Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-07-13

Ali this. too. after the Adiutant General of our
State bad notified Walker that Hughes commits
sion was cold, and thath he (Hughesl was not con-
sdered. either at indianapolis or in Washington,
an officer in the volunteer service from Indiana
The Governor now discovered that Walker was
not content with being Colonel of our Irish regi
ment--he aspired TO be Governor of the Hoosier
State-in aword that Walker would not receive
such officers as the Governor chose to appoint,
but would nsis; upon his (Walkers) own selec-
ton.
Whilst this beautiful system of regimeutai har-
mony was being perfected by Col. Walker, and
raging with all the partisan fury of Irish enthu-
siasm order was issued by :he War Depart
ment 10 Governor Morton. requiring him to con
solidate all the fragments of regiments then being
raised in the State with regiments in the field
In addition to the general order, the following is
a COPY of special instruction issued to Governor
Morton:
Extract from Thomas A Scott. Assistant Sec
retary Of Warto Governor Morton, February 5th,
1862:
The fragment. at Madison, the
6lst regiment (Col. Mullen containing 300
men should he added to the 35h regiment. Col.
Walker now in Kentucky and numbering less
than 900 men, thus bringing the 35th regiment
up to the maximum by the introduction of the
same element"
Shortly after the Governor received these in
structions the fall of Fort Donaldson occurred.
This imposed additional burthensome duties upon
the Governor in the way of providing for the
subsistence and guarding of some FIVE thousand
prisoners. The Governor took the responsibility
Of disregarding. for time. Secretary SCOTS in
instructions. He had no force in Indiana, except
the fragments of regiments in the process Of or
Canzation, with which TO guard the prisoners.
These incomplete regiments were ordered by Gov
ernor Morton to enter at once upon the duty of
guarding prisoners. and the Governors action in
the premises was subsequently confirmed by the
War Department. After the prisoners had all
been collected together at indianapolis. the pris.
onS at Terre Hate and Lafayette broken up--the
Instructions. quoted above, were revised, and an
additional order as follows, issued
From Adiutnnt General Thomas 70 the Gov.
ernor of Indiana
WASHINGTON, April IL, 1862
"The Secretary of War desires that all incom.
plete regiments lately in process of organization
be broken up and assigned TO your regiments now
in the field (Signed)
l. TnoMAs, Adi't Gcn1
For tho two months previous 10 the order the
difficulties in the 3sth regiment woro increasing
Committees Of Irshmen continued to call upon
Al a.. Gov.rpnr 10 hnva ,hc.c d,oic,,l,,o. .I,..,.l
was repeatedly waited upon by Irishmen Of
prominence In tho Statc-gen,lcm,n for whom
entertained tho highest personal regard-asklnr
my assistance 10 have those troubles In tho Goth
regiment IN some way settled The Governor,
too. desired an interview with me on the Same
subject ! met the Governor al his rooms; he
expressed ~ earnest desire 10 do something that
would heal tho differences In the regiment satisfy
Col Walker aud benefit the service To this
end tho Goycrnor advised mo To ysit tho 35ih
regiment. and have an interview with Col
Walker
Let me hero remark, sn par,nfhese. that | was
astonished at the Governor quiet manner and
earnest desire % satisfy" Walker. had ex.
pecled to see The Governor show some temper,
from the treatment he had previously received ~
the hands OF Walker Not n bit of il. The
Governor cooly but earnestly. pressed me 10 20
to tho regiment. and. if possible, harmonize the
affairs. and satisfy Walker" proceeded on
my mission-had, on my part, frank and free
consultation with Col Walker informed him
! had about two hundr, men; that il it met his
approbaton would consent to Join his regiment
as consolidation would be effected any how.
with some regiment. In this conversation
Walker wanted TO know how the Governor would
fill the vacancies then existing in the officers of
the 35thy | told the Col plainly that was the
Governors prerogatve. and advised him TO let
the Governor pursue his own course. | further
more told Walker that the Governor would un.
der no circumstances, consent 20 Hughes being
commissioned an officer OF the regimeut-on that
he might rely. j, was mutually agreed between
Walker and myself that should accept the
Lieut. Colonclcy. bringing what men had to the
35th. and he Walker would abandon his at
tempt 20 thwart the Governor in his selection OF
officers for appointment and promotion. Now
comes the history of the consolidation OF the 6lst
"t'ii tht 's'u ItslHtiN w NtU ItiuTDeu I'D In
dianapolis found my "fragmentary regiment,
had heard of the intended consolidation with
Col. Walker regiment. At once the men began
to desert. They averred they would not serve
under Col Walker. nor enter a regiment with so
many elements of discord in IL as the 35th seemed
TO possess BY the time was ready to start with
my men had one full company ("G.") and
forty unattached recruits" Ofthe former over
twenty five. and Of the latter some twenty de-
serted before reached Louisville II failed TO
bring two hundred men into Walkers command
il was no fault of mine. II the men preferred to
desert rather than serve under Walker, il was no
fault OF Governor Morton's-at all events
whether brought one hundred or one tholsand
men into J. c. Walkers command, did not affect
the right of the Governor to appoint such officers
As he pleased to fill the vacancies in the 35h reg
iment.
The great defense of Walker for hsinsubordina
ton. is that Governor Morton appointed whole
batch of inexperienced officers to command his
(W.'s) veterans, Let Us see how far this is true
l dislike to speak in laudatory terms of myself
ard will simply remark that was soldier when
Walker was boy. SO much for the Lieutena ant
Colonel
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