USA > Michigan > Annual report of the Adjutant General of the State of Michigan for the year, Vol. I > Part 18
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I have never supposed that the Government intended to deal unjustly with any of these regiments, or that they would be held unnecessarily in service. Yet there are circumstances connected with the retention of a large portion of the First Michigan Cavalry, now at Salt Lake, which has been made up by a consolidation from the 1st, 6th and 7th Cavalry, that leads me to believe that great injustice has been done. These three regi- ments were serving on the Plains, and an order was made by General Pope for their muster out, and according to that order, all the men of the three regiments that had less than two years to serve were to be mustered out, and the balance consolidated into one or more companies; but, in place of that being done, and contrary to the order, all the men of the 1st, 6th and 7th Regiments whose terms of service did not expire before the 1st of Feb- ruary next were retained and included in the consolidation. Had this not been done, the 6th and 7th would have been mustered out as entire organ- izations, as there were no men in either who had two years to serve, and many of them but a few months. There would also have been a large number of the 1st Regiment that would not have been included in the con- solidation, therefore it would appear that in this matter the orders of Gen. Pope have been entirely disregarded, and likely the orders of the War De- partment, and, consequently a very great injustice has been done these men,
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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
Complaint has also been made in reference to these Cavalry Regiments, and which is contained in the letter of Colonel Kidd, herewith submitted, that while portions of them were held on service, two regiments, the 16th Kansas Cavalry and 2d Missouri Artillery, having longer to serve than either of the Michigan Cavalry Regiments before referred to, were mustered out as entire organizations, and sent to their respective States, while the Michigan regiments were broken up, and portions of them sent to Salt Lake.
I hope that inquiry may be made by the War Department, and if it is found that the men referred to are held in service contrary to the orders and intentions of the Government, I most respectfully ask that they be ordered discharged without delay; and also, if on inquiry, it is found that the regiment now at Salt Lake has been retained unjustly, while, the duty it is called upon to perform should have been done by some other regiment having longer to remain in service, that it be ordered mustered out of ser- vice without delay, if not absolutely rendered impossible by the exigencies of the country.
I enclose you herewith copies of Special Orders No. 37, Current Series, Department of the Missouri, dated St. Louis, September 1, 1865, and Special Orders No. 79, Current Series, Headquarters U. S. Forces, dated Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, November 13, 1865, bearing upon the case; also, copy of Colonel Kidd's letter upon the subject.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
(Signed,) HENRY H. CRAPO, Governor of Michigan.
WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington, December 15, 1865. To His Excellency Henry H. Crapo,
Governor of Michigan, Detroit, Michigan:
SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 8th instant, to the Secretary of War, relative to the muster out of the remaining organizations of Michigan Volunteers,
Your communication has been submitted to the Secretary, and I have the honor to inform you that in October last, and with the best information the Department then had, it was believed that all Michigan Regiments would be out of service by the first inst., but the exigencies of the service have prevented the expectation from being realized. No means have been spared to hasten the muster out of the volunteer organizations as rapidly as their services could be dispensed with, and those yet in service will be discharged at the earliest date practicable.
The public interest will not permit an order for the discharge of all at the same time.
It is known that, at this time, the regiment (12th) in Arkansas, and the (28th) in North Carolina, cannot be relieved.
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ADJUTANT GENERAL.
"The attention of Major General Sheridan has been directed to your request relative to the 3d Cavalry, with the 3d and 4th Infantry, now in Texas.
That portion of your letter relative to the consolidation of the 1st, 6th and 7th Cavalry regiments, has been referred to Major General Pope for report. No orders have been issued from this office directing their consol- idation. On the contrary, the orders and regulations relative to the dis- charge of surplus troops, direct that the musters out will be by entire or- ganizations, (circular 30th, July 1, 1865, Adjutant General's Office, War Department.)
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obed't servant,
(Signed)
THOMAS M. VINCENT, Assistant Adjutant General.
It was expected that the reference by the War Department to the proper officers, of the portions of your letter bearing upon the Michigan troops, under their respective commands, would produce some favorable results touching their speedy discharge, especially that referred to Gen. Pope, with regard to the 1st Cavalry, but those expected results were not real- ized. Even the report that had been requested by the War Department, from Gen. Pope, in relation to the consolidation of the Cavalry Regiments seemed to be unreasonably delayed, consequently the following letter of inquiry relative thereto was forwarded to the War Department, the answer to which is also inserted :
MILITARY DEPARTMENT MICHIGAN, ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, Detroit, January 8, 1866. )
To Col. Thomas M. Vincent, Asst. Adjt. General, U. S. A., Washing- ton, D. C. :
COLONEL-On the 8th ultimo, His Excellency the Governor of this State, transmitted a communication to the Hon. Secretary of War, a part of which related to the consolidation of the 1st, 6th and 7th Michigan Cav- alry, in answer to which your letter of the 15th ultimo was received, stating that the portion of it in reference to those regiments had been referred to Major General Pope for a report.
His Excellency directs me to respectfully inquire if such a report has been made by Gen. Pope, and if so, if not inconsistent with the rules of the War Department and the customs of service, that he may be furnished with a copy.
Very respectfully your obedient servant,
(Signed)
JNO. ROBERTSON, Adjutant General.
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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, } Washington, January 16, 1866.
Major General W. T. Sherman, U. S. A., Commanding Military Division of the Mississippi, St. Louis, Mo .:
GENERAL-I have the honor to invite your attention to the following en- dorsement from this office, on extract of letter of Governor of Michigan, dated Detroit, Michigan, December 8, 1865, requesting that all Michigan soldiers may be mustered out immediately.
" Respectfully referred to Major General W. T. Sherman, commanding Military Division of the Mississippi, for investigation and report, in so far as relates to regiments in the Department of the Missouri."
" Attention is respectfully invited to the consolidation referred to by the Governor. No orders from the War Department have been issued granting authority for the same, and the regulations (Circular No. 30, Current Series of Adjutant General's Office, ) direct that musters out of surplus troops shall be by entire organizations."
The report called for not having been received, I am directed to request you to please cause it to be forwarded at your earliest convenience.
I have the honor to be, General,
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
(Signed)
THOMAS M. VINCENT, Assistant Adjutant General.
Official copy, respectfully furnished for the information of the Adjutant General of the State of Michigan, Detroit, Mich.
(Signed) THOMAS M. VINCENT, Assistant Adjutant General.
On the 28 th day of February last, the following communication was re- ceived at this office, enclosing a copy of a letter addressed to the Acting Assistant Adjutant General, Department of Missouri, at St. Louis, from Major General Dodge, relative to the consolidation of the Cavalry regiments before referred to, and which is inserted below. It is written in answer to the foregoing letter of application of the War Depart- ment to Major General Sherman, and is intended as a final report in the case :
WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington, February 24, 1866.
}
Adjutant General State of Michigan, Detroit, Mich. :
SIR-Referring to your letter of the 8th ultimo, relative to the consoli- dation of the 1st, 6th and 7th Michigan Cavalry, I am directed to transmit herewith a copy of the report of Major General G. M. Dodge, in reference to the same, as requested by you.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
(Signed) THOMAS M. VINCENT, Assistant Adjutant General.
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ADJUTANT GENERAL.
HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES, KANSAS AND THE TERRITORIES, Fort Leavenworth, July 27, 1865. 5 To Major J. P. SHERBURNE, Assistant Adjutant General, Department of the Missouri, St. Louis, Mo .:
I have the honor to return the within communication, with the following explanation : I made the consolidation on orders by telegram, herewith enclosed, marked 1 and 2. My orders were to send 2,000 men to Utah. I had only 400 then; the only available force to send there was the Mich- igan troops. In the consolidation, I was informed by officers of the com- mand, at Fort Laramie, that there would be enough two years' men to give me 1,000, present in the Department, but upon examination, it was found I could get only about 700 by taking both one and two years' men. I therefore drew the order to include these men, supposing the order from Department headquarters would authorize me merely to make the consolidation the same as the dispatch did.
It was important the troops should start immediately, as they had 600 miles to march and winter was approaching. I made the order when I was at Fort Laramie, and started the troops; when I arrived at Denver I found Special Order, No. 37. It was then too late for me to change my order, and would so reduce the force that I could not carry out the pre- vious order for placing the number of troops in Utah required. I there- fore sent the telegram marked 3, and that day left Denver, supposing the order would be changed, as requested, and the matter has never since been brought to my mind, except by this communication. Colonel Kidd was here at my headquarters a long time after, with a portion of his regiment, and made no complaint, nor did he mention it.
As soon as the weather will permit of bringing them in, I will have all men discharged who were consolidated, so that the consolidation shall agree with Special Order, No. 37, Headquarters Department of Missouri.
I had retained these papers for the purpose of hearing from C. O., of the consolidated regiment, but the deep snows have delayed the mails, and I herewith return the papers.
My order of consolidation was based upon the telegram of the Department Commander, authorizing me to make it.
To muster out these troops before they are replaced, will, in my opinion, leave Utah without a proper and sufficient garrison, and, as matters now stand there, would be very detrimental to the service. Troops to replace the entire regiment should be forwarded early in the spring. When they start from here I could order the First Michigan to start from Salt Lake.
I am very respectfully, your obedient servant,
[Signed]
G. M. DODGE,
Major General U. S. V., Commanding.
[Official. ]
THOMAS M. VINCENT, Ass't Adi't General ..
[Signed]
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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
Your attention is invited to the following communication, from Col. George C. Briggs, as having an important bearing on the subject:
DETROIT, MICHIGAN, April 27, 1866.
GENERAL: In accordance with your request, I have the honor to sub- mit the following statement concerning the consolidation, in October last, of that portion of the Michigan Cavalry Brigade serving at the time in the South Sub-District of the Plains-consisting of the First and Seventh Regiments,-and their march to Utah Territory, so far as pertaining to facts, about which information is desired.
Ist. The order for consolidation was received at the various headquarters in the district fully two weeks before the departure of the troops, retained by its provisions, could be effected. In the meantime, and ten days prior to the marching of the men composing the new organization, Major Gen- eral Dodge visited the headquarters of the District at Denver, as well as the headquarters of the Michigan Cavalry at Camp Collins, (sixty miles from Denver. )
2d. Being absent at Fort Halleck at the time General Dodge visited Camp Collins, I did not see him; but, upon my return, learned from Major Warner, (Post Commander, ) as well as from other officers on duty at the post, that the attention of General Dodge, as well as the officers composing his staff, had been called to the fact, that large numbers of the mea, re- tained under the provisions of the order of consolidation, must necessarily be retained in service long after the expiration of the term which they had yet to serve; and the reason was obvious. The command would not reach its destination until the lateness of the season rendered the movement of troops afterwards impossible. It was, therefore, well known, that the men whose term of service would expire in February, 1866, must from neces- sity, be retained until the movement of troops could be made in the coming spring.
I am, General, very respectfully, your obed't servant,
(Signed, ) GEORGE G. BRIGGS, Late Colonel 7th Mich. Car.
TO JOHN ROBERTSON,
Adj't Gen. State of Mich.
The following are the telegraphic dispatches referred to in foregoing report of General Dodge:
(1.)
U. S. MILITARY TELEGRAPH, August 30, 1865. (FROM FORT LARAMIE, 1865.)
To MAJ. GEN. POPE, Saint Louis, Mo .:
In the First, Sixth and Seventh Michigan Cavalry are about one thou- sand (1000) men who have one (1) and two (2) years to serve-balance go
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ADJUTANT GENERAL.
out between now and January Ist. Please give me authority to consolidate these two (2) years men into one (1) regiment. I want to send it to Utab, and send balance of regiments to Leavenworth for muster out.
(Signed, )
G. M. DODGE,
Major General Commanding.
(Signed, )
(Signed, )
[Official. ] SAM. E. MACKEY, Captain and A. A. A. G. [Official. ] THOMAS M. VINCENT, Assistant Adjutant General. (2.)
WAR DEPARTMENT, Received September 1, 1865, From St. Louis, Missouri.
To Major General Dodge:
[EXTRACT. ]
5. *
*
* * * *
*
*
* *
You can consolidate the Sixth (6th) and Seventh (7th) Michigan Cavalry as desired.
(Signed, )
JOHN T. SPRAGUE, Colonel and C. S.
(Signed,)
[Official. ] SAM. E. MACKEY, Captain and A. A. A. G.
(Signed,)
[Official. ] THOMAS M. VINCENT, Adjutant General.
WAR DEPARTMENT, October 1, 1865. 5
(Received from Denver City, 1865. ) To Lieut. Colonel J. McBeel, A. A. G., St. Louis:
I am in receipt of S. O. 37, in relation to consolidation of 1st, 6th and 7th Michigan Cavalry. On your dispatch I issued order for consolidation and movement to Utab, and my order differs from /yours in this, that-I or- dered all men whose term of service does not expire before February 1st, 1866, to Fort Bridger, the balance to be mustered out. The consolidation and rolls I ordered made by Capt. Jocelyn, mustering officer for Utah, at Fort Bridger. The troops are en route. My order agrees with yours in all except this, and was made on your dispatch approving my application. Please telegraph General Wheaton and General Upton, changing your
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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
order so as to agree with mine; it makes no difference only as above stated, and it is impossible now to change mine, as troops have gone forward under it.
(Signed, )
G. M. DODGE, Major General.
(Signed,)
(Signed, )
[Official. ] SAM. E. MACKEY, Captain and A. A. A. G. [Official. ] THOMAS M. VINCENT, Assistant Adjutant General.
Having traced the proceedings in this matter thus far, and included copies of the correspondence bearing upon it; also, a copy of the order of Major General Pope, directing the consolidation to be made, I will now follow up the operations by which it was effected, and include copies of the papers and orders in relation thereto.
It appears that the consolidation was made in pursuance of the following order:
HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES, . KANSAS AND THE TERRITORIES, In the Field near Laramie, Sept. 17, 1865.
Special Field Orders, No. 11.
[EXTRACT. ]
5. * *
* In accordance with instructions from Major General Pope, commanding Department of the Missouri, Captain Jocelyn, mustering offi- cer, District of Utah, will consolidate that portion of the 1st, 6th and 7th Regiments Michigan Cavalry Volunteers whose term of service does not expire before February 1st, 1866, into one regiment of cavalry.
The following officers will be retained as Field and Staff, in accordance with existing regulations, viz. :
Brevet Brigadier General Peter Stagg, Colonel 1st Michigan Cavalry Volunteers.
Lieutenant Colonel Geo. R. Maxwell, Ist Michigan Cavalry Volunteers. Major A. W. Duggan, 1st Michigan Cavalry Volunteers.
Major Warner, 7th Michigan Cavalry Volunteers.
Major Sprowl, 7th Michigan Cavalry Volunteers.
1st Lieutenant Elliott M. Norton, Adjutant, 6th Michigan Cavalry Volunteers.
1st Lieutenant R. D. Pike, Regimental Quartermaster, 1st Michigan Cavalry Volunteers.
1st Lieutenant Geo. W. Simons, Regimental Commissary, 6th Michigan Cavalry Volunteers.
Surgeon A. K. Smith, 1st Michigan Cavalry Volunteers.
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ADJUTANT GENERAL.
Assistant Surgeon Richards, 7th Michigan Cavalry Volunteers. Assistant Surgeon D. G. Wilson, 1st Michigan Cavalry Volunteers.
A full report of the consolidation will be made to these headquarters at Fort Leavenworth. -
The Brigade will proceed with all practicable dispatch to Utab.
By command of Major General Dodge.
(Signed,)
F. BENNETT, A. A. G.
(Signed, )
[Official. ] G. E. JOCELYN,
Capt. Vet. Batt. 3d Cavalry Infantry, A. C. M! District of Utah.
You will at once observe that the operation of the above order, in regard to term of service, of the men to be included in the consolidation, is en- tirely different from that directed in General Pope's order, No. 37; and also that it differs from the provisions made in the telegrams 1 and 2, re- ferred to in the report of General Dodge, all of which only included the men having two years or over to serve, while it included all whose term of service would not expire before February 1st, 1866; that the difference thus made materially affected the interest of the men concerned, and that in the execution of said order, much injustice was done them by their de- tention in service after orders had been issued, by proper authority for their discharge.
General Dodge in his report states that the consolidation was made on orders received by telegrams, marked one and two, and that his order of. consolidation was based upon the telegram of the Department Commander.
In reply to this, it may be admitted that the consolidation was so made, but not that it was made in accordance with their provisions. In telegram one (1), General Dodge asks for authority to make the consolidation of the two years' men; and telegram two (2), authorizes him to do so, but it does not by any means give him power to include any men having less than two years to serve; but he did it on his own responsibility, and in so doing, intentionally exceeded his authority, and disobeyed the instructions of General Pope.
He also states that, in the consolidation "I was informed by officers of the command at Fort Laramie, that there would be enough two years men to give me one thousand present in the Department, but upon exam- ination it was found I could only get about seven hundred, by taking both one and two years' men. I therefore drew my order to include these men, supposing the order from Department Headquarters would authorize me merely to make the consolidation same as the dispatch did."
To this it may be replied that the dispatch referred to only authorized him to include men having two years to serve, and then an order from the Department Headquarters authorizing him to make the consolidation
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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
1
merely as that dispatch did, would not, it must be conceded, affect the case in the least.
He further states that, "It was important the troops should start im- mediately, as they had six hundred miles to march, and winter was ap- proaching. I made my order when I was at Fort Laramie, and started the troops. When I arrived at Denver I found Special Order, No. 37. It was too late for me to change my order, and would so reduce the force that I could not carry out the previous order for placing the number of troops in Utah required. I therefore sent the telegram, marked three, (3,) and that day left Denver, supposing the order would be changed as requested, and the matter has never since been brought to my mind except by this communication. Colonel Kidd was here at my headquarters a long time. after, with a portion of his regiment, and made no complaint, nor did he mention it."
As an answer to these statements, I refer you to the letter of Colonel Kidd, and particularly to the following extracts therefrom; also to the letter of Colonel Briggs.
Colonel Kidd, in his letter, states as follows: "While at Fort Laramie, and before the arrangements for carrying out the provisions of that order, (General Dodge's order, No. 11,) had been perfected, I received by mail a. copy of special order, No. 37, dated Headquarters Department of the Mis- souri, September 1st, providing for the consolidation only of that portion of these Regiments which had over two years to serve, and ordering the muster out of all others. I had no men whose term of service would not expire before the expiration of two years, and I immediately tele- graphed to General Dodge that General Pope's order of September 1st and his order of September 17th conflicted, and that my entire Regiment was entitled to muster out of service, He, (General Dodge,) replied, 'that when he was at Fort Laramie, (Sept. 17th,) he had received orders to pro- ceed with the consolidation of the Michigan Regiments, as he (General Dodge,) saw fit.'"
According to the above, Colonel Kidd informed General Dodge of the re- eeipt of special order No. 37, and of its import, before the arrangement for carrying the consolidation into effect had been perfected, and conse- quently, before the movemnt of the troops had commenced.
It is very evident that General Dodge, being in possession of the order, and in addition, being advised by Colonel Kidd that, under its provisions, he would have no men to consolidate, and learning from his dispatch that the troops had neither been consolidated nor started from Fort Laramie, should have changed his order to correspond with the directions given in General Pope's Order No. 37.
Further, it appears from the letter of Colonel Briggs, that fully two weeks elapsed after the order for the consolidation was received at the
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ADJUTANT GENERAL.
various headquarters, before the departure of the troops for Utah could be effected, and that during that time, and ten days prior to the marching of the men composing the new organization, Gen. Dodge visited the head- quarters of the District at Denver, as well as the headquarters of the Michigan Cavalry at Camp Collins, sixty miles from that place.
By this statement of Colonel Briggs, it is claimed that there was suffi- cient time between the issue of General Dodge's order and the starting of the troops to allow him to change his order of consolidation to agree with the provisions of General Pope's Department Order No. 37, the troops being within his reach. Accordingly, you will therefore readily see that it was in the power of General Dodge to dispose of these men as provided in that order, having full knowledge of its existence while he was at Denver, which was before (as appears by Colonel Briggs' statement) the troops had started from Camp Collins, and that he had no right to ignore the Department Order referred to, nor take it for granted that it would be changed to authorize his previous action in the matter, which was contrary to his own original proposition and his instructions from General Pope.
Colonel Kidd also states as follows: "The 16th Kansas Cavalry, having, I believe, eighteen months to serve, and the 2d Missouri Artillery, having longer time to serve than the Michigan regiments, were ordered to Leav- enworth in entire organizations for muster out, arriving there nearly sim- ultaneously with my regiment. Both these regiments were sent from Fort Laramie (the point whence my men were sent to Utah) to Fort Leaven- worth."
From this statement it would seem that the Michigan troops were not the only available force. The probabilities are that in the two regiments referred to by Col. Kidd, and which it appears were as available in point of location as the Michigan troops, there were men enough, had they been retained, to have made up for any deficiency caused by the discharge of the Michigen men, under General Pope's order, and if such was the case, it would not have been necessary to reduce the force so that the previous order could not have been carried out for placing the required force in Utah, even if the order had been changed with reference to the Michigan troops,
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