67. U.S. Sen. James Harlan and others to Lincoln on promotion of Gen. Grenville M. Dodge to major general

67. U.S. Sen. James Harlan and others to Lincoln on promotion of Gen. Grenville M. Dodge to major general

Letter from U.S. Senator James Harlan and other Iowa Congressional delegates to Abraham Lincoln outlining General Grenville M. Dodge's military accomplishments that merit his promotion to major general and requesting that Lincoln intervene on Dodge's behalf. January 29, 1864. Copy.

1864-01-29

Becki Plunkett and Stephen Vincent

Copyright State Historical Society of Iowa. Information at http://www.iowahistory.org/libraries/services-and-fees/conditions-for-image-reproductions.html

Original scanned at 600 dpi w/ sRGB color space.

State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines

Special Collections: Grenville M. Dodge Papers

11/6/2008

H[ouse of] Representatives, 29th January 1864 To the President: The undersigned, Senators and Representatives from Iowa, in Congress, call the attention of the President to the following facts: Brig. General Grenville M. Dodge, then commanding the Military District of Corinth, sought an active command under General Grant, in the operations against Vicksburg, but was refused for the reason given, that his services, where he then commanded the left wing, were of the highest importance, and could not be dispensed with. What these services were, are best made known by the official fact that Genl. [Ulysses] Grant named him first entitled to promotion from the rank of Brigadier to that of Major General, among all the officers of his command, after the fall of Vicksburg. Based upon and referring to this recommendation of General Grant, General [William] Halleck commanding the Army, reported him to the Secretary of War about the 10th of August last, at the head of the list for promotion. The Secretary of War, about the 12th of August in writing approved this paper of Genl. Halleck. But General Dodge has not yet been nominated, though places have existed in that Army since that time. Since General Dodge has had a separate command in the Southwest, a long period, he has never been censured officially, or by the public, not met with noticeable reverse or misfortune: he has commanded at times from 12,000 to 26,000 troops; now commands 21 Regiments and 5 batteries; of whom nearly 18 Regiments and 3 batteries have re-enlisted as veterans, mainly owing to his personal exertions, and personal influence over his command. He has raised out of the material found in the country occupied by him, about four Regiments of white troops (Tennessee, Alabama, & Miss[issip]pi) and five Regiments of colored troops. Within the last month, he has raised nearly 2,000 of the latter. Since he was placed in command of Pulaski, he has rebuilt 70 miles of railroad, remounted his original mounted force, and besides, has mounted three add[itiona]l Infantry Regiments, and has turned over to Government about 2000 mules and horses, taken from rebels, and numerous bales of cotton. This, and much more, has been done in the midst of successful military operations against rebel detachments and guerillas. Are not such officers worthy of official recognition? Strongly impressed with the justice of our request, as due on military grounds, and due to the State of Iowa, which has never offered any 9 months, one year, or two years men to the Government, but has voluntarily met every call, including the last with a surplus, We ask the President, to personally examine the record and recommendations of this officer, and to decide our application purely upon its merits, and cause justice to be done. Jas. Harlan, U.S. S[enate] Jn. Grimes, U.S. S[enate] Wm. B. Allison 3d Dist. James F. Wilson, 1st Dist. J. B. Grinnell, 4th Dist. A. W. Hubbard, 6th Dist. H. Price, 2nd Dist. John A. Kasson, 5th Dist.