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To the Honorable, The Secretary of War, of the United States.
Sir: The undersigned, citizens of the State of Illinois, beg leave to recommend to your consideration the name of Napoleon Koscialowski, for the appointment of Major, should there be a disposable
post of that rank, in one of the Regiments to be raised for the protection of the U. S. frontier. We make this recommendation more earnestly, because we believe that your Department cannot possibly make a better appointment. Mr. Koscialowski is a native of Poland, and has been bred and has served as a soldier. He entered a military school at Warsaw at the age of sixteen, and having graduated then served three years in the Body-Guard of the Emperor of Russia. He quitted that corps and joined his national banner in the year 1830, when the Poles made their bold but unfortunate attempt to regain their national independence. After several years' imprisonment, consequent upon the failure of the revolt, he with some others succeeded in making his escape to this country, and became a citizen of the U. S. in 1834. In 1846, when War was declared against Mexico, he volunteered and having raised a company in St Louis, was elected captain and served as such until discharged. He then volunteered again for the Term of During the War, and commanded a company on the Western frontier until Peace was concluded and he was discharged. In the course of this service, he has necessarily acquired much experience in the kind of warfare to which the frontier Regiments are destined---and we think, and so respectfully represent, that this experience added to his education in a regular Military Academy, peculiarly fits him for the station to which we recommend him. As an accomplished civil engineer, also, we are the more confident that his services will be valuable to his adopted country. Mr. Koscialowski is a resident of Jacksonville, Illinois.2Jump to section
Saml D. Lockwood David L Gregg M. McConnel
Wm Brown Aug C. French W. B. Warren
J. L. McConnel Tho H Campbell A. Lincoln
Jas. Berdan Jas L D Morrison Wm. Pickering
Wm. H. Snyder John Moore N M Knapp
Wm. Thomas William McMurtry Wm H. Bissell
A Dunlap E R Roe B. F. Bristow
Richd Yates
[1] DS, IHi.
[2] Among Lincoln's co-signers the following have not been previously identified: John L. McConnel of Jacksonville, best known for his ``Western Characters or Types of Border Life'' (1850-1853); William H. Snyder of Belleville, elected to the legislature in 1850; Adam, or Alva, Dunlap, both of Rushville; David L. Gregg of Cook County, elected secretary of state on the Democratic ticket in 1850; Thomas H. Campbell of Randolph County, state auditor; John Moore of McLean County, state treasurer; Edward R. Roe, Jacksonville physician and editor of the Morgan Journal; Murray McConnel, Morgan County Democrat formerly a member of the legislature, and father of John L. McConnel; William Pickering, Edwards County Whig in the legislature; Nathan M. Knapp, Scott County Whig elected to the legislature in 1850; Benjamin F. Bristow, Morgan County Whig elected to the legislature in 1850.