The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-07-11

Governor Ramsey and the Second
Regiment.

1t undoubtedly became the duty of those in
command of the Regiment to report the facts
officially to your Excellency, who, am happy
ward the proper relief."-Mr. Queens repoyt
on the sanitary condition Of our troops before
| COrinth.
| To The Editor of The Pioneer and Democrat Ca
We have all read the anecdo,e of the
extremely polite Frenchman who stood by
while poor man was drowning, and when
asked why he did not help him, replied, al
never was introduced"
Our troops were suffering for the want
of proper medical aid E; the Governor knew
it from various private sources, but waited
for information from what he deemed the
proper source before he sent forward the
"proper relief, which he stood ready to do
at any moment" Far be it from him so
lar to forget his Gubernatorial dignity as
to help the poor sufferers without the prop
er formalities, in other words, the intro.
duction. The truth is, soldering Or the
care of soldiers is new thing to our wor-
thy Governor. He does not know all he
will learn about it if he has little more
experience, and profits by it.
He may not know that Governors of
other States have taken deep interest in
all that concerns the soldiers whom they
have sent forth to do battle for the right,
have watched over and cared for their dess
titute families left at home, and have sent
Commissioners to visit the sick and wound
ed in various hospitals, kaowing that ac1te3a
u soldier yGs once sent to q hospital he waS
entirely beyond the Jurisdiction of his reg
imentGl conamGnder.
He may yet learn that be cannot put oil
the responsibility and blame of of his own
shoulders on to those Of the commanding
officers OF a Regiment.
1t seems be has sent commissioners at last,
but not Until he had waited all winter TO be
introduced, and, perhaps, during that time
he might, il be bad seen fit, informed HIM
self on a good many points connected with
the situation OF the Regiment, of which he
seems quite ignorant. Mr. Owens has
searched all the army correspondence on h!e
in the Executive office, in vain, to find the
scratch OF pen in connection with the dis
charge OF a solemn duty, untH after tie
Regiment arrjce1 at PittSburg La@d,ng,
late in the month of Hpru" In other words,
until the Regiment changed commanding
officers.
Colonel Van Cleve is thorough military
man, and knows bis duty well: more than
this, he discharged it fully and faithfully
1t is very probable that if Mr.. Owens had
had time and opportunity to search some
other records-say the correspondence with
Commanders of Posts along the route, or
Medical Directors, he might have been more
successful.
Any necessary reports, be may rest az
sured, were made 10 the proper place and
at the proper time, and it will rot do to ex.
onerate the Governor from all blame in his
particular province, by endeavoring 10 Jay
the whole weight OF it on the Colonel CT the
Regiment.
The Second Regiment ali know and feel
that they have been neglected in more ways
than one by his Excellency. But ore ap-
pointment has been made from that regiment
either in the staff or field OF any Of the rev
regiments formed even since the battle of
Mill Spring, where the Regiment earned so
much glory for the State that it might we'll
have looked for some favor. Bat that is
matter to be talked over sometime when
there is something to do besides fighting.
These few lines are penned with the desire
to ease the load OF blame from one who is
not bow able to defend himself from i'll
judged and ill-timed Gspersions- one whose
zeal for the Union is such that private
wrongs make no impression on him--who
perhaps hardly realizes that be belongs to
Minnesota, only feeling that he is an Ameri.
can in the service OF the United States,
responsible for bis military Conduct to
military authorities alone, and for his acts
as private individual only to the Lord OF
Hosts.
,,r- $50 z,T1, =