The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-08-24

The act Of Congress Of July 20, 1881, pro ,.ocs
that the field, staff and company officers OF
volunteer regiments shall be commissioned byth5
Governors # the respective States, and the act Of
Congress OF August &, 1861, provides that vacln-
cies thereafter occurring IN the volunteer rogi-
mCuts shall be till,d by the Governors of the
States spoctivcly IN the same manner rs or ynGl
appointments.
Ia defiance OF these provisions, Colonel Gibson
und, rtO,k 10 appoint an the commissioned officers
OF the proposed new regiment except the CU-
tenant, surgeons, and chaplain including the
colonel; and the persons thus named bv him
have been put in command.
Of course disregardcd thisuav3rrautlbie ia-
terteTcnCc with the authority conferred on me
| by act of Congress, and appointed and commits.
stoned per. ons carefully selected for their fuoss
/ to be officers Of She new regiment. These officers
have not been mustered in the new regiment
| has now been sent into tne field, having only ten
! company officers for more than fourteen hundred
men-u number Of them without commissions. at
/ least four companies Of from one hundred 70
| one hundred and City men each, being COM
| manded by sefgedntS, and rs am Crcdtlbly
informed, without the usual supply OF SURGEONS
| surgical instr ments, or medical supplies.
The conduct Of Colonel Gibson produced grea.
evaporation and discOutent among the officers
and men of the regiment, aud their complaints 20
me were frequent aud urgent
Ircptatcdly requested the War Department 70
return him TO his battery as captain in thG regular
service, but without success. ] annex 20 this
letter copies Of the last two letters which ai-
| dressed TO the War Department on this suLie 6,
dated, respectively, 2d December, 1868, ami ION
January, 1864.
Under these oircrm stances have arrived AZ
the conclusion that can no longer permit Colonel
Gibson TO remain in command of the regiment
and by virtue Of the power Of removal vested in
me by the form of appointment conferred on me
by the act Of Congress, have determined to
revoke and supersedC and vacates his com mission
and dismiss him from his office.
The msst gentle construction to be put on the
conduct of Colonel Gibson would be n ascribc
tr hn lraf
| ted before the court of inquiry that he had the
reputation of being eccentric but not TO the extent
| chnrged.
Towhatever cause, however, bis course is 10 be
| attributed my respect for the Commonwealth
| whose organ am, and my regard for the welfare
OF her citizens recruited for the 2d Pennsylvania
Artillery, and now in the field, require that |
should seriously invoke your aid to overcome the
obstacles heretofore created by some Of your OIL
| GERS, and by which the exercise Of the lust
| authority conferred on me by the act of Congress
has been thus far in this case prevented. You
| sir, are the responsible head OF the Government
| Your duty and your oath OF OIL Ice require y0u
| TO see that the laws be faithfully executed
| These very acts of Congress were approved and
signed by yourself. | viii nOt believe chat you
will in effect violate them yourself by permitting
officers who are under your control 70 disregard
and trample on them. For obvious reasons con-
nected with the public service, It is desirable ~
avoid, so far rs may be possible, any appearances
Jt a collision between MS on such suyilct.
IfyOu conceive that the law, as it no stands.
is unwise or inCouvcnlcut, Congress Is still in
session and you can recommend IN alteration
Off | pray you TO recollect, that under ;uis
law as II exists my duty aud responsibility are
co-eXtcnsive with my authority. ! have no alter
native 6u' to exercise it in conformity with my
best Judgment and discretion.
l therefore do most respectfully, but most
earnestly, request from you the assurance thl.
you will Immediately give orders which shall be
effective Ontall your officers, " obey the acts Of
Congress above referred TO -
FIRST BY mastering out any icld, staff or
company officers in the regiments OF Psnnsylya-
mia Volunteers whose commissions shall have
been revoked and superseded by the Governor
OF this State; and
Second. By mastering in except IN cases pro-
yidcd for by the act Of Congressl any persons
who shall have been commissioned as such ofii-
GERS in such regiments by the Governor Of the
state whether as original appointments or 70 fill
vacancies.
Under great dscouragements, this Common
wealth and her authorities have endeavOred in
every way to aid the Government In its struggles
with treason and am proud 70 believe have
most promptly, and fully, and chesrfuv dis
charged their whole duty in Iis regard and by
the lies sing OF God will continue TO do so.
Her citizens have freely she'd their blood IN
Jelrnse OF our common country. They have
volunteered in her service on the faith OF solemn
a.surauces, by acts Of Congress approved by your
SELF that the selection OF their reginantll Officers
should be confded b the authorities Of their own
STATE, who would be comparatively familiar with
I
Sir, implore you, do not teach them that these
assurances have been solemn deCeptiOns, lu1
may be violated at the whim OF any person hold
ne position 10 any of the grades # the military
hleraTChy, from the cOmmanler-n chief DOM
to mu;t5rins officer. Very respectfully, yous
Obelient servant, \. q. CURTIN.
To the President,
To this no reply WAS received. On the recligt
OF the following letters, addressed T. the Sur
| geon. General of Pennsylvania, surgeons were lt
once assigned 70 the regiment and were ordered
forward -
| HEADQUARTERS SECOND 7 PENNSYLVANIA HflsA.
ARTILLERY, Provisional Brigade, lst Division, 9th
| Army Corps, Virginia, May 20, iS6i.-AdiutGnt-
General United States Army-Sir Fer she
| reason that no medical attendance has been per-
manently attached TO my regiment by the De-
paitment, | appeal 10 my brigade commander
who assigned temporarily Assistant Surgeon
Philips, l4th New York Artillery.
| would respectfully request that Assistant
SnrgeonL Philips be permanently attached az
surge Ofthis regiment not only for his energy
anu abiiry, but tor the marked success witi
which he alone has managed the twelve hundred
men now in my command. ], iS needless for
me To set forth the importance of having pecmg-
nCnt medical attendance
The two assistant surgeons ordered T. report
70 NE by the Medical Department ut Washing
ton are not with the regiment. The one left IT,
alter brirg attached two days, without eyer re-
porting cause therefor; the other has not yet
reported. am, General, most respectfully, yOnr
Obedicnt servant, THos. which,
Col. Prov. "a PCnna. Heavy Art, Com.
SURGEON-G Generals OFFIcE June a. 1866.
"A true copy CHAs. G. Lee,
Assistant Surgeon U. $. A.
SURGEoN GENERALS OFPICB, WAsHiN.4oN
CRY, ID. c June II, lS64.-Sir II an directed
by the Acting Surgeon-Gcneral TO call your
attention 10 the fact that the provisional Penn
ylyaua I'd Heavy Artillery has been sen- 60 the
field without commissioned medical on. GERS, AMI
that urgent complaints are made upon the want
OF medical attendance, as will be seen by the
enclosed letter.
Your attention is respectfully called q this
subject at your earliest convenience. The Two
assistant surgeons referred 10 10 Colonel WI.
helms letters were serving temporarily under
contract.
BY order Of the Acting Surgeon. General
am, sir, very respectfully, your Ohedien. SER
want, CHARLES c. IEE.
Assistant Surgeon [. :. A.
DR. William S. King Surgeon G eneral Of Pom
sylyania, Harrisburg, Pa.
Before however, the surgeons so assigned hal
joined the regiment the following letter was re-
ceiyed from the Surgeon General of the Uni5ed
States -
SUBGRoN-GENERAL's OFFICE, WASHINGTON
CRY, ID. c., June %, lS6i.-Sr -On the 18th
instant letter was written 20 you calling your
attention 20 the fact thatthe % Provisional Penn
sylyania Heavy Artillery had been sent 20 the
field without commissioned medic d officers.
since the above letter was mailed this office