Immediately after the fall of Sumter, when the Capital seemed in imminent
danger, I reported myself to his Excellency Governor Andrew, tendering him
the services of myself and command, and expressing my willingness to go at
the shortest possible notice. A number of other Colonels appeared for the
same purpose, and after the matter had been thoroughly discussed, the
Governor ordered Colonel Jones, of the Sixth Regiment, to report himself
the next day, which he did with about four hundred men, some three hundred
short of the requisite number for a full Regiment (as the regulations then
provided). I then offered to the Governor one of my companies, under the
command of Captain W. S. Sampson, which was accepted. This, with others
that had previously been ordered, filled up the Regiment to its full
quota, and it left for the seat of Government, April 17, 1861. I called at
the State House daily, urging my claims, but his Excellency informed me
that he must send out the Regiments first that could best be spared, and
in a short time sent the following: Third, Colonel Wardrop; Fourth,
Colonel Packard; Fifth, Colonel Lawrence, and the Eighth, Colonel Monroe.
Finally, on the 27th of April, I received an order from Adjutant-General
Schouler for my Regiment to be in readiness to march, and to report
myself, in person, at the State House, and to select from the companies
offered me those which I desired to fill up my Regiment to its full
quota. I immediately left my business and devoted my whole time to
preparing it for the service. The City of Boston, with the generosity
which has always characterized her, appropriated $200,000 towards fitting
out the Boston troops, and furnished seven of my companies with uniforms,
the Roxbury and Chelsea companies being furnished by their respective
cities. I then made applications at the State House for arms and
equipments for my men, but was put off from day to day until about the 8th
of May, when orders were received from the War Department calling for
75,000 troops who would volunteer for three years or the war. Immediately
on the receipt of this order the ten companies under my command voted
unanimously to offer themselves to the Government, and at eleven o'clock
of the same day my officers did likewise, and requested me to report to
the Governor and tender him the services of myself and command, to be
offered to the United States. In accordance with the wish of my officers I
went to the State House, but the Governor seemed to assume an air of
indifference to my offer. I then requested permission to proceed to
Washington and offer my services to the Government, to which he gave his
consent, and directed Lieutenant-Colonel Sargent, one of his aids, to
write me a leave of absence for five days. I left that afternoon for
Washington, accompanied by my Major and Adjutant, and called upon General
Scott, as General-in-Chief of the Army. He expressed a strong desire that
my Regiment should be ordered, but referred me to the Hon. Mr. Cameron,
Secretary of War. I waited upon him, and he informed me that the
Government had ordered from each State a certain number of troops, but had
left it with the different Governors which Regiments should be sent. I
telegraphed to Governor Andrew the result of my interview with General
Scott and Secretary Cameron, but received no reply. I then took the cars
for home, and on my arrival called at his house, but on learning that he
was at the Howard Athenaeum I immediately went there, and at the close of
the scene reported myself to him in person. I met with a cool reception
from him, who, as I perceived by his countenance, did not like to be
disturbed. I could have informed him that it was the duty of every officer
to report himself to his superior immediately on his return to duty, but I
judged from his treatment of me that he was entirely ignorant of that
fact. I was kept in suspense until the 22d of May, when he appointed me
Colonel of my own Regiment, and, as I have since learned, much against his
will, and on the 25th of the same month we were mustered into the United
States service. I then applied to the Adjutant-General and
Quartermaster-General for arms and equipments for a full Regiment, as I
was very desirous that Massachusetts should furnish the first three-years
Regiment. On the 29th I was notified that the buildings at Fresh Pond,
Cambridge, had been procured for me as barracks. On the first of June we
marched out and took possession of our new quarters. My Regiment was
temporarily furnished with old muskets of various patterns, which were
hardly fit to drill with, some of them being very much out of repair. I
soon found the location was an unhealthy one, and immediately applied for
a change of quarters, which were provided me on the 13th of June, at North
Cambridge.
On or about the 12th of June I received notice from Assistant
Quartermaster-General Stone, to send my companies to the Arsenal, and he
would furnish them with Springfield rifle muskets in the place of the ones
they then had. I did so, and they were provided with second-hand
Springfield muskets, and with cartridge-boxes, belts, and knapsacks, which
were composed of the poorest material. The knapsacks were so poor that I
ordered a board of survey, and they were unanimously condemned and
considered unfit for the service, a report of which I sent to the
Quartermaster-General, but no attention was paid to it. On the 14th of
June I received orders from the War Department to be in readiness to march
the next afternoon. I then called at the State House to procure a set of
Colors, which had been promised me from time to time, and to which I was
entitled, but was put off as before with the assurance that everything
should be ready for me when I started, but they were never furnished me,
and the Regiment left without them. On Saturday, the 15th, my wagons,
horses, and camp equipage were transferred to the cars, and at half-past
four o'clock we broke camp and started for Boston. Just before leaving, a
letter, from one of his Excellency's Council, was handed me, of which the
following is a copy:--
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS,
_Executive Department, Council Chamber,
Boston, June 14, 1861._