Page 409
To Simon Cameron1Jump to section
My dear Sir June 17. 1861
After examining the list presented for Officers of the Addition to the Regular Army, I deem it a little unfortunate, that they are drawn from the different States in such unequal proportions, a single State furnishing nearly one fourth of the whole; still I think we have not time now to break up and reconstruct the card. The few modifications I desire to make are as follows:
1st. Let Col. Robert Anderson be appointed a Brigadier General; and Col. William H. Emory take his place on the card, as Colonel of the 15th Regiment of Infantry.2Jump to section
2nd. I wish Oliver L. Shepherd, now Captain in the 3rd Infantry, and Major by brevet, to be a Lieutenant Colonel, you to find the place for him.3Jump to section
3rd. I wish Abner Doubleday, now Captain in the 1st Artillery, to be a Major in the similar corps if possible, you to find a place for him.4Jump to section
4th. I wish Adam J. Slemmer now a first Lieutenant in same Regiment last mentioned, to be a Major in a similar corps, if possible, you to find a place for him.5Jump to section
5th. If he desires it, I would also like for Capt. Theodore Talbot, who escorted my messenger to Gov. Pickens last April, to be a Major.6Jump to section
6th. Because of his relationship to the late Senator Douglas, I wish James Madison Cutts, Jr. to be a Captain in some part of this new corps.7Jump to section
7th. At the very urgent solicitation of Hon Mr. Van Wyck, I wish Horatio B. Reed to be a Second Lieutenant in this new corps.8Jump to section
8th. I also wish Francis E. Brownell, who stood by Col. Ellsworth at his death, to be a Second Lieutenant in this corps.9Jump to section Yours truly
A. LINCOLN
Annotation
[1] Angle, p. 277; ALS-F, ISLA (first page only). The list of Regular Army promotions went to the Senate July 31, 1861, the date of appointment being designated as May 14, 1861.
[2] Lieutenant Colonel William H. Emory was appointed lieutenant colonel of the Third Cavalry, Brevet Major Fitz-John Porter, receiving the colonelcy of the Fifteenth Infantry.
[3] Oliver L. Shepherd was appointed lieutenant colonel of the Eighteenth Infantry.
[4] Abner Doubleday was appointed major of the Seventeenth Infantry.
[5] Adam J. Slemmer was appointed major, May 14.
[6] Theodore Talbot was promoted to major, August 3, 1861.
[7] James M. Cutts, Jr., brother-in-law of Stephen A. Douglas, was appointed captain in the Eleventh Infantry.