RECRUITING SERVICE-NEW REGIMENTS.

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An order from the War Department authorizing the organization of a "veteran corps," to be commanded by Major Gen9] eral W. S. Hancock, and composed of veteran troops from all northern states, was also published in this state, and enlistments encouraged.

Through the exertions mainly of officers formerly connected with Wisconsin regiments, two hundred and fifteen recruits were 'enlisted for this service.

Recruits generally preferring to join either old or new regiments from our own state, instead of that proposed, the endeavor was not highly successful.

During this period, also, the First cavalry, whose original term of service had expired, and many of which had accordingly been mustered out of service, was permitted to reorganize. This was done at Nashville, where the old organization was mustered out, and the regiment remustered on the 14th day of February, under command of O. H. La Grange, the former colonel.

The following is a list of the new regiments sent to the field the present year: (1865)

So far as possible, it has been the endeavor on the part of our state, and with a fair degree of success, under each gubernatorial administration, to keep full the ranks of the old regiments, rather than create new organizations. These have been directed only as such action seemed necessary, with a view to success in recruiting. This course has been pursued in the belief that in the discipline obtained by months of service, one recruit in an old regiment is equal to three in a new regiment entirely unacquainted with the discipline and requirements of active service.

This course was highly appreciated by the commanding generals of the army. Major General Wm. T. Sherman, in his late visit to this state repeatedly alluded to the fact in pub

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lic and private that in this respect our regiments were unequalled, and that therein lay the secret of their marked efficiency.

Little transpired during the time occupied in the foregoing labor, which requires special mention.

10] Under a decision of the Provost Marshal General prohibiting the recognition of the recruiting officers and the plan previously followed, some difficulty arose, which for a time. threatened the destruction of the recruiting service in this state. The course heretofore pursued was fully set forth in the following letter, addressed to the Secretary of War, with request that the restriction might be removed:

GENERAL HEAD-QUARTERS, STATE OF WISCONSIN,
ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE,
Madison, December 21, 1864.

HON. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War:
SIR The governor is in receipt of a communication (a copy of which, with
endorsement, is enclosed,) Lieut. Colonel Giddings, United States mustering
and disbursing officer at this place, which bears an endorsement from one of
the bureaus of the Provost Marshal General's office, asking for information
"by what authority the governor has issued recruiting commissions," other than
those authorized by General Orders No. 131, current series, from the War De-
partment, indicating from the nature of the inquiry, that question has arisen
relative to the manner in which the recruiting service has been heretofore con-
ducted in this state.

Omitting any notice of the language of the endorsement referred to, I am instructed to state in reply, that the governor is not aware of the existence of any specific order on the subject, other than General Orders No. 75, series of 1863, and No. 131 current series, from the War Department, which recognize and modify the existing system of recruitment. In connection with this matter, it is perhaps unnecessary to request your notice of the fact that from the commencement of recruiting volunteers for the General Government, the labor of enlisting men has been almost exclusively performed by citizens, who, acting under authority conferred by appointment of the governors of states, have, by personal exertions and influence in their respective localities, enlisted the soldiers who constitute our volunteer regiments.

And further, that from this state, at least, not one thousandth part of the volunteers in the service were enlisted by the second lieutenants referred to. In many, and it may be said, in the majority of regiments from this state, the second lieutenants, thus authorized, did not receive notice of their discharges, enabling them to be conditionally mustered for the duty contemplated until after the companies to which they were assigned had been completed, through the exertions of recruiting officers. These appointments by the Governor have been issued to persons of ability and energy; in some instances, limiting the appointments for each regiment to the number of line offices required, and frequently issuing a larger number.

In the latter case, many of these appointments were granted to citizens, merely to confer authority, by virtue of which a sufficient number of men might be enlisted to fill the quota assigned to a particular locality, frequently without any resultant expense to the government, the enlistment appearing in the name of the Provost Marshal.

Such appointments (in the form of blank enclosed, marked "A,") were accepted with the following understanding:

I. That personal services, rendered under the appointment, were to be without compensation from either the state or the United States.

II. That if successful in recruiting the required number, a commissionat the discretion of the governor, might be issued, in which the recipient was 11] supposed to find a proper equivalent for the labor and expense incurred in recruiting.

III. That certain expenses only were authorized by the Regulations; such as subsistence of recruits for a specified time, transportation to camp of rendezvous, and rent of office, limited and guided by the Letter of Instructions, a copy of which is enclosed, marked "B."

IV. That all accounts for expenses incurred must be certified by the recruiting officers, and upon being verified by the enlistment papers, and muster rolls, were approved at this office, by order of the governor, no expenses being allowed for recruits who had not subsequently been mustered into United States service.

This plan met the approval of the United States mustering and disbursing officers, and under it accounts were audited and paid until the month of April last, when it was modified in some respects, by the circular of instructions from the Provost Marshal General (see copy enclosed marked "C,") by the provisions of which recruiting officers have since been guided and under which similar accounts have been paid without question, until the present instance. It may here be stated that this is substantially the course pursued in the adjoining states.

Further it would seem that some recruiting officers, other than the second lieutenants referred to, were recognized by the War Department, as indicated by the following statement, to which your attention is respectfully invited.

On the 26th of October last, a request was sent from this office for the discharge of the persons designated as second lieutenants under General Orders No. 131, in the Forty-fourth and Forty-fifth regiments of infantry, then organizing. To this application the following reply, dated November 2d, was received by telegraph, viz:

"Discharges of enlisted men for promotion cannot be made until commands are reported ready.

(Signed,)

T. M. VINCENT;
Assistant Adjutant General.

This decision was confirmed by subsequent correspondence. If the second lieutenants are refused discharge, it may be asked by what agency is it contemplated that volunteers shall be; enlisted and the commands put in readiness, if not through the action of recruiting officers appointed by the Governor? If the latter agency is now acknowledged, by what authority is it specifically recognized?

It is believed that there exists a misapprehension of the matter concerning which reference was made by Lt. Col. Giddings, to the Provost Marshal General. Although the number of appointments made by the governor may, in some instances, have been large, with a view to securing enlistments promptly, and in every locality, yet, it should be borne in mind that no extra expense is thereby incurred, accounts being paid only for expense accruing for recruits who have been mustered into service, and, even then, only with the restrictions established by the War Department.

The above detailed statement is respectfully transmitted for the information of the War Department, as there seems to be in bureaus charged with the payment of accounts, some great misunderstanding as to the nature and necessities of the volunteer recruiting service in this state.

In connection with this subject, information is respectfully requested as to the manner in which it is contemplated that recruiting should be carried on in future. The experience of the last three and a half years has demonstrated to the state authorities that the enlistment of volunteers in any considerable number can only be effected by the personal influence and exertion of men whose character and standing are well known in their respective lo

calities; and in this view of the case, it is respectfully asked, whether it is 12] intended by the War Department that enlistments under the pending draft shall be conducted exclusively by the Provost Marshals and other United States officers on duty within the state.

I am, sir, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,

AUG. GAYLORD,

Adjutant General.

Reply was received authorizing the governor "to appoint not to exceed three recruiting agents for each new company you are raising under the present call," and volunteers were recruited and companies organized in the same manner as before.

DRAFT OF 1865.

In the call of December 19th, 1864, it was ordered that unless the quotas of several sub-districts were filled by voluntary enlistments before the 15th of February ensuing, draft should be made in the sub-districts deficient at that date, for the requisite number; but the district Provost Marshals having been unable to complete the enrollment and correction at the time appointed, the draft was delayed. By order from the War Department, dated February 23d, draft was directed on the 27th following, in all sub-districts where no efforts were being made to fill quotas by volunteering.

It was accordingly commenced in the Second district on the day appointed, in the Third district on the 28th, in the Fifth on the 1st of March, and subsequently in the Fourth district. Owing to the large extent of territory included in the Sixth district, the enrollment and corrections were still incomplete at the date of suspension in recruiting, and there was consequently no draft in that district under the last call. The first quota assigned to the state under the call of December 19th, was erroneous, being announced at seventeen thousand eight hundred and five (17,805). The corrected quota of this state, under the former call of July 19th, 1864, for five hundred thousand troops, was but fifteen thousand three hundred and forty-one.

By what calculation the quota was increased over twentyfive hundred on the subsequent call for a number of troops two-fifths less, was not readily apparent, and was so mani

DRAFT-PROVOST MARSHALS.

13.

festly wrong that it was made the occasion of protest and inquiry.

A subsequent reassignment of quotas by the department reduced the quota of this state to twelve thousand three hundred and fifty-six, which number was assigned to the several sub13] districts in the manner prescribed by formula from the Provost Marshal's department.

It is, perhaps, useless at this date, to recall the difficulties under which the state authorities, and consequently the people, labored in their endeavors to comprehend the wishes, or manner of procedure of the Provost Marshal General in the assignment of quotas and distribution of credits under this call. A statement of the course pursued by this office to ascertain the facts, is, however, due to the legislature and people of the state. The method adopted in the assignment of this quota was deemed a breach of faith with the people in this respect, namely: Under the call of July 18th, 1864, the var ious sub-districts in the loyal states were assured that their quotas in the (then) future would be increased or lessened in the proportion that they furnished a less or greater number of men (in years of service) to the United States government; in other words. that the number required from each sub-district under subsequent calls would depend upon the credits arising from its own contributions to the number called for. This promise was not and could not be fulfilled in the assignment of the quota of December 19th, in the manner proposed and illustrated by the formulas from the Provost Marshal General's bureau. The plan adopted did give credit to congresional districts for all excesses of credits existing in the subdistricts composing them, in the distribution of which excess, credit was given pro rata to each sub-district; thereby rewarding the delinquent sub-district for what it had not done, and defrauding those entitled of what was their due. Had each sub-district exactly filled its quota, the plan adopted would have been a just procedure, but in the existing state of the case, it wrought injustice.

In proof of this position I append a copy of General Fry's formula and tables "A," "B" and "C," illustrating the theory; and also the following letter addressed to and accompanying copies of the same tables to the adjutants general of other states, as explanatory.

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