request was not favorably considered by the War Department, as evidenced by the following from the Provost-Marshal-General: WASHINGTON, D. C., January 27, 1865. ADJUTANT-GENERAL OF MISSOURI, St. Louis, Mo.: It is not deemed expedient to authorize the six months' men to reenlist for six months longer, as requested in your letter of January 17. [Ibid., p. 1086.] JAMES B. FRY, Provost-Marshal-General. It will be seen from the foregoing that, including Phelps's regiment, organized in 1861, eleven regiments of six or twelve months' volunteers were organized in the State of Missouri during the civil war. Their status was that of volunteers in the military service of the United States. ONE, TWO, OR THREE YEARS' VOLUNTEERS. On December 19, 1864, the President issued a proclamation calling for 300,000 volunteers to serve for one, two, or three years, the quota of the State of Missouri being 13,984. (Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series III, Vol. IV, p. 1002.) To meet this requisition several propositions were made by the State authorities. The adjutant-general of the State, in a personal interview with the Secretary of War, offered, verbally, a plan for the reorganization of the old cavalry regiments of Missouri Volunteers by their recruitment from the Missouri State Militia. Returning from Washington to St. Louis he made his proposition in the form of a letter, dated December 24, 1864, of which the following is a copy: Hon. E. M. STANTON, HEADQUARTERS STATE OF MISSOURI, Secretary of War, Washington, D. C. SIR: When I saw you in Washington last week, and offered verbally a plan for the reorganization of the old cavalry regiments of Missouri Volunteers by a system of recruiting out of the Missouri State Militia force, you expressed your unwillingness to issue any order in the premises until the present department commander, Gen. G. M. Dodge, could be consulted and his views ascertained. In accordance with your decision, therefore, I will offer in writing the plan I was instructed by his excellency the governor to propose, and invite your attention to such indorsement as General Dodge may make upon this communication: First. The term of service of the peculiar force known as the Missouri State Militia commences to expire during the present month, and (with exception of a small proportion of recruits who have been enlisted at various times since its organization) it will all be mustered out of service during the next six months. Its aggregate strength, as shown by the last returns received, is in the neighborhood of 8,000 men. One regiment of veterans, the Thirteenth Missouri Cavalry Volunteers, has already been raised out of it; another has been commenced-the Fourteenth Cavalry-and will, I have reasons to believe, be speedily completed, 250 men being already at the rendezvous as a nucleus. Say 1,000 men will be required to fill up the latter regiment; we have then an aggregate of about 7,000 left in the force, which can be made available toward filling up our old cavalry regiments of volunteers. Second. The regiments of Missouri cavalry volunteers whose term of service as regiments has expired, or is about to expire, are stationed and composed as follows: First Regiment Missouri Cavalry Volunteers, Little Rock, Ark, say 600 men. Third Regiment Missouri Cavalry Volunteers, Little Rock, Ark., say 500 men. Fourth Regiment Missouri Cavalry Volunteers, Memphis, Tenn, say 450 men. Sixth Regiment Missouri Cavalry Volunteers, Baton Rouge, La., say 500 men. Seventh Regiment Missouri Cavalry Volunteers, Little Rock, Ark., say 550 men. It is proposed that these regiments be ordered into the State of Missouri for purposes of reorganization and recruitment out of the Missouri State Militia force, and that an equal number of volunteers, now in the State, be sent to replace them. These regiments are mostly dismounted at the present time, while those which can be sent to replace them have a good mount. By a judicious selection of officers out of the Missouri State Militia, who shall be given positions in these regiments (as there are plenty of vacancies both of field and company), in accordance with the number of men they recruit. By the granting of a furlough of twenty days, say, for each man who reenlists for two years, and of thirty days for three years' enlistments, as an additional inducement to the ordinary bounties, it is believed that the five regiments above named can be filled with veteran soldiers in time for the spring campaign. I am fully impressed that the result can not be accomplished by sending recruiting parties to the State from these regiments. The regiments themselves must be sent here and stationed among the Missouri State Militia regiments. It is natural that the men should wish, in many instances, to enlist under their old officers, and it will be difficult to procure their enlistment upon mere promises that they shall be appointed. Again, the most favorable results would be accomplished by permitting the two forces to serve together for a while; acquaintances would be formed by actual association, which would go far toward encouraging the desired reenlistments. When the Missouri State Militia force goes out of service, the commander of the Department of the Missouri must undoubtedly call for other troops to fill their places, perhaps at the very time when they can not be spared from other sections; but if this plan is consummated he will have a veteran force worth twice its number in raw troops. It is of the utmost importance that there should be no delay experienced, provided you are willing to adopt the plan, inasmuch as the nearer the approach of the expiration of each man's term of service the more difficult will it be to procure his enlistment. I am instructed to ask also that recruiting parties may be sent from the First and Second Missouri Artillery among the Missouri State Militia at the same time, inasmuch as several of the batteries of the former and one of the latter are greatly depleted, and in some instances have not enough men to work a section properly. I earnestly hope that an order may issue in accordance with this proposition immediately. It is proper for me to add that I have written to General Fry upon this same subject at length in order to have his views expressed regarding it as a recruiting measure. I have the honor to remain, Very respectfully, your obedient servant, JOHN B. GRAY, Adjutant-General. [Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series III, Vol. IV, p. 1011.] This proposition was declined by the War Department in a letter, dated January 16, 1865, as follows: WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S Office, ADJUTANT-GENERAL OF MISSOURI, Saint Louis, Mo.: I am directed to inform you that the plan submitted in your letter of the 24th ultimo for reorganizing the old cavalry regiments of Missouri by recruitment from the Missouri State Militia is not approved by the War Department. [Ibid., p. 1057.] THOMAS M. VINCENT, Assistant Adjutant-General. On January 11, 1865, a proposition was made by the governor of the State that he be authorized to raise six regiments of volunteer cavalry for service in the State of Missouri. This proposition was embodied in a letter to Major-General Dodge, commanding the Department of the Missouri, of which the following is a copy: Maj. Gen. G. M. DODGE. EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, GENERAL: Another draft is coming; our State will be depopulated unless something is done to prevent it. Since the enrollment thousands of men are gone into rebel army, and as many more left the State. The loyal men, who have braved everything to stay in Missouri, will all be drafted, and all peaceful avocation be completely abandoned. Can not something be done to save us? I propose to raise six regiments of cavalry, United States Volunteers, for service in the State during time troops may be necessary here. The ten regiments, Missouri State Militia, are going out of service; will all be out by April next. If the Department will permit us at once to organize the six regiments, we can get volunteers to fill them, provided we have permission to recruit out of any Missouri regiment whose term of service expires within, say, nine months. Let the term of service of the new regiments be two or three years. I am confident of being able to raise the regiments if usual bounties are allowed. If you concur in this proposition, will you indorse and forward it to Secretary of War? Very respectfully, your obedient servant, THOS. C. FLETCHER. Will send you copy of military bill in a day or two; have adopted your suggestions. [M. 209, V. S., 1865.] This letter was indorsed by General Dodge as follows: HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI, St. Louis, January 14, 1865. Respectfully forwarded to the War Department. I am satisfied that the successful way to obtain the quota of this State is to allow Governor Fletcher to raise new regiments. We can hold the Missouri State Militia, or a great portion of it, if this is done. We will have to obtain troops to replace the Missouri State Militia; their time expires about the time we may expect trouble in the State. I am doing all I can to have them reenlist, but it is an uphill business, as they are placed on a different footing as to bounties from other troops. I urgently request that the War Department take some action in this matter. G. M. DODGE, Major-General, Commanding. The authority requested by the governor was denied in a telegram from the War Department, dated January 24, 1865, in which, however, the governor was advised that if he desired to raise new regiments of volunteer infantry for general service, without conditions as to enlistments from the Missouri State Militia, the necessary authority would be given. Following is a copy of the War Department telegram: WAR DEPARTMENT, Provost-Marshal-General's Office, January 24, 1865. GOVERNOR OF MISSOURI, Jefferson City, Mo.: Your letter of 11th instant to General Dodge proposing to raise six regiments of volunteer cavalry has been forwarded to this Department. Authority for additional cavalry can not be granted, as new regiments of that arm are not needed, but if you desire to raise new regiments of volunteer infantry for general service, and without conditions as to recruitment from the Missouri State Militia, please inform me, and authority, say for six new regiments, will be promptly sent you. JAMES B. FRY, Provost-Marshal-General. [Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series III, Vol. IV, p. 1075.] Following the proposition of January 11, the adjutant-general of the State, under date of January 17, 1865, requested authority to reenlist the six months' men whose terms of service were expiring for an additional term of six months, dating from their original enlistments, thus securing to the State credits for twelve months' service. This proposition, which, with the reply of the War Department, is quoted in full in the preceding chapter, was also declined. On the 29th of January, 1865, a new proposal was made. This was that regiments be organized for twelve months' service in the State of Missouri, the proportions of infantry and cavalry to be determined by the commanding general of the Department of the Missouri. This new proposition was embodied in a letter (or possibly a telegram) to the Secretary of War, of which the following is a copy: Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War, United States. EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, Jefferson City, Mo., January 29, 1865. SIR: I have the honor to submit that the condition of Missouri justifies me in making and the United States in accepting the following proposition: That I will call out and organize for twelve months' service in the State of Missouri the number of men embraced in the quota of the State, under the recent call of the President, in such proportions of infantry and cavalry as the commanding general of this department may direct, they to be accepted in satisfaction of the quota of the State. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, THOS. C. FLETCHER, [Ibid., Series I, Vol. XLVIII, Part I, p. 678.] On the same date another communication embodying the same proposition in another form was addressed to the Secretary of War, as follows: Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War. EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, Jefferson City, Mo., January 29, 1865. SIR: I propose to raise a force equal in number to the quota of the State under call of December 19, 1864 (13,984 men), for, say, one year for service in the State, while troops are necessary in this department, in such proportion of infantry and cavalry as the major-general commanding may direct, such force to be credited to our quota under said call. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, [Ibid., Series III, Vol. IV, p. 1090.] THOMAS C. FLETCHER, The letter last quoted was inclosed in one to the commanding general, Department of the Missouri, of which the following is a copy: EXECUTIVE MANSION, Maj. Gen. G. M. DODGE, Commanding Department of the Missouri, Jefferson City, Mo., January 30, 1865. GENERAL: I have the honor herewith to inclose a proposition to Secretary of War for organizing a force of say 14,000 men, for service in Missouri for twelve months, in such proportion of infantry and cavalry as you may direct, to be credited the State on quota under call of December 19, 1864. You are aware of our condition, and appreciate the hardships of a draft for 13,984 men out of a population worn down with militia duty as ours. The injustice of requiring us to furnish men to the United States service while we are compelled to keep so large a number of our people constantly in service as militia, is so apparent that it needs only to be understood to be acknowledged. Your department has been wellnigh stripped of effective force, the new regiments raised for service in the State are all gone, the Missouri State Militia is rapidly being mustered out; it is necessary now to keep in active service a large number of men organized under General Orders, No. 107, as well as other Enrolled Missouri Militia, for none of which do we get any credits. We will be compelled to keep, say, 14,000 militia in active service, and if we furnish 14,000 on our quota under recent call, the effect is to make us furnish double the number we should be required to furnish, and the people of the State prevented from cultivating their farms. I know you fully understand the condition of the State and the justice of what I have asked of the War Department. Will you please indorse and forward accompanying letter? I have forwarded copy to delega tion in Congress. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, THOMAS C. FLETCHER, [Annual Report Adjutant-General of Missouri, 1865, p. 5.] No reply to this last proposition has been discovered, but it is stated by the adjutant-general of the State (Annual Report, 1865, p. 6) that "the Secretary of War declined to approve the plan on the ground that the service contemplated was conditional, and an exception would therefore be made in favor of Missouri." However, without waiting for this reply, the governor, on the 30th of January, accepted the proposal of the War Department that he should raise new regiments |