To George B. McClellan1Jump to section
My dear Sir: Capt. Francis G. Young, of the California regiment (Col. Baker's) is in some difficulty---I do not precisely understand what. I believe you know I was unfavorably impressed towards him because of apparently contradictory accounts he gave me of some matters at the battle of Ball's Bluff. At length he has brought me the paper which accompanies this, showing, I think, that he is entitled to respectful consideration. As you see, it is signed by several senators and representatives, as well as other well known and respectable gentlemen. I attach considerable consequence to the name of Lt. Col. Shaler, late Major Shaler of the New-York 7th.2Jump to section These things and his late connection with Col. Baker, induce me to ask you if, consistently with the public service, the past whatever it is, can not be waived, and he be placed in service, and given another chance? Yours truly A. LINCOLN.
Annotation
[1] ALS copy, DLC-RTL. Captain Francis G. Young of the Seventy-first Pennsylvania (Colonel Edward D. Baker's ``California Regiment'') wrote Lincoln on December 7 that he could not deliver the letter which Lincoln had given him to General McClellan because ``. . . you have misunderstood my case &. . . unintentionally done me injustice. . . I did not then know that you thought me untruthful. . . . If you could know. . . all the facts of the Battle of Balls Bluff you would have no trouble in recalling all my statements to you. . . . I wish to remain in the service to the end of the war. . . .'' (Ibid.). Young was found guilty by court-martial of leaving camp without permission and dismissed from service on McClellan's order, January 2, 1862. See further Lincoln to Holt, April 11, 1864, infra.
[2] ``7th'' has been written with pencil in the blank space which Lincoln left. Lieutenant Colonel Shaler was Major Alexander Shaler of the Seventh New York, who became lieutenant colonel of the Sixty-fifth New York, dating from June 11, 1861.