St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-12-22

L mere uluSb nave DeeH SOIu6 TenueZNOuS
where volunteers could be enrolled, their
names, aye and residences recorded. Why
did not Col Hausdorf in his letter mention
something about the place and the date of
his enrolling his name as a volunteer? l
will endeavOr to do this much for him and
at the same time show that l had volun-
teered at least two days before the time lie
states that he entered the hall of the Pio-
neer guards on Third street ON the 10th
day of April in 1861. think the state
ment l shall make on this subject
will also establish fact not gen
orally known that Minnesota has the
honor of being the first state in the Union
to make tender of troops to President
Lincoln for the war of the rebellion. and 1T
is owing to this circumstance and fact that
the occasion arose which gave me the honor
of being the first volunteer in the United
State for the defense of the Union. The
facts are as follows: On the 18th day of
April, 1861, the day the rebels fired the first
gun on Fort Sumter, Gov. Ramsey was
in Washington City. When the news be-
came known in Washington Gov. Ramsey
immediately called at the war department
and made tender of / 900 men from Min
nesota, which were then and there ac
copied. Gov. Ramsey went direct to the
telegraph office. sent dispatch to Lieut..
Gov. Donnelly at st. Paul, informing him
of what he (the governor) had done and in
structing Lieut.. Gov. Donnelly to at once
take steps to organize regiment of v0lun-
teerS.
Lieut. Gov. Donnelly upon receipt of the
dispatch Immediately. called on Capt A. L.
Chambin. who was at the time captain of
the Pioneer guards, and notified him of the
bo lo1 inst Gnu
Ramsey; and he requested Capt. Chamblin
to call meeting OF the company and find
out what action the company would take.
etc. Capt. Chamblin visited each and
every member of the company then in the
city and notified each one that there would
be an important meeting of the company
that night at the armOrY, etc. think every
member who was in the city responded
promptly to the call and our armory was
also crowded with citizens and spectators.
who were anxious to see what the Pioneer
guards intended doing. and many of them
also anxious to volunteer and join the COM
pany.
Capt. Chamblin called the meeting to order.
read the governors dispatch, and in a few
words announced the object of the meeting.
ETC.. which was for the purpose of learning
what acton the company would take in the
event of volunteers being called for. Bear
in mind this was three days. nearly, before
President Lincoln issued his first proclama-
ton calling for $4,000 volunteers for three
months. The question as to what action the
company would take was fully and freely
discussed nearly every member present hav-
ing made remarks, ETC., and it was finally
unanimously agreed that the company
would go upon call being made for troops.
From the fact the Pioneer Guards at this
time was composed largely of our principal
business men. who could not suddenly leave
their business engagements, motion was
that the secretary prepare book for
the purpose of taking down the names of
all those present who were willing to volun-
teer, which motion was carried. This mo-
ton was made expressly for the purpose of
giving any of the citizens. present at the
meeting an opportunity OF joining the new
company. .-'-''..
DR.. Patterson, who was the secretary of
the company and of this meeting. took from
his desk an ordinary little blank pass-book
and handed it to Capt. Chamblin, remark
the present Capt. Chamblin took this
book and announced to the meeting that ali
those present who desired to signify their
intention of volunteering for the war could
step up and sign their names, etc.
Immediately l stepped forward, re-
marking at the time. Here is
one for the war;" and then wrote my name
in his book. [ was Immediately followed
by some thirty or forty others who entered
their names, all of whom | think were mem
bers of the Pioneer guard. This is the time
| and the occasion of my volunteering, and it
was the only time that | ever wrote my
| name as volunteer, and it is upon
the circumstances above stated and enumer-
ated that base my claim to the honor of
being the first volunteer for the defense of
| the Union in the United States, and of be-
| ing the first man in the first company of the
| first regiment, etc.
| 1t was decided at this same meeting that
| the armOry should be thrown open the next
| day as rendezvous, which was done, and
| numerous volunteers were enlisted on that
| day. and on the evening of the same day the
proclamation was issued. | began squad
drill at the armory and drilled the company
every day until the officers were elected and
| the company ordered to report at Fl. Smell
| ling. Col. Hausdorf was not present at the
| meeting mentioned above nor was he in the
| armory for several days after the events
| above mentioned occurred. Col. Hausdorf
| in his letter states that on April 10th, 1861,
he marched up Third street, etc., and
claims this date as the time for his volun-
teering. On the 10Th of April, 1861, general
orders were issued from the adjutant gen.
erals at st. Paul calling for ten companies
of volunteers which was the day after
President Lincoln issued his proclamation
calling for $4,000 three months
men, ETC., too late for any
one to claim being the first volunteer,
To corroborate the above statements I re-
| fer to ex-Gov and Senator Ramsey, to Aid
| William Van Slyke, who was present at
this meeting and who was a lieutenant in
| the Pioneer guard at the time; to II. B.
| Campbell, of Campbell & Burbank, who.
| think, was also present: to Theodore Borllp,
| James j. Hill. now president of the St.
| Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba railroad,
| who, think, was also present; to Thomas
| Van Ettin, who was one that enlisted the
night in question: and many others whose
names l cannot now recall, but who we've
present on the occasion referred to and
know the particulars and events above
| stated.
Col Hausdorf emphatically contradicts
my statement that the regiment was dis
banded. and proceeds to give the facts by
stating that the regiment was ordered home
| about two months before the three years
service had expired for the purpose of re-
| enliStng as veterans, etc. | did not dispute
this know it to be fact. l also know
that some fifty or sixty men in the regiment
re-enlisted before the expiration of their
term of service expired in the First regi-
ment. but, nevertheless the First regiment
was disbanded and all the companies, off
GERS and men, were mustered out of the
service the first week in May, 1864 and the
veteran battalion of two companies was
organized and recruited after the old First
! was ont of service and no longer an organi-