among the States, and to be know as the New York regiments, or the Pennsylvania regiments, or any State regiment, as the case may be. Our large cities contain a numerous class of reckless and very ablebodied men, mostly firemen, who, if they elected their own officers, would be the best troops for bayonet work in the service. The French Zouaves are of this class; their reckless character is undoubtedly the secret of their brilliant reputation.

I have the honor to remain, with the most profound respect, your obedient servant,

BURR PORTER,

Ex-Major, Ottoman Army (three campaigns.)

DETROIT, April 17, 1861.

Honorable SIMON CAMBERON,

Secretary of War:

MY DEAR SIR: One of the most distinguished Democrats in the country says: Don't defend Washington. Don't establish batteries on Georgetwon Heights. March your troops into Virginia. Quarter them there. Stand by the Union men there, and you will find plenty of them. By this bold policy you will save the border States. There is but one sentiment here. We will furnish you with the regiments in thirty days if you want them, and 50,000 men if you need them. General Cass subscribed $3,000 to equip the regiments. There are no sympathizers here worth hunting, and if there were, our population would diminish to the extent of their numbers forthwith.

Truly, yours,

Z. CHANDLER.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, Boston, Mass., April 17, 1861.

[SECRETARY OF WAR:]

SIR: Captain George H. Gordon, of this city, proposes to me to raise a regiment of volunteers if it can be done in the following manner, in which I have assured him of the co- operation of this Commonwealth, and I now write in the same behalf to request your assistance, if the proposition shall be approved by you:

That the men being raised shall be enlisted as members of the Massachusetts volunteers militia, and be equipped by the Commonwealth as such; that then they shall be draft ten as militia into the U. S. service, and continue therein until Congress shall, as is anticipated, authorities the raising of national volunteer regiments, when they shall be discharged by the United States and by the Commonwealth from further service as militia, and shall at once enlist in a body as volunteers under the act of Congress which they anticipate.

They would desire that during their service as militia they should not be summoned away from the State of Massachusetts, but assigned to duty here, say in the forts in Boston Harbor, where they could thoroughly perfect themselves in the drill and duties of a soldier, so as to be ready to enter the field as volunteers, disciplined, compact, acquainted with one another, and in every respect ready for immediate, active, and distinguished service in any part of the country whatsoever to which they should be ordered.

They would enlist with an understanding that, so far as pledges could be given in advance, this course should be taken in respect to