To Nathaniel P. Banks1Jump to section
Major General Banks Executive Mansion,
My dear Sir: Washington, March 29, 1863.
Hon. Daniel Ullmann, with a commission of Brigadier General, and two or three hundred other gentlemen as officers, goes to your department and reports to you, for the purpose of raising a colored brigade. To now avail ourselves of this element of force, is very important, if not indispensable. I therefore will thank you to help Gen. Ullmann forward with his undertaking, as much, and as rapidly, as you can; and also to carry the general object beyond his particular organization if you find it practicable. The necessity of this is palpable if, as I understand, you are now unable to effect anything with your present force; and which force is soon to be greatly diminished by the expiration of terms of service, as well as by ordinary causes. I shall be very glad if you will take hold of the matter in earnest.
You will receive from the Department a regular order upon this subject. Yours truly A. LINCOLN.
Annotation
[1] ALS, CSmH; ADfS, DLC-RTL. On January 13, Colonel Daniel Ullmann was authorized to raise a brigade of Negro Volunteers in Louisiana (OR, III, III, 14). A later order of March 24 authorized him to raise six companies of Louisiana Volunteer Infantry (ibid., pp. 99-100). On March 25, Stanton issued instructions to Banks and Ullmann covering the assignment (ibid., pp. 101-102). Banks acknowledged receipt of Lincoln's letter on April 17, ``It gives me pleasure to assure you that I shall give him [Ullmann] every assistance . . . in carrying out your instructions. . . .'' (DLC-RTL). On September 3, 1863,