sick and wounded, result from the interference of State agents and others who are not acting under the direction of this Bureau. Men are taken from the hospitals before time is given to perform necessary operations, or so soon after the operations that death is very frequently the consequence. I have seen enough to satisfy myself of the truth of what I say, and have also the evidence of those who have witnessed the operation of this system in other parts of the country. So well convinced are the agents of the States of Maine and New Jersey of its impropriety that they voluntarily gave up their appointments and returned home. I have, therefore, respectfully to request that to this Bureau may be assigned the entire control of the sick of the Army, whether in camp, hospitals, or transports. I am ready to assume the entire responsibility and to answer for the full performance of the duties involved, provided the means of transportation now in the hands of State agents, State surgeon-generals, and others, be put at my disposal, in order that persons accountable to this department may be placed in charge. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, [Indorsement.] WAR DEPARTMENT, The You have authority, in virtue of your office, to take charge of all the sick and wounded of the Army wherever they may be, and you are responsible for their care, comfort, and medical treatment. Quartermaster-General, on your requisition, will furnish all necessary transportation. By order of the Secretary of War: P. H. WATSON, Assistant Secretary of War. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, D. C., May 17, 1862. His Excellency GOVERNOR OF ILLINOIS, Springfield: You are requested to organize without delay a regiment of infantry for service in Kentucky. You are requested to organize without delay a regiment of infantry for service. It is suggested that it may be formed at once from the two regiments recently mustered out of service. EDWIN M. STANTON. Hon. JOHN B. ALLEY, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.: MY DEAR SIR: For your many kindnesses and attention to requests outside of your duties as a member of Congress, both Governor Andrew and myself return you many thanks. We hope to repay these favors hereafter in a more substantial way. The inclosed letter I wish you to hand to the Secretary of War and try and have him accept the battalion. Truly, yours, [Inclosure.] WM. SCHOULER, Adjutant-General. Hon. EDWIN M. STANTON, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.: SIR: I am directed by His Excellency Governor Andrew to inform you that the 600 men constituting the First Battalion Infantry Massachusetts Volunteers, at Fort Warren, are anxious to take a more active part in this rebellion. Massachusetts has no better troops than these. Information has been received from General Foster, at New Berne, that he would be most happy to have these men join his brigade. General Burnside is understood to be also in favor of receiving this command in his division. Of course, the men wish to go as a body and under command of the officers they now have, unless you would order it to be organized as a regiment. This battalion is in a fine state of discipline and in good condition every way. Should you order them into active service, it will be very easy to recruit another battalion for duty at Fort Warren. Please give the request of the battalion your most favorable consideration, and believe me, Very respectfully, your obedient servant, WM. SCHOULER, Adjutant-General of Massachusetts. BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: A PROCLAMATION. Whereas there appears in the public prints what purports to be a proclamation of Major-General Hunter, in the words and figures following, to wit: GENERAL Orders, No. 11. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH, The three States of Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina, comprising the Military Department of the South, having deliberately declared themselves no longer under the protection of the United States of America, and having taken up arms against the said United States, it becomes a military necessity to declare them under martial law. This was accordingly done on the 25th day of April, 1862. Slavery and martial law in a free country are altogether incompatible. The persons in these three States-Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina-heretofore held as slaves are therefore declared forever free. DAVID HUNTER, Major-General, Commanding. EDWARD W. SMITH, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General. And whereas the same is producing some excitement and misunderstanding: Therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, proclaim and declare that the Government of the United States had no knowledge, information, or belief of an intention on the part of General Hunter to issue such a proclamation; nor has it yet any authentic information that the document is genuine. And further, that neither General Hunter nor any other commander or person has been authorized by the Government of the United States to make proclamations declaring the slaves of any State free; and that the supposed proclamation now in question, whether genuine or false, is altogether void, so far as respects such declaration. I further make known that whether it be competent for me, as Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, to declare the slaves of any State or States free, and whether, at any time, in any case, it shall have become a necessity indispensable to the maintenance of the Government to exercise such supposed power, are questions which under my responsibility I reserve to myself, and which I cannot feel justified in leaving to the decision of commanders in the field. These are totally different questions from those of police regulations in armies and camps. On the sixth day of March last, by a special message, I recommended to Congress the adoption of a joint resolution to be substantially as follows: Resolved, That the United States ought to co-operate with any State which may adopt a gradual abolishment of slavery, giving to such State pecuniary aid, to be used by such State in its discretion, to compensate for the inconveniences, public and private, produced by such change of system. The resolution, in the language above quoted, was adopted by large majorities in both branches of Congress, and now stands an authentic, definite, and solemn proposal of the nation to the States and people most immediately interested in the subject-matter. To the people of those States I now earnestly appeal. I do not argue; I beseech you to make the arguments for yourselves. You cannot, if you would, be blind to the signs of the times. I beg of you a calm and enlarged consideration of them, ranging, if it may be, far above personal and partisan politics. This proposal makes common cause for a common object, casting no reproaches upon any. It acts not the Pharisee. The change it contemplates would come gently as the dews of heaven, not rending or wrecking anything. Will you not embrace it? So much good has not been done by one effort in all past time as in the providence of God it is now your high privilege to do. May the vast future not have to lament that you have neglected it. 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 nineteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and sixty-two, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty-sixth. ABRAHAM LINCOLN. By the President: WILLIAM H. SEWARD, [MAY 19, 1862.-For appointment of Edward Stanly as Military Governor of North Carolina, see Series I, Vol. IX, p. 396.] WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, D. C., May 19, 1862. His Excellency A. G. CURTIN, Governor of Pennsylvania: The Secretary of War desires to know how soon you can raise and organize six or more infantry regiments and have them ready to be forwarded here to be armed and equipped. Please answer immediately and state the number you can raise. L. THOMAS, (The same to Governors Morgan, of New York, and Tod, of Ohio; and, mutatis mutandis, to Governors Morton, of Indiana, and Yates, of Illinois, about "five or more infantry regiments;" to Governors Andrew, of Massachusetts, and Washburn, of Maine, "three or more infantry regiments;" to Governors Salomon, of Wisconsin; Blair, of Michigan; Kirkwood, of Iowa; Peirpoint, of Virginia; Olden, of New Jersey, and Buckingham, of Connecticut, "two or more infantry regiments;" to Governors Holbrook, of Vermont; Berry, of New Hampshire; Sprague, of Rhode Island; Ramsey, of Minnesota, and Burton, of Delaware, "one or more infantry regiments.") Adjt. Gen. L. THOMAS: NORWICH, May 19, 1862. If required, will organize one or two regiments as soon as possible, but fear it will take two or three months. Adjutant-General THOMAS: WM. A. BUCKINGHAM, SPRINGFIELD, ILL., May 19, 1862. Governor Yates is in Tennessee. It is doubtful whether a regiment can be raised here in thirty days. There are two regiments at Chicago, guarding prisoners, and one in Wisconsin. They are armed and ready for the field. I recommend that prisoners be sent to some island in Lake Erie near Sandusky, Ohio. If done, you can have three regiments, for one regiment of cavalry now guarding prisoners at this place could then guard all the prisoners in this State and Wisconsin. General THOMAS: message to him. ALLEN C. FULLER, INDIANAPOLIS, May 19, 1862. Governor Morton is at Pittsburg Landing. I will telegraph your We can raise them as soon as any other State. W. R. HOLLOWAY, Governor's Private Secretary. COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS, EXECUTIVE DEPT., Hon. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.: SIR: I have this moment received a telegram in these words, viz: The Secretary of War desires to know how soon you can raise and organize three or four more infantry regiments and have them ready to be forwarded here to be armed and equipped. Please answer immediately and state the number you can raise. L. THOMAS, A call so sudden and unforewarned finds me without materials for an intelligent reply. Our young men are all preoccupied by other views. Still, if a real call for three regiments is made I believe we can raise them in forty days. The arms and equipments would need to be furnished here. Our people have never marched without them. They go into camp while forming into regiments and are drilled and practiced with arms and march as soldiers. To attempt the other course would dampen enthusiasm and make the men feel that they were not soldiers, but a mob. Again, if our people feel that they are going into the South to help fight rebels, who will kill and destroy them by all the means known to savages as well as civilized man, will deceive them by fraudulent flags of truce and lying pretenses (as they did the Massachusetts boys at Williamsburg), will use their negro slaves against them, both as laborers and as fighting men, while they themselves must never "fire at the magazine," I think they will feel that the draft is heavy on their patriotism. But if the President will sustain General Hunter, recognize all men, even black men, as legally capable of that loyalty the blacks are waiting to manifest, and let them fight, with God and human nature on their side, the roads will swarm, if need be, with multitudes whom New England would pour out to obey your call. Always ready to do my utmost, I remain, most faithfully, Your obedient servant, JOHN A. ANDREW. DETROIT, May 19, 1862. Adjt. Gen. L. THOMAS: Governor Blair and adjutant-general are with Michigan regiments at Pittsburg Landing. Your dispatch has been forwarded. They were to be absent all this week. Adjt. Gen. L. THOMAS: F. MORLEY, Assistant Adjutant-General. TRENTON, May 19, 1862. I think we can organize three regiments of infantry and send them to Washington in ninety days. Shall we do it? CHAS. S. OLDEN. ALBANY, N. Y., May 19, 1862. Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War: Your dispatch of this date is received. I think six or more new regiments of infantry can be enrolled in sixty days. I do not doubt |