Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln. Volume 7 [Nov. 5, 1863-Sept. 12, 1864].

To William T. Sherman1Jump to section

Major General Sherman Executive Mansion,
Chattahoochee River, Ga. Washington, July 18. 1864.

I have seen your despatches objecting to agents of Northern States opening recruiting stations near your camps. An act of congress authorizes this, giving the appointment of agents to the States, and not to this Executive government. It is not for the War Department, or myself, to restrain, or modify the law, in it's execution, further than actual necessity may require. To be candid, I was for the passage of the law, not apprehending at the time that it would

produce such inconvenience to the armies in the field, as you now cause me to fear. Many of the States were very anxious for it, and I hoped that, with their State bounties, and active exertions, they would get out substantial additions to our colored forces, which, unlike white recruits, help us where they come from, as well as where they go to. I still hope advantage from the law; and being a law, it must be treated as such by all of us. We here, will do what we consistently can to save you from difficulties arising out of it. May I ask therefore that you will give your hearty co-operation?

A. LINCOLN

Annotation

[1]   ALS, DNA WR RG 107, Presidential Telegrams, I, 102-103. On July 14, Sherman telegraphed Halleck, ``If State recruiting agents must come into the limits of my command under the law, I have the honor to request that the commanding officers or adjutants of regiments be constituted such agents, and that States be entitled to a credit for recruits they may enlist. . . . This will obviate the difficulty I apprehend from civilian agents.'' (OR, XXXVIII, V, 136). A second telegram to Halleck sent at 10 P.M. the same day expressed Sherman's opinion that sending ``recruiting officers into the rebel States . . . is the height of folly. I cannot permit it here, and I will not have a set of fellows here hanging about on any such pretenses. . . .'' (Ibid., p. 137). On July 21 Sherman replied to Lincoln's despatch: ``I have the highest veneration for the law, and will respect it always, however it conflicts with my opinion of its propriety. I only telegraphed to General Halleck because I had seen no copy of the law, and supposed the War Department might have some control over its operations. . . .'' (Ibid., p. 210).

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