The National tribune., 1878-04-01
1.-THE Truth of History"

peated often claim of of the less dis
of General Camerons friends that he of the
few who appreciated the magnitude of the rebellion
at the beginning Of the and wanted five hundred
Thousand troops summoned into the service at We
that General Cameron himself is not party to
this claim of exceptional knowledge of the situation at
the of hosttics between the North and
the South FOR he well knows that the record concus
lively against him the issue that he would not permit
himself be exposed the just criticism that such folly
must provoke Having corrected the of the harris
burg Tegrdph in recent article that journal returns to
the defense of its position and in its Issue of Monday
says:
"The Philadelphia Times essays to dispute the state
of General w. w. III. Davis that had General Cam
eron's views prevailed the beginning of the war the
first call for troops would have 500 instead of
for 0O0 was expected that Times would attempt
to deny this statement and not less expected that
jointly the credit for being the first in the nation to som
prehcnd the widespread extent of the war
We content to rest the question whether Gen
era Cameron urged that 800 600 volunteers be called ont
at the outbreak of the General Davis testimony
We pass the characteristic reference Governor
Curtin and the editor of this journal, propose to
present the facts bearing directly the point of dispute
and settle them that they viii be questioned here
after only by ignorance iasehood.
On the 18th of April, 1861, President Lincoln issued
proclamation calling for seventyve thousand men 70
for the period of three months The quota assigned
To Pepnsvlyana was FIRST sixteen regiments of infantry
and afterwards reduced fourteen Major General Pat
terson of this city, assigned to the command of The
Department of Washington" embracing the States OF
Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland and the District of
Columbia General Patterson promptly repaired to llar
risburg to the responsible command assigned to
uprising in Baltimore, the hostile attitude Of the popua
ton of that city the desruconof the railroad bridges
severed all communication between the loyal States and
For days General Patterson who was the military
commander Of all the territory between Harrisburg and
Washington aud specially charged with its protection
without orders from General Scott the Secretary
of War; and unable TO communicate with them in any
way The quota OF Pennsy lvania was promptly filed and
large excess volunteers offered to Governor Cur
tin. General Patterson describes the situation in his
History Of the Shenandoah Valley Campaign, page 2s
as follows
The interruption of all communication with Washing
left in the absence of orders, to rely wholly
judgment the Commander of the Department. and
then took step y which incurred very great respon-
sibty, and although received the implied of the
War Department by the revocation of my order soon as
they able to communicate with the North yet have
regretted it, and confidently appeal TO subsequent
events to justify my action
The step referred by General Patterson that called
forth the implied of Secretary Cameron
his formal requisiton upon Governor Curtin, dated Apri
20, 1861, III which he said
~ feel it my duty express you my clear and de
cded opinion that the force at the disposal of this depart
ment should be increased without delay have, there
fore request your Exceency direct that twenty-five
additional regiments of infantry and regiment Of
airy be called for forthwith, to be mustered into the ser
vice of the United States =
Governor Curtin fully conceded with General Patterson
the call made upon him, and he issued his pro
clamaton for men fill the requston that wouC
have placed forty thousand Pennsylvania troops in th
field once and twenty thousand of them would hav
been without the seized upon by of the hre
months men to march away from the first battlefield
the music Of the enemys cannon, because their term
service had expired The response to Governor Curtin
call prompt from every section of the Commonwealth
and the whole requson would have been filed in fey
days had not Secretary Cameron ayaied himself of tn
first reopening of communication with the North to motif
General Patterson that his requisition for twentysi
thousand troops for the unconditional
revoked, stating to the exact language of Secrear
Cameron to General Patterson that ii 'more impor
ant to reduce than to enlarge the number OF the origins
call by the President.
The writer hereof well remembers the consultation th
followed at the Executive Chamber, between Gener
Patterson and his staff and the civil authorities of ii
State There was but judgment shared by all-th;
the troops would be needed and John Sherman then Sci
ator and volunteer aid General Patterson's staff,
instructed to confer with Secretary Cameron and conynC
him that the troops called for in Pennsy yvania would
needed and should be accepted. What Secretary Cam
rons views of the necessity for five hundred housal
troops at that time, is best stated by Shermans
port General Patterson after he had vainy pleaded
large army. In his report, dated May 30, 1861,