to be sent to you on the 4th of February last from the Harper's Ferry Armory, but their issue has probably been retarded by numerous prior engagements, the rule, unless in special cases, being to execute the orders for issues according to priority of receipt at the armory. The superintendent of the armory has been requested to make the issue to your State at the earliest moment possible. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. SIMON CAMERON, SIMON CAMERON, Norwich, Conn., April 13, 1861. EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, Secretary of War, Washington: SIR: The General Assembly of this State will convene in a few days, and I shall call its attention to the importance of reorganizing our militia system so as to render it of more practical value. Any suggestions which you will make relative to the manner in which we can co-operate with the General Government in enforcing the laws and in supporting its dignity and authority I shall be happy to receive. I am, dear sir, yours, with high regard, WM. A. BUCKINGHAM. [APRIL 13, 1861.-For Cameron to Weightman, calling for five companies of militia from the District of Columbia, see Series I, Vol. LI, Part I, p. 324.] ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Hon. SIMON CAMERON, Secretary of War, Washington: SIR: I am directed by His Excellency the Governor to request of you, if consistent with law and the policy of your Department, to allow me to draw 2,000 rifled muskets from the U. S. Arsenal at Springfield in advance of our annual quota becoming due. We have 5,000 infantry now armed and equipped and properly officered. Only about 3,000 of them, however, are armed with the rifled musket; the others have the old smooth-bores, all of which have been changed from flintlocks to the percussion. If you will permit us to draw 2,000 more of the new rifled musket, we will have 5,000 as well armed, drilled, and officered infantry as ever handled a musket. I would also suggest that a couple of regiments of our volunteers be ordered by the President to garrison Forts Warren and Independence in Boston Harbor. They are now without men, and might be taken by lawless men and turned against the Government. I believe that our troops would like to do garrison duty until called upon by the President for active service. The regiments might alternate every four or six weeks, and thus they would learn much that would be of service to them, and hold the forts against attack or surprise. With great respect, I have the honor to be, your obedient servant, Hon. SIMON CAMERON, Secretary of War: WASHINGTON CITY, April 14, 1861. SIR: As the Executive of the State of Minnesota, I hereby tender to the Government of the United States, on the part of that State, 1,000 men, to be ready for service so soon as the necessary information can be communicated to the people there. As the Legislature is not in session, and will not be, unless specially convened, before January of next year, may I ask whether you would feel justified in saying that the reasonable expenses that may be incurred will be furnished by the General Government, in view of the facts above stated? I am pleased to say that in all this I have the advice and support of the Senators from Minnesota, and know that this action will be heartily and promptly responded to. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, ALEX. RAMSEY. BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: A PROCLAMATION. Whereas the laws of the United States have been for some time past and now are opposed and the execution thereof obstructed in the States of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas by combinations too powerful to be suppressed by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings or by the powers vested in the marshals by law: Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, in virtue of the power in me vested by the Constitution and the laws, have thought fit to call forth, and hereby do call forth, the militia of the several States of the Union, to the aggregate number of 75,000, in order to suppress said combinations and to cause the laws to be duly executed. The details of this object will be immediately communicated to the State authorities through the War Department. I appeal to all loyal citizens to favor. facilitate, and aid this effort to maintain the honor, the integrity, and the existence of our National Union, and the perpetuity of popular government, and to redress wrongs already long enough endured. I deem it proper to say that the first service assigned to the forces hereby called forth will probably be to repossess the forts, places, and property which have been seized from the Union, and in every event the utmost care will be observed, consistently with the objects aforesaid, to avoid any devastation, any destruction of or interference with property, or any disturbance of peaceful citizens in any part of the country. And I hereby command the persons composing the combinations aforesaid to disperse and retire peaceably to their respective abodes within twenty days from date. Deeming that the present condition of public affairs presents an extraordinary occasion, I do hereby, in virtue of the power in me vested by the Constitution, convene both houses of Congress. Senators and Representatives are therefore summoned to assemble at their respective chambers at twelve o'clock noon on Thursday, the fourth day of July next, then and there to consider and determine such measures as in their wisdom the public safety and interest may seem to demand. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. Done at the city of Washington this fifteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty-fifth. ABRAHAM LINCOLN. By the President: WILLIAM H. SEWARD, WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, April 15, 1861. SIR: Under the act of Congress "for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the Union, suppress insurrections, repel invasions," &c., approved February 28, 1795, I have the honor to request Your Excellency to cause to be immediately detached from the militia of your State the quota designated in the table below, to serve as infantry or riflemen, for the period of three months, unless sooner discharged. Your Excellency will please communicate to me the time at or about which your quota will be expected at its rendezvous, as it will be met as soon as practicable by an officer or officers to muster it into the service and pay of the United States. At the same time the oath of fidelity to the United States will be administered to every officer and man. The mustering officer will be instructed to receive no man under the rank of commissioned officer who is in years apparently over forty-five or under eighteen, or who is not in physical strength and vigor.* Sent to the Governors of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota; and they were notified by telegraph, same date, of the requisition being made. Maine New Hampshire. Vermont Massachusetts. Rhode Island North Carolina Tennessee Arkansas Kentucky Missouri.. Illinois Indiana Ohio. Michigan Wisconsin Iowa.. Minnesota Total Table of quotas.* [Composition of the regiments and proportion of general staff officers omitted.] a Pennsylvania quota reduced, by telegram of April 16, to fourteen regiments. The rendezvous for your State will be: Maine, Portland; New Hampshire, Portsmouth; Vermont, Burlington; Massachusetts, Boston; Rhode Island, Providence; Connecticut, New Haven; New York, New York, Albany, Elmira; Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Harrisburg; New Jersey, Trenton; Delaware, Wilmington; Maryland, Frederick City, Baltimore; Virginia, Staunton, Wheeling, Gordonsville; North Carolina, Raleigh; Tennessee, Knoxville, Nashville; Arkansas, Little Rock; Kentucky, Lexington; Missouri, Saint Louis; Illinois, Springfield, Chicago; Indiana, Indianapolis; Ohio, Columbus, Cleveland; Michigan, Detroit; Wisconsin, Milwaukee; Iowa, Keokuk; Minnesota, Saint Paul. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, SIMON CAMERON, Secretary of War. SPECIAL ORDERS, WAR DEPT., ADJT. GENERAL'S OFFICE, The officers named below are detailed to muster into the service of the United States for the States and at the stations set opposite their Under this call the men furnished were as follows: Maine, 771; New Hampshire, 779; Vermont, 782; Massachusetts, 3,736; Rhode Island, 3,147; Connecticut, 2,402; New York, 13,906; New Jersey, 3,123; Pennsylvania, 20, 175; Delaware, 775; Virginia (western), 900; Ohio, 12,357; Indiana, 4,686; Illinois, 4,820; Michigan, 781; Wisconsin, *17; Minnesota, 930; Iowa, 968; Missouri, 10,591. In addition to the above the District of Columbia furnished 4,720, and the State of Kansas 650, making a grand total of 91,816. names, respectively, the troops called out by the President's proclamation of this date.* They will acknowledge the receipt of this order, repair to the rendezvous designated, and report their arrival to the Adjutant General of the Army and the Governors of the respective States, and will execute the duties assigned them with as little delay as practicable, reporting the progress and completion of their labors to the Adjutant-General of the Army direct. In addition to these duties the mustering officers will perform such staff duties as may be assigned them by the chiefs of the supply departments of the Army. [APRIL 15, 1861.-For Cameron to Weightman, calling for one com pany of militia from the District of Columbia, see Series I, Vol. LI, Part I, p. 325.] INDIANAPOLIS, IND., April 15, 1861. ABRAHAM LINCOLN, President of the United States: On behalf of the State of Indiana I tender to you for the defense of the nation and to uphold the authority of the Government 10,000 men. O. P. MORTON, Governor. Hon. SIMON CAMERON, Secretary of War: FRANKFORT, KY., April 15, 1861. Your dispatch is received. In answer I say emphatically Kentucky will furnish no troops for the wicked purpose of subduing her sister Southern States. B. MAGOFFIN, Governor of Kentucky. *List (omitted) shows Maj. R. C. Gatlin, Fifth Infantry, detailed to the State of Arkansas, and thirty-nine other officers to the States of Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, and Wisconsin. |