Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-05-15
For the Daily stnte Sentinel.



dred gentlemen who have recently responded to a /
call made by myself and others for a regiment of
cavalry the organization of which has never been
consummated requires that should ask room in
your columns for brief explanation.
On the 23d day of April last. the writer and Mr..
Gordon Tanner proposed to Gov Morton and
Adiutant General Lewis Wallace to raise a regi-
ment of Cavalry, to consist Of picked men, who
should be enlisted for service during the war I'M
der the auspices either of the State or the Gene
raj Government. The Adiutant General conceded
the absolute necessity of calling into requisition
the arm Of the service proposed, and both he and
the Governor expressed much satisfaction in hav
ing received the offer of a regiment from Demo
Gratis ike Mr.. Tanner and myself In short, be-
fore the interview was ended we received the as
sent of the Governor for, and the assurance of his
co operation in, the raising off regiment Of Cav
airy the acceptance of which was to be contingent
alone on the legislation which would authorize
him to consummate the organization, to which
was added tie assurance of His Excellency's in
fluence in favor of such legislation, far as the
same could be with propriety exerted.
On the 26th of April, list of ten companies,
as constituting a cavalry regiment, rendered in
writing, for any term of service, byJ. Z. Walker,
Gordon Tanner and Benz Newland, was filed in
the Office of the Adutant General, on which the
following endorsement had been made by the
Governor
Accepted subject 10 any lar, or Legislative
regulation, that may be passed.
o. p MoRroN"
Muster-roHs to be fled nth certificates Of cleo
ton Of officers"
The muster-roll. and certificates Of election Of
80 IL ,f toll
filed with the Adiutant General on or before the
Both of April, and those of the other two cOmpa-
MES bv the 81 day of Nav. At the time the
written tender of ten cavalry companies was made
and accepted bv the Governor, as above shown,
but one other cavalry company-namely, that of
Capt Stewart, of Terre Haute-had been offered.
This being the condition of affairs, the proper
legislation seemed to be the only requisite essen
tial to the complete organization and acceptance
of our regiment of cavalry. From some cause
or other however, the Governors promised CO
operation was never dscernbe, and the cavalry
| feature of what is known as the six-reglment-
BILL met at every step of its passage through the
Legislature, with malignant partisan opposition,
and, at last, only permitted to remain III
form which would enable its opponents to envi-
ron the Commanders chief with partisan pres
sure that would defeat its object The act, how
ever, as it became law, did provide for cavalry.
The cavalry feature of the act had been twice
sustained by both branches of the Legislature,
and those who sustained it contemplated the &C
eeptance of regiment Of that arm of the ser
vice.
Thus matters stood on the 18th day of May. The
six regiment bill. providing for cavalry as well as
infantry and artillery, had passed both branches
of the Legislature. The Governor had author
lied myself and Others as far as he had authority
to do so, to raise regiment of cavalry. The
regiment had been raised at an expense of about
six thousand dollars to individuals and consisted
of the best fighting material in the State. The
tender of the companies constituting the regiment
had been accepted" by His Excellency, "subject
to the law or legislative regulation" that had been
subsequently adopted. The time had consequent
" arrived when it was to be seen whether the
partisan opposition to the cavalry which had mani
tested itself in the Legislature would control the
action of the Governor when the responsibility of
what was 10 be done deTOlved entirely upon him
self. UNDERSTANDING the influences that were
bearing upon His Exceency, and knowing that
the alleged expensiyeneSs of cavalry would
be used as an argument against mastering into
service the regiment already accepted, l caused
to be submitted on the 9th inst, an estimate
showing that the expense of a regiment of in
flntry, consisting of seven hundred and seventy
seven men, for one year, at 81 80 per diem, per
man, for quartering, subsistence and pay, would
amount, in the aggregate, to fraction over
of cavalry consisting of five hundred and fifty
nine men, at 81 80 per diem per man. for quar-
tering subsistence and pay, allowing 1925 90 each
for the horses, and estimating the horses, at the
end of the year, at one-half their original cost,
would amount in the aggregate, to a fraction over
$40 800 90, which would leave difference in
favorof the cavalry of SS4 All 90. This difference
would allow about Sl5l 90 per annum for forage
for each horse, which is high estimate, and then
Loo fl,a NJ a oil
the same that of a regiment of infantry.
IL may be remarked here, PEASANT, that the
expense of cavalry is estimated at the War
Department in Washington as one fourth greater
than that of infantry but the excess is attribu-
ted to the fact that on the frontier, where the
Government cavalry has heretofore been used,
the cost of forage is high, and the wear upon
horses great, by reason OF extreme exposure and
frequent scantiness of food.
On the morning of the 9th inst. | had the
pleasure of finding the Governor in his room mt
the State House, and was informed that nasmuch
as the Legislature had placed the responsibility
OF classifying the six regiments provided for upon
him, he would be obliged to further consider the
subject before determining upon what he wOuld'do.
Growing impatient of delay, and fearing that
gentlemen composing the cavalry regiment we're
destined to disappointment, in the end, l caused
to be delivered to Governor Morton, on the
morning of the 18th inst, the following letter
INDIANAPOLIS, Nay I, 1851.
Hon. o. p. Norton, GOrerRor Of Indiana:
DEAR SLR-Can you not give me positive in
formation, Immediately, in regard to the fate of
the cavalry regiment rendered by myself and
Mr.. Tannerg You will recollect that you au-
thorized us, so far as you had power to do so, to
raise this regiment; and when we made the
tender of ten companies in writing, you accepted
the same, subject to such action as the LeSsla-
ture might adopt. The muster-rolls of these
companies are on file in the Adjutant Generals
Office. The companies are more than full and
consist of as good fighting material any in the
State. They are enrolled for any term Of SerUice.
| cannot be instrumental in keeping these men
longer in suspense and out of employment. | am
unwilling that they shall have reason to suppose,
when, after long delay they are finally disap-
pointed that have tri1ed with them. | can not
but perceive and understand the influences that
have operated against this regiment and this in
creases my anxiety to know at once, whether or
not men who have offered themselves for the most
arduous service, and for the longest period are to
be rejected or postponed. Both the act of the
Legislature and the proclamation of the Presi
dent of the 2nd inst authorize, as | understand
them, the organization of the proposed regiment.
Upon the basis proposed in an estimate furnished
you by me on yesterday, it is demonstrable that
the expense of the cavalry regiment $50 mem
would be no greater than that of infantry, an
men, l have steadily been assured by your
Excellency, that political partsanship shall not
influence your action; and this assurance leads me
to still hope that the warfare made by partisans
against this regiment will not succeed. If, how
ever, your Excelleney shall determine finally not
to organize the regiment for any service, | re-
spectfully ask permission to withdraw the tender
heretofore made, together with the muster rolls
of such companies as may not desire to enter the
service under some other arrangement
Very respectfully your ob't serv't,
j. G. WALKER.
On the morning of the 10th inst, the following
answer was received from his Excelency:
STATE OF INDIANA, EXECUTIVE DEFARTMENT,l
INDIASAPoIIs, May ., 1851
j. c. WALKER-Dear Sir: Your favor of the
18th was received. have consulted with gentle
men of experience in military affairs and after a
careful consideration of the subject | am reluc-
family compelled to decline the organization of a
cavalry regiment.
The very decisive refusal of the General Gov
eminent, under The advice of General Scott, to
accept cavalry regiment of Indiana, has also