GENERAL HEAD-QUARTERS,
STATE OF ILLINOIS,
ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S
OFFICE
Springfield,
May 2nd. 1861.
DEAR FATHER:
YOUR letter of the 24th inst was received the same evening
one I had written to Mary was mailed. I would have answered earlier but for the
fact I had just written.
I am not a volunteer, and indeed could not be, now that I
did not go into the first Company raised in Galena. The call of the President
was so promptly responded to that only those companies that organized at once,
and telegraphed their application to come in, were received. All other
applications were filed, and there are enough of them to furnish Illinois quota
if the Army should be raised to 300,000 men. I am serving on the Governor's
staff at present at his request, but suppose I shall not be here long.
I should have offered myself for the Colonelcy of one of the
Regiments, but I find all those places are wanted by politicians who are up to
log-rolling, and I do not care to be under such persons.
The war feeling is not abating here much, although
hostilities appear more remote than they did a few days ago. Three of the six
Regiments mustered in from this state are now at Cairo, and probably will be
reinforced with two others within a few days.
Galena has several more companies organized but only one of
them will be able to come in under a new call for ten regiments. Chicago has
raised companies enough nearly to fill all the first call. The Northern feeling
is so fully aroused that they will stop at no expense of money and men to
insure the success of their cause.
I presume the feeling is just as strong on the other side,
but they are infinitely in the minority in resources.
I have not heard from Galena since coming down here, but
presume all is moving along smoothly. My advice was not to urge collections
from such men as we knew to be good, and to make no efforts to sell in the
present distracted state of our currency. The money will not buy Eastern
exchange and is liable to become worse; I think that thirty days from this we
shall have specie, and the bills of good foreign banks to do business on, and
then will be the time to collect.
If Mary writes to me any time next week she may direct here
to
ULYSSES.
SOURCE: Jesse Grant Cramer, Editor, Letters of
Ulysses S. Grant to His Father and His Youngest Sister, 1857-78, p. 31-3
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