The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1865-01-12
The following letters have passed be-
tween General Hancock and myself on this
PENNSYLVANIA EXECUTIVE CHAMBER,

subject:
PENNSYLVANIA EXECUTIVE CHAMBER,
HARRISBURG, Pa, Dec. 29 1864.
GENERAL Il received your letter at the
moment of my departure for Philadelphia on
Monday last. l returned this morning, and
hasten to reply.
Having no knowledge of the organization
of the corps you are to command than what
appears in the newspapers and orders, l will
be obliged if you will inform me if it is to be
regarded as part of the regular army of the
United States or as part of the volunteer SER
vice.
If it is part of the army of the United
States, l certainly have no connection with it,
as Governor of the State. If it is organized
rs volunteers, be pleased 10 inform me under
what act of Congress.
l need not say, General that would be
most happy TO do all in my power personally
and officially to raise force to be command
ed by you. Can We not raise you two or three
regiments IL Pennsylvania, in the usual man.
ner and according to the act of Congress, for
your corps? OF course, l would consult you
IN the selection OF officers, and only commits
sion where you approved.
l cannot understand the Importance Of my
asking that persons be sent to Pennsylvania
10 induce veterans to go to the District of
Columbia to enlist. | certainly will do moth
ing to embarrass the plan proposed.
We have benefits, by general and special
legislation, in Pennsylvania, which attach to
the volunteer and his family. While | will
do nothing to deter the veterans of the State
from entering your corps, hesitate to con-
meet myself with a mode of enlistment which
may deprive them Of such benefits, unless it
is my duty under the law.
A. G. CURTIN.
Maj Gen. WINFIELD S. HANCOCK.
HEADQUARTERS FIRST CoRPs,
WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. 81, 1864 I
To his Excellency Hon. 4. G. Curtin, Governor
Of Pennsylvania
SIR Il have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your communication of the goth
inst, and have referred the same to the War
Department. l thank you for your kind e4-
preston of personal good will, and regret
that there should be any occasion for hesita-
tion on your part to lend your official infiu-
ence, as Governor, to the raising of the corps
as proposed by the War Department.
1t is not within my province, perhaps, to
| discuss the plan of organization, as am act
ing under the direct orders of the War De-
partment and my own views, therefore, are
of no practical moment. may say, however
that 1 have no knowledge of the organization
other than what have derived from the Or
ders and circulars of which mailed you OFF,
cial copies December 9Th.
l cannot see how volunteers for this corps
from your State lose any OF the advantages
attaching to those for other organizations.
They are credited to the localities where
they or their families are domiciled, and count
on the quota of your State.
1t should be borne in mind that this is an
effort to get men into service who are not
subject to a draft.
l have the honor to remain, very respect
fully, your obedienJ servant,
WINFIELD s. HANCOCK,
The only act Of Congress for raising
voluntee ers that I am aware of, requires
that the field and line officers shall be
commissioned by the Governors Of the
several States. The men in this corps are
not to be formed into organizations of the
respective States, and it is proposed that
its officers shall be appointed by the gen.
! eral government. | know Of no act of
Congress Or of Assembly under which men
so raised will be entitled to pensions, or
| their families to benefits from the United
| States or State Government. In addition,
! [ will observe that without any feeling OF
| jealousy, | am still not ready to participate
| actively in transferring to the United
States illegally the right of appointment
vested in the State, and which the State
authorities can exercise with more discrim-
ination by reason of having greater
familiarity with the merits Of the citizens
Of their own State, than the United.States
authorities can possibly have. l will
transmit any further communication that
[ may receive on this subject. 1t will be
perceived by reference to the correspond
ence, that [ have offered to raise, in the
manner provided by law, two or three
regiments of veterans for Hancock S Corps.
My desire is to assist the Government in
every legal mode In raising men, and
especially to facilitate an othcer-a native
nsylvanian-so distinguished as Gen
eral Hancock, in his efforts to organize a
new corps.
shall throw no obstacles in his way on
the present occasion, but cannot, certain
| ly, be expected to invite violation OF
law in carrying out plan which sacrifices
the rights of the State under existing
laws, and would leave the men unprotected
by them so far as concerns future provis-
| ion for their comfort and that OF their
families.
will further observe that it appears by
the report Of the Adjutant General, here
with transmitted, that the State, under
the system established by law, has put
into the military service of the United
States since the commencement Of the
war, the following number Of men, viz:
Troops sent into service during 1864.
| Organizations for three years
| term ..............................-. J,coi
! Organizations for hundred
| days term ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. i.oio