The four regiments were finally accepted and an arrangement made by which the seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, and eleventh, three months' men, might enlist for three years, four-fifths of each regiment concurring, an offer which those regiments, weakened by disease, bad clothing and the vicissitudes of climate, declined, and of 4,680 men only about 2,000 re-enlisted at the expiration of their term the July following.

The policy so long persistently pursued by the War Department began to produce its results. Adjutant-General Fuller thus states them in his report to the Governor:

"The refusal on the part of the Secretary of War to authorize you to accept more troops caused several thousand of our best and impatient volunteers to leave this State in May, June and July, and enlist elsewhere. Denied the privilege of serving their country in regiments from their own State they sought other fields of usefulness. Many whole companies entered Missouri regiments, and are now in the service. From correspondence with many of these so-called Missouri regiments, and from estimates made by those whose opinion is entitled to credit, I have no doubt more than ten thousand Illinoisans left their own State and enlisted in regiments of other States.

"In several cases application has been made to you to have regiments, a large majority of which consisted of Illinoisans, recognized as Illinois regiments. To provide for these cases the War Department, on the 21st of February last, decided that 'whenever a regiment is composed of companies from different states, it will be considered as belonging to the state from which the greatest number of companies was furnished for that regiment.' Under this order the 59th regiment, formerly 9th Missouri, and the 66th, formerly known as 'Birge's Sharp Shooters,' have been reclaimed, and other similar applications are now pending."

As we read the paragraph given below from the same document, we seem to be perusing the records of days long gone by, the annals of another era, so rapidly, and on a scale of such magnitude, has history been made:

"The 18th regiment was mustered at Dixon, July 24th, under Col. Wyman; the 14th, at Jacksonville, on the 25th, under Col. Palmer; the 15th, at Freeport, May 24th, under Col. Turner; the 16th, at Quincy, May 24th, under Col. Smith; the 17th, at Peoria, May 24th, under Col. Ross; the 18th, at Anna, May 28th, under Col. Lawler; the 19th, at Chicago, June 17th, under Col. Turchin; the 20th, at Joliet, June 13th, under Col. Marsh; the 21st, at Mattoon, June 15th, under Col. Grant; and the 22d, at Belleville, June 25th, under Col. Dougherty."

Wyman "sleeps the last sleep" in his soldier-grave; Palmer has bravely won and nobly wears his double stars; Ross received his

FORAGING FORBIDDEN.

109

well merited promotion; Turchin, now out of the service, believing from the outset that his men should be "subsisted" in the enemy's country, in the days when tender-footed surperiors were afraid of "exasperating their Southern brethren," and orders had been issued to stop foraging, came, one day, upon his men busy in a secessionist's potato field. The General raised himself in his stirrups and shouted: "Boys, what does this mean? Foraging is forbidden. If you don't quit, I will put a guard on this potato patch in just two hours from this time." Of course, prior to the set time, the boys had "quit," and foraging had "stopped." Seated, on another occasion, in his tent, a secession Tennesseean approached him and said, "Colonel, some of your men has stole my horse." "Are you a citizen of the United States ?" "Wall, no, Colonel, not adzackly. You see—” "Go away with you, and see your Consul then, and get him to attend to your business. I am not out collecting for aliens."

And there, too, was "Col. Grant," a quiet man, who did little talking, but accomplished a great deal of work-he has been heard of elsewhere.

The report of correspondence between the Head-Quarters at Springfield and the War Department, indicates a gradual change in the policy of the latter. We copy from the report of the Governor to the Constitutional Convention on the 6th of February, 1862:

"The number of troops far exceeded the quota which the Government was willing to accept, and, as the character of the rebellion became more formidable, this pressure became so great as to induce me, on the 23d of July, 1861, to send the Secretary of War the following communication:

"Hon. Simon Cameron, Secretary of War:

"'SIR: Being advised that you are receiving tenders of additional troops, I desire to tender you, for Illinois, thirteen additional regiments of infantry, three additional regiments of cavalry, and one additional battalion of light artillery. Illinois demands her right to do her full share in the work of preserving our glorious Union from the assaults of high-handed rebellion, and I insist that you respond favorably to the call which I have made. Respectfully yours,

"RICHARD Yates'

"On the 28th of July, 1861, I received the following reply by telegraph: "Governor Yates:

"Will accept the thirteen additional infantry regiments, three additional cavalry

regiments, and an additional light artillery battalion. If you so desire you can pro

vide for and equip those regiments, if you can do so, at once.

Will write to-day. "SIMON CAMERON, "Secretary of War.'"

[The letter of the Secretary of War is omitted, being merely an expansion of the telegram.]

"About the 12th of August I received the following letter from the War Department in reference to arming and equipping the McClernand Brigade:

"His Excellency, Richard Yates, Governor of Illinois:

"Please afford to Brigadier-General John A. McClernand all the facilities in your power for arming and equipping his brigade at the earliest date possible.

"Very respectfully,

THOS. A. SCOTT, "Acting Secretary of War.'

'The thirteen additional regiments having been filled up, and the people of the State, as one man, humiliated at the disastrous defeat at Bull Run, on the 21st of July, were pressing upon me for acceptance; and on the 7th of August I wrote to the Secretary of War as follows:

“'I would suggest whether it would not be well to receive all the full companies which will report themselves full in the next twenty days.

"The signs are that we shall need them, as it will stop the application to you for independent regiments.'

"On the 13th of the same month the brave Lyon fell, and on the same day I received the following dispatches:

"HEAD-QUARTERS WESTERN DEPARTMENT, ST. LOUIS, Aug. 13, 1861.

"Governor Yates:

"'Severe engagement near Springfield reported. Gen. Lyon killed. Sigel retreating in good order on Rolla. Send forthwith all the disposable force you have, arming as you best can for the moment. Use utmost dispatch.

"His Excellency, Gov. Yates:

"JOHN C. FREMONT, "Maj.-Gen. Commanding.'

"WASHINGTON, Aug. 18, 1861.

"What number of regiments have you now organized, and what number can be organized ready for marching orders this week? Please advise by telegraph.

“SIMON CAMERON, "Secretary of War.'

"On the same day I telegraphed the Secretary of War as follows:

""I have had to confine myself, in raising the thirteen regiments you authorized me to raise, to the acceptance of companies first tendered.

"I have telegraphed your Department repeatedly for authority to accept all the troops offered, but have received no answer to my dispatches. I think you ought to give me authority to accept all the troops willing to enter the service.'

"Governor Yates:

66 6 'WASHINGTON, Aug. 14, 1861.

“'You are authorized to accept all companies of troops willing to enter the ser vice. We shall accept no more independent regiments from Illinois. Many thanks for your promptness and energy.

At last! After Bull Run and Wilson's Creek, after Lyon has been slain, with the national capital in peril, with Fremont's command confronted with a superior force-at last it realized that something more than the suppression of a disturbance is demanded, and the people have authority to rally to the support and for the salvation of the Government. Thank God for that much! It gave new heart to the people.

These paragraphs have anticipated somewhat the course of events, but have seemed necessary to preserve the unity and completion of the topic of the State policy in enlistments.

We have recorded the unwillingness of the War Department to receive cavalry, a repugnance based on the advice of General Scott, yet the Legislature, in special session, authorized the formation of a cavalry regiment, and it was organized by the acceptance of companies under the provisions of the act. Before the passage of the law, the Chicago Dragoons, commanded by Captain Charles W. Barker, and the Washington Light Cavalry, Captain Fredrick Schombeek, had reported at Camp Yates, and were now mustered into the State service. On the tenth of May three companies were accepted from the counties south of the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad, named and commanded as follows: White County Cavalry, Capt. Orlando Burrell; Gallatin County Cavalry, Capt. James Foster; Centralia Cavalry, Capt. R. D. Noleman.

The State authorities, considering five companies sufficient for State service, declined completing the regiment, though the other companies were ready and were designated in the special order of May 16th; viz., Companies of Capt. John McNulta, of Bloomington; Capt. A. C. Harding, Monmouth; Capt. John Burnap, Springfield; Capt. J. B. Smith, Knoxville; Capt. Paul Walters, Hillsboro.

On the 21st of June the proffer of ten companies of cavalry was accepted by the President, for three years' service, unless sooner discharged, and the companies accepted were assigned by the Governor to make up the "First Regiment of Illinois Cavalry." The Chicago Dragoons had been ordered to Cairo, and from thence were transferred, by order of General McClellan, to his command in Western Virginia, but declining to enlist for three years they were mustered out of service. They were subsequently reorganized under command of Capt. Shearer, and with another company were known as the "McClellan Dragoons." They were for a time atsince then they have been

tached to a regiment of Regulars, and assigned to Col. Voss' 12th Cavalry. Seven companies of this regiment were with Mulligan at Lexington, Mo., and shared the captivity of that officer; they were, by order of the Major-General commanding the Department of the West, mustered out of service Oct. 8, 1861, were reinstated Dec. 21st, by order of the President, and reorganized at Benton Barracks, St. Louis, but continued in service but a short time, in consequence of difficulties arising from irregularity of exchange. Capt. Oscar Huntley's company, raised in Winnebago county, by authority of General Fremont, was assigned to the first regiment at its reorganization at Benton Barracks, but not having been captured was not mustered out. In May, June and July, the 8th, 9th and 11th cavalry were authorized by General Fremont, commanded respectively by Col. Farnsworth, Col. Brackett and Col. Ingersoll; under the call of the President, the 2d, Col. Noble, and the 4th, Col. Dickey, were organized; under the dispatch of July 25th, from Secretary Cameron, the 3d, Col. Carr, 7th, Col. Kellogg, and 6th, Col. Cavanaugh, were raised and accepted. August, the 5th, Col. Updegraff, was accepted, and on the 5th of September the 10th, Col. Barrett, on the 28th, the 12th, Col. Voss, on the 27th of November the 13th, Col. Bell. These last were limited to two battalions of four companies each; and in the last named, a battalion raised by Lt.-Col. Hartman under authority from the War Department was to constitute a part.

In addition to the thirteen regiments of cavalry authorized as above stated, several additional battalions and companies were organized. With the approval of General Smith, Capt. Marx recruited a company for Thielman's battalion, and Thielman was