one of peculiar delicacy to the people of Kentucky; that they did not desire the General Government to interfere, and that as they desired to manage the institution in their own way, he especially deprecated any agitation at that time, stating, also, that Kentucky would come up to the measure of her duty in this respect, and by legal enactment provide for the extinction of slavery. I remarked that under their present laws some four or five years would be necessary to fully accomplish this measure. I conversed with most, and perhaps nearly, all the members of the Legislature, which was then in session, all of whom took the ground advocated by the Governor, and some of them even requested that I should remove my recruiting stations in Tennessee on the borders of Kentucky to a distance, which of course I refused to do. Finding this feeling so prevalent in the State, I withdrew from it without then doing anything. My action in this case I reported to you from Louisville under date of February 1. The first recruiting in Kentucky commenced at Paducah under Second Lieutenant J. Cunningham, Second Illinois Artillery, in February, pursuant to a request made to you by the member of Congress from the First District, in which Paducah is situated. The lieutenant was authorized to raise a regiment of artillery to man the works at that place.

Brigadier-General Chetlain reported to me, and I assigned him as superintendent of the recruiting service, I appointed Captain R. D. Mussey, who had acted as his assistant. The superintendent was subsequently made the colonel of the One hundredth Regiment of Colored Troops, and continued to perform the duties of superintendent until recruiting had ceased, and he rendered most efficient service. He, too, has been properly rewarded by having conferred upon him the brevet of major-general.

February 9, Major Stearns having relinquished his position in Tennessee as superintendent of the recruiting service, I appointed Captain R. D. Mussey, who had acted as his assistant. The superintendent was subsequently made the colonel of the One hundredth Regiment of Colored Troops, and continued to perform the duties of superintendent until recruiting had ceased, and he rendered most efficient service. He, too, has been properly rewarded by having conferred upon him the brevet of brigadier- general.

Having returned to Louisville, Ky., in June, I became satisfied that the time had fully arrived for the organization of colored troops in that State, as he negroes were rapidly coming to our military stations (my purpose of doing so I mentioned to you in Washington and received your verbal sanction). Accordingly the 13th of June, by my Order Numbers 20 of that date, I directed that recruiting should commence throughout the entire State, and designated a camp of reception in each Congressional district where the negroes would be received and organized into regiments. I designated Brigadier-General Chetlain as the superintendent, who entered upon the duty, and continued in its performance until July 6, when he was relieved at the request of Major- General Burbridge, commanding in Kentucky, made both to you and myself, who desired the superintendence, as he has, as I well knew, taken special interest in this measure, advocating it on all proper occasions, and with benefit to the service, as he was then the owner of many blacks.

Under the circumstances it was perfectly proper that the change should be made, but I nevertheless regretted it, believing that his higher duties of commander in Kentucky would prevent his personal attention to the superintendency. The result proved as I had antici-