The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-08-16
LETTER FROM COL. GORMAN.

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Quarter Master of the LIST reg. MINI. Vol.
LETTER FROM COL. GORMAN.
CAMP MINNESOTA, WASHINGTON, D. CT
July 80, 1861.
DEAR SRI have heard many persons
talk, and seen newspaper articles in relation
to the clothing of this regiment. Their
comments invariably imply that you had
done some wrong in not clothing the regi.
ment sooner.
This regiment was as we'll provided as
any regiment brought into the service of the
United States from the West.
Their clothing delivered at Fort Smelling
was, although of an inferior quality in most
part, and condemned by board of inspec-
ton, yet necessity knoVs no laav, and it was
received because no other could be procured
owing to the great distance we were from
the manufacturing cities, Companies B
and G were nearly fully equipped with reg
ular army clothing at Fort RidgIey. Also,
Company A and E, at Fort Ripley-and
thet of the best quality, most of which is
yet sound and good and all this equip
ment was before they left the State.
On the Sd of May llmade the first requi-
sition for clothing, and it was as promptly
supplied by the State authority as possible.
At an early day thereafter l made a requi-
sition on the Government of the United
States for clothing, which was pursued with
all the energy my Quartermaster could give
l sent Rev. E. ID. Neil to Philadelphia,
and Major Dixie to New York, from Har.
risburg, on that express business. On ar.
irving at Washington, Quartermaster Meigs
said that he had promised Governor Ram
sey to have the clothing inspected, and for.
warded to US at Harrisburg, ahere he sup
supposed it had been sent. He telegrapbed
both to Harrsburgh and Philadelphia lin
my presence) to find its whereabouts. The
next day or two we were ordered into Vir-
ginia. In the mean time the clothing, in
large amounts, came to Washington, and
was taken and appropriated by other re,
| giments. Such was the wonderful pres
sure on the Government. To fnd fault,
at such a time, is to bay at the moon,
without remedy and without fault to any
one. A few men wore out their pants
and tore them so as to render them unfit for
duty. Several of them were excused from
duty for few days, owing to their want of
clothing. This has occurred in all regi-
ments and in all armies and, perhaps a
thousand times. 1.-THE State had been rich
like New York, Pennsylvania, or some of
the old and largely populated, with any
amount of credit, we would have had a
| great many things more than we did, SIM
| ply to have been thrown away or lost on
some forced march, but unfortunately our
State Was too young and poor to borrow
money or buy army supplies on credit.
There were great many fancy regiments,
very fancfully dressed, that showed off in
the bar rooms and hotels of the city, and
made night hideous with their brawls, while
Minnesota, with their red shirts, made
themselves respected on account of their be-
havior, and were earnestly sought after by
commandments of brigades and divisions, who
wished them attached to their commands.
When we left Alexandria for the battle
field those companies of my regiment who
were provided with fine clothes, had them
boxed up and stored in Alexandria for safe
keeping, and donned their old Minnesota
Uniform, and on the battle field covered
themselves with glory. A heavy cloth uni
form, (such as the regulations requre) in
summer, if the men were compelled to wear
them on drill and parade, would be most
intoerable nuisance. No man has suffered
for the want of clothing. Complaints may,
and very likely have been made, by soldiers
who wished to run around the city, and their
pride prevented them from doing so owing
to the looks of their clothes. Our army is
better fed, better clothed, and better cared
for than any other army of any other gov
ernment in the world ; and if impatient pub
lie opinion had no other objt ct than the good
of the soldier, information would be sought
in the p, oper quarter, instead of looking to
partizan papers, established for the purpose
of building up or tearing down politicians.
It would have been very gratifying to me,
| if our States resources had been such as to
have commanded money and credit, to have
| given US wagons, teams, ambulances ard other
army equipments but we have procured all
these since our arrival here but still the
fretful impatience of the soldier will COM
plain. If their friends at home listen to
the idle tales that are told, INSTRUMENTATION
and ultimate dishOnOr must come to US; a
great deal OF suffering must be expected ;
great deal of toll endured, and great
deal of hardship borne and thus far all
this has been cheerfully done by the men OF
my regiment, except in few instances, an d
they have been stimulated by those who
have far less patriotism than the soldier
whose whims they stimulate, rather than
discourage. Every want of the soldier has
been cared for by my Quarter Masters by
diligence and application which has known
no firing. We have been in the service
three months, and our men have been sup
piled with three shirts, two pairs of pants
two coats, lone dress, one blouse) one cap
one hat, three pairs of socks, two pairs OF
shoes, two pairs of drawers, two canteens