d it left for the seat of Government, April 17, 1861. I called at
the State House daily, urging my claims, but his Excellency informed me
that he must send out the Regiments first that could best be spared, and
in a short time sent the following: Third, Colonel Wardrop; Fourth,
Colonel Packard; Fifth, Colonel Lawrence, and the Eighth, Colonel Monroe.
Finally, on the 27th of April, I received an order from Adjutant-General
Schouler for my Regiment to be in readiness to march, and to report
myself, in person, at the State House, and to select from the companies
offered me those which I desired to fill up my Regiment to its full
quota. I immediately left my business and devoted my whole time to
preparing it for the service. The City of Boston, with the generosity
which has always characterized her, appropriated $200,000 towards fitting
out the Boston troops, and furnished seven of my companies with uniforms,
the Roxbury and Chelsea companies being furnished by their respective
cities. I then made applications at the State House for arms and
equipments for my men, but was put off from day to day until about the 8th
of May, when orders were received from the War Department calling for
75,000 troops who would volunteer for three years or the war. Immediately
on the receipt of this order the ten companies under my command voted
unanimously to offer themselves to the Government, and at eleven o'clock
of the same day my officers did likewise, and requested me to report to
the Governor and tender him the services of myself and command, to be
offered to the United States. In accordance with the wish of my officers I
went to the State House, but the Governor seemed to assume an air of
indifference to my offer. I then requested permission to proceed to
Washington and offer my services to the Government, to which he gave his
consent, and directed Lieutenant-Colonel Sargent, one of his aids, to
write me a leave of absence for five days. I left that afternoon for
Washington, accompanied by my Major and Adjutant, and called upon General
Scott, as General-in-Chief of the Army. He expressed a strong desire that
my Regiment should be ordered, but referred me to the Hon. Mr. Cameron,
Secretary of War. I waited upon him, and he informed me that the
Government had ordered from each State a certain number of troops, but had
left it with the different Governors which Regiments should be sent. I
telegraphed to Governor Andrew the result of my inter