Today in History:

1080 Series I Volume XXVII-III Serial 45 - Gettysburg Campaign Part III

Page 1080 Chapter XXXIX. N. C., VA., W. VA., MD., PA., ETC.

HARRISBURG, PA.,

June 20, 1863.

His Excellency JOEL PARKER:

Will it be possible for your troops to remain with us during the present emergency, whatever its duration may be? If not, for what time will they be mustered into service? Our own militia are being mustered to serve during the present emergency, its termination to be fixed by my order, and the arrangement is approved by the War Department. I assure you I will not detain them longer than the necessity for their presence exist.

A. G. CURTIN.

PITTSBURGH, June 20, 1863.

Honorable JOEL PARKER:

GOVERNOR: My regiment (en route home) volunteered in Pennsylvania's defense, were accepted, and are now at Wheeling. Will be home shortly.

G. W. MINDIL,

Colonel Twenty-seventh New Jersey Volunteers.

STATE OF NEW JERSEY, EXECUTIVE CHAMBER,

Trenton, June 22, 1863.

His Excellency ANDREW G. CURTIN,

Governor of pennsylvania:

SIR: On the 15th instant, I received a telegram from Your Excellency in which you say, "This State is threatened with invasion by a large force; " and again, on the 16th, a telegram in which you say, "Send all (troops) you can immediately to this point. "

The necessity seemed to be urgent, and to meet the emergency and avoid a moment's unnecessary delay, I assumed the responsibility of calling upon the citizens of New Jersey to inlist as militia, the expense of which I promise would be borne by this State, and that the troops so raised would not be mustered into the service of the United States, but would be permitted to return to their homes as soon as the absolute necessity for their presence had ceased to exist. Under this assurance a class of men have volunteered whose business will not permit them to be absent from their homes except for a very short time.

The troops sent you from this State (except the nine-months' returned volunteers) and those now ready to depart are, of course, militia of the State, who responded to the call upon them to aid a sister State when her capital seemed to be in danger. It was my purpose to have raised a division of Jerseymen (which, from the zeal and earnestness manifested, I have no doubt would have soon been ready to take the field), to be armed, equipped, and sent to your assistance by this State at her own expense, as there seemed from your appeal to be no time to organize troops for the United States service under any existing authority, and no time to procure authority or to settle doubtful questions. From your telegram of the 20th instant, I presume you do not want troops that are not to be mustered into the United States service. I will therefore immediately


Page 1080 Chapter XXXIX. N. C., VA., W. VA., MD., PA., ETC.