Your letter of the 24th inst was received the same evening one I had
written to Mary was mailed. I would have answered earlier but for the
fact I had just written.
I am not a volunteer, and indeed could not be, now that I did not go
into the first Company raised in Galena. The call of the President was
so promptly responded to that only those companies that organized at
once, and telegraphed their application to come in, were received. All
other applications were filed, and there are enough of them to furnish
Illinois quota if the Army should be raised to 300,000 men. I am
serving on the Governor's staff at present at his request, but suppose
I shall not be here long.
I should have offered myself for the Colonelcy of one of the
Regiments, but I find all those places are wanted by politicians who
are up to log-rolling, and I do not care to be under such persons.
The war feeling is not abating here much, although hostilities appear
more remote than they did a few days ago. Three of the six Regiments
mustered in from this state are now at Cairo, and probably will be
reinforced with two others within a few days.
Galena has several more companies organized but only one of them will
be able to come in under a new call for ten regiments. Chicago has
raised companies enough nearly to fill all the first call. The
Northern feeling is so fully aroused that they will stop at no expense
of money and men to insure the success of their cause.
I presume the feeling is just as strong on the other side, but they
are infinitely in the minority in resources.
I have not heard from Galena since coming down here, but presume all
is moving along smoothly. My advice was not to urge collections from
such men as we knew to be good, and to make no efforts to sell in the
present distracted state of our currency. The money will not buy
Eastern exchange and is liable to become worse; I think that thirty
days from this we shall have specie, and the bills of good foreign
banks to do business on, and then will be the time to collect.