From the present appearances we shall soon have this number in the field. In the representations lately made as to the capacity of the domestic factories I have not much reliance. I fear that there is neither the wool nor the indigo in this country to make the cloth we need. I desire to visit Philadelphia and New York to confer with the principal quartermasters who have been purchasing largely in order to supply deficiencies in delivering under contracts, and also to visit Boston to see some of the principal manufacturers and endeavor to devise some means of obtaining a sufficient supply of clothing.

One suit of uniform for each of any army of 550,000 men would require, I understand, near four millions of yards of blue cloth.

I inclose an order respectfully submitted for your signature.

M. C. MEIGS,

Quartermaster-General.

BOSTON, October 30, 1861.

Honorable THOMAS A. SCOTT,

Assistant Secretary of War:

Please order Colonel Kurtz's, Colonel Upton's, Colonel Horace C. Lee's, and Colonel Stevenson's regiments to Annapolis, they being the four assigned by the Governor to General Burnside, according to former directions of the War Department.

JOHN A. ANDREW.

A. E. BURNSIDE.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington City, October 30, 1861.

Governor ANDREW,

Boston:

Please send the regiments referred to in your message to Annapolis. General Burnside, I believe, desires to ship them by small steam vessels from Long Island Sound to Annapolis direct, as expeditious and economical.

THOMAS A. SCOTT,

Assistant Secretary of War.

BATTLE CREEK, October 30, 1861.

Honorable SIMON CAMERON,

Secretary of War:

DEAR SIR: Having learned that in your instructions to General Sherman* you authorized the enrollment of colored persons, I wish to solicit the privilege of raising from 5,000 to 10,000 freemen to report in sixty days to take any position that may be assigned us (sharpshooters preferred). We would like white persons for superior officers.

If this proposition is not accepted we will, if armed and equipped by the Government, fight as guerrillas.

Any information or instructions that may be forwarded to me immediately will be thankfully received and implicitly obeyed.

A part of us are half-breed Indians and legal voters in the State of Michigan. We are all anxious to fight for the maintenance of the

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*See Series I, Vol. VI, p. 176.

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39 R R-SERIES III, VOL I