CHAPTER XXIV. COMPANY K-WESTFIELD COMPANY. AT WESTFIELD, a public meeting was called Saturday evening, April 20, 1861, to take measures for the enrollment of a volunteer corps, and raise money for their equipment. The Town hall was crammed with eager and patriotic citizens, anxious to lend their aid in the hour of the country's danger. Hiram Harrison was chosen president, J. M. Ely, Thomas Kneil and Joseph Arnold, were chosen vice presidents, and Samuel Dow, secretary. Mr. Harrison, on taking the chair, made a sound, sensible, patriotic speech, pledging his "life, fortune, and sacred honor," if necessary, for the protection of the stars and stripes. Thomas Kneil was called for, and he responded in an eloquent and stirring appeal to the young men of the town; pointing out to them their duty in the protection of the flag, which had been disgraced, and urged upon those present, the necessity of prompt and immediate action, that the traitorous rebels. might be forced back to their native hell. Postmaster Noble answered to a call, and defined his position. He was with the spirit of the meeting, heart and hand. He pledged himself to do all in his power to encourage recruiting, and help forward the good work. Justin M. Ely, Lester Holcomb, and James Noble, all made appropriate speeches, while the volunteers were registering themselves, and were loudly applauded. M. B. Whitney suggested some action. taken to raise money for the occasion. He thought it should be a matter of history, and that future generations. should know how much was done. On motion of Henry Fuller, Esq., a committee of finance, consisting of Hiram Harrison, Thomas Kneil, Henry Fuller, James Noble, Samuel Fowler, M. B. Whitney, and Cutler Laflin, were appointed to collect subscriptions, and they were instructed to notify the selectmen to call a meeting the following Monday, to see what action the town would take in the matter. H. B. Lewis stated that the ladies of Westfield had made arrangements to present the company with a beautiful flag. L. B. Walkley, A. Campbell and R. Noble were appointed recruiting officers, to secure good, able-bodied men to enter the service. Forty-six names were registered as volunteers, during the evening. At the town meeting, Monday, April 29, it was voted to raise ten thousand dollars to aid in equipping the company of volunteers, and in the support of their families. The town finance committee to take charge of the funds. raised by the town for equipping and paying the volunteers, was organized as follows:-President, Cutler Laflin; chairman, R. Noble; secretary, Samuel Fowler. The company of volunteers having a full complement of men on Saturday, May 4, organized by choice of the following officers-Captain, Lucius B. Walkley; First-lieutenant, Pliny Wood; Second-lieutenant, David M. Chase; Third-lieutenant, Edwin T. Johnson; Fourth-lieutenant, Albion W. Lewis. TUESDAY, May 14.-The Rough and Ready engine company gave, at the Foster House, a complimentary supper to their members who enlisted for the war. Speeches were made by Postmaster Noble, Lieutenant Chase and Johnson, and several other gentlemen present. The Westfield News Letter, of June 5, contained an urgent appeal to the ladies of Westfield, to meet at the chapel of Dr. Davis' Church, every week-day, from 8 to 12 A. M. and from 1 to 6 P. M., to make shirts, drawers and other necessary articles for the soldiers. The company left Westfield, to join the Tenth Regiment, Friday morning, June 14, escorted by the Rough and Ready engine company, and a cavalcade of horsemen, commanded by Colonel Asa Barr. Nearly two thousand persons assembled on the green, to witness their departure. SATURDAY MORNING, June 22.-Company K were permitted to return to Westfield to spend the Sabbath with friends at home, and the day was celebrated as a holiday throughout the village. The fact had become generally known that a number of Captain Walkley's personal friends had procured for him an elegant sword, which was to be presented in the afternoon; consequently, everybody turned out to witness the ceremony. The presentation was appointed at four o'clock, and at that hour the green was alive with men, women and children, eager to witness the event of the day. After a dress parade, the sword was presented by M. B. Whitney, Esq., with an appropriate speech, which was briefly and pertinently replied to by the captain. MONDAY FORENOON, June 24.—Captain Walkley gave his company a collation at his house, previous to their return to the resumption of camp life at Hampden Park. Mr. Alonzo Whitney and Mr. Dudley N. Lane each gave fifty-five dollars, and the employees of the Hampden cigar company, fifty-two dollars, to the Westfield volunteers from that shop. When the Regiment was mustered into the United States service, June 21, there was a change made in the lieutenants, which was unsatisfactory to a large portion of the company, and to the citizens of Westfield, who called an indignation meeting and addressed a remonstrance to Governor Andrew on the subject. The matter was amicably arranged in the company, by the withdrawal of both parties interested. In reply to the remonstrance from the citizens, the Governor addressed the following letter to the committee: EXECUTIVE Department, Mr. J. M. Ely, President at a Public Meeting in Westfield, MY DEAR SIR-I have the honor to have just received from you, a copy of resolutions adopted at a meeting of citizens of Westfield, objecting to certain legislation of this Commonwealth, which relates to the appointment of military officers, and also objecting to the substitution of some officers, (not named,) for some others, (also not named,) in the Westfield Company. Your citizens, however, are under a mistake in ascribing the power of appointment of officers of the volunteer regiment by the governor, to the authority of the statutes of our Commonwealth. These regiments are not militia. If they were, then by our con. stitution the officers must be elected, not appointed. But they are volunteers, specially enlisting themselves under the authority of the United States, for particular service; into which service they cannot be received save by conforming to the terms of enlistment prescribed by the United States government. One of these terms, as contained in general order No. 15 of the war department of the United States, is that the commissioned officers, except the chaplain of each volunteer regiment, shall be appointed by the Governor of the State furnishing it; and I am held by the war department, by my own conscience, and by public opinion, to rigid accountability for the manner in which I use the grave and important power. Every officer not capable of his duty is charged to my account, not to that of his company or regiment. Nor can I avoid the responsibility thus imposed, if I would. I, therefore, yield to the necessity of my position, and endeavor, to the best of my limited capacity, to perform its duties. My method is, after the colonel of a regiment is designated, to require him to confer with the captains, (who are in the first instance agreed upon in conference with the colonel, and if practicable the lieutenant-colonel,) and after such conference, having reference also to the recommendations received and filed at this department, and to all extraneous information that can be gathered concerning the candidates, to nominate to me or arrange with me the list of staff officers and lieutenants. In the case of the Tenth Regiment, the remoteness of which from the capital is considerable, it being organized from the four western counties, I took great pains, as did also the officers of my staff, to study the recommendations, and I have to remark that before any appointment as subalterns was made, I received a list from Colonel Briggs, with his certificate, from which the following is an extract: "I recommend the persons above named for the respective offices designated, having, so far as the company officers are concerned, acted upon the advice and recommendation of the commanders of companies." On inquiry, I have been informed that the objection felt by gentlemen in Westfield is limited to the instance of a first-lieutenant. I can only reply further to your communication, that in conferring the appointment in question, I understand it was deemed the best possible by the colonel of the Regiment and the captains of the companies. Knowing personally, as I do, that militia elections frequently turn in favor of inferior officers, and feeling a purpose which nothing can control, to commit the lives of my fellow-citizens and the honor of Massachusetts into the hands of only such officers as, according to the light which is afforded to me, I believe to be the most competent within my reach, I should never hesitate, whereever I have the power of appointing, to take the best man at my command, even from the ranks, to lead a division, if that were needful. But I can not myself affect to know personally all men, and therefore I act in view of the weight of evidence, and I hold that the colonel and the captains-all other things being equal— are more likely to judge correctly of the qualifications of individ uals, than those whose personal safety and honor is less immediately concerned. I therefore pay great heed to their recommend ations. I regret that the good people you represent should find any act of mine unworthy of their approbation; but I also regret that instead of making a direct and personal representation to myself, and assuming that I would readily correct, if possible, any error, if any were made, they resorted to the form of a public meeting expressive of discontent; since that method, in cases of this description, is not so well adapted to the end of correction of errors, and tends to injure the military service. I trust, however, that on closer examination the acts which are not approved by them, will be found correct, or at least founded on a proper basis of advice and information, and that the citizens of Westfield, whom I know to be zealous only for the welfare and the rights of all, and whose very criticisms I regard as good for the common cause, will hereafter speak to me directly by word or letter, promptly and clearly, whenever any of their views or wishes require expression. I am, very respectfully and truly, your obedient servant, JOHN A. ANDREW. |