HEADQUARTERS OHIO VOLUNTEER MILITIA,
Cincinnati, Ohio, may 9, 1861.

Lieutenant General WINEFIELD SCOTT,

Commanding U. S. Army:

GENERAL: I feel assured that you not only will not misunderstand me, but that you will patiently bear with me while I make an appeal to you that involves the entire interests of my command and of the West. I assumed control of an unorganized mass of men, with neither arms, clothing, equipments, supplies, discipline, instruction, nor money. I had no staff-not one single instructed officer to assist me-no orders, no authority to do anything. I knew that it must be your intention that the troops should be rendered efficient in the shortest possible time and that economy should be introduced. I left that, from the many instances of official and personal kindness I had received from you, I could implicity rely upon your support in any reasonable measures that might be taken by me. Please remember, too, that for several days we were entirely cut off from all communication with Washington, and that it was but fair to suppose that it might at any moment prove necessarh for me to move to the assistance of the general under whom I learned my first lessons in war and whom I have been and ever shall be ready to support to the bitter end. Under these circumstances I for many days performed in person the duties of all the staff departments-imperfectly, it is true, but perhaps as fully as one man could. Knowing, that Captain Dickerson was unemployed, I wrote to General Harney, begging him to lend me the captain. In his absence Major McKinstry was kind enouhg to send the captain to me, and I at once put him at work. Captain Burns providentially made his appearance with no duty on his hands. I took the opportunity, and kept him until I could obtain your approval. These officers have done themselves infinite credit-they have introduced system and economy; everything is going on in the regular order, and they have saved many thousands of dollars for the General Government. I learn that the corresponding departments in Illinois and Indiana are totally disorganized, and I counted upon these officers to introduce among the volunteers from those States a system as good as that now existing in Ohio. I cannot supply their places; there are no men in these States competent to perform the duty. If you will give me these two officers, general, I will undertake that they shall perform the whole duty of their departments in the district to the command of which I may be assigned. Without them I feel that there is no possibility of organizing the service. I would also urge that I may be allowed to retain Captain Granger, whose regiment is in New Mexico. He knows now most of the volunteers from this State, and is really indispensable to assist me in my efforts to instruct the officers and introduce discipline. Next to maintaining the honor of my country, general, the first aim of my life is to justify the good opinion you have expressed concerning me, and to prove that the great soldier of our country can not only command armies himself, but teach others to do so. I do not expect your mantle to fall on my shoulders, for nor man is worthy to wear it; but I hope that it may be said hereafter that I was no unworthy disciple of your school. I cannot handle this mass of men, general; I cannot make an army to carry out your views unless I have the assistance of instructed soldiers. There are multitudes of brave men in the West, but no soldiers. I frankly and most earenstly call upon to supply the want. I need not only the officers I have named, but a first-rate adjutant-general two good aides-de-camp. Major Porter is my