Abraham Lincoln papers
From Carl Schurz to Abraham Lincoln, July 2, 1862
Camp near Middletown, July 2. 1862.
Dear Sir,
1 I have just received your letter of yesterday— From what it contains I draw the conclusion that Gen. 2 Blenker has made statements as to the changes that have taken place in this army, which were 3 very far from being correct and fair. The simple truth is this. When I met Gen. Fremont I gave him your letter without offering a single word of comment. I asked for a command without urging upon him any special desire as to what command I wanted to have. A few days after we had arrived at Mount Jackson Gen. Fremont made up his mind to reorganize the army. His reasons were these: 4 5 The army consisted of 5 brigades, Gen. Schenks, Gen. Milroys, and 3 brigades under comand 6 of Gen. Blenker and 2 regiments under Col. Cluseret. Gen. Blenker thus commanded over 1/2 of the whole army. This organization, in a military point of view could not be maintained, and in fact, the 3 brigades, constituting Gen. Blenkers Division, had already for some time received their orders directly from Gen. Fremont, without their first going through Gen. Blenker. It is obvious and everybody can well understand it, that an army cannot be organized in 1 Division and 3 little brigades, counting Col. Cluserets two regiments as one. This was the reason why Gen. Fremont thought it necessary to reorganize the army.
1 Lincoln's letter has not been located.
3 John C. Fremont
4 Robert C. Schenck
5 Robert H. Milroy
6 Col. Gustave P. Cluseret was a veteran of the Crimean War, and served on George B. McClellan's staff before joining Fremont.
Abraham Lincoln papers http://www.loc.gov/resource/mal.4228500 Gen. Fremont organised 3 Divisions of 2 brigades each and 1 independent brigade (Milroys). This was reasonable. In making up a command for me he consulted me but once, and I asked for nothing but one brigade and Cluserets 2 regiments. Without my asking for it, Gen. Fremont gave 7 me Bohlens brigade, at his own request, not mine; for Gen. Bohlen, an aged and respectable gentleman, declared to Gen. Fremont, that he wanted to be transferred from Blenker to me, and that if he was not taken away from Blenker, he did not think he could serve any longer. I had not seen Gen. Bohlen a single time before this happened, and I had not the least knowledge of what steps he did in that respect. In consequence of this Gen. Bohlen was at his own urgent request placed under my command, and Blenker remained in command of a Division consisting of the 2 brigades 8 9 of Generals Stahel and Steinwehr. This is the truth and the whole truth, and this is the use of yo I made of your letter to Gen. Fremont; that is, I presented it to him and never spoke of it again. Thus I am in command of a brigade whose commander would have resigned, if he had remained under Gen. Blenker, and who, as he tells me, would certainly resign, if he should be put back there again. And Gen. Blenker has remained in command of a Division, consisting of 2 brigades and consistent as to its size with the general organization of the army, of which it is the largest.
7 Henry Bohlen, a wealthy Philadelphia merchant, raised and commanded the 75th Pennsylvania Infantry before his promotion to brigadier general. He was killed August 22, 1862 at Freeman's Ford, Virginia.
9 Adolph von Steinwehr, a former officer in the army of the Duke of Brunswick, commanded the all-German 29th New York, before being promoted brigadier general on October 12, 1861.
In justice to myself I demand that my conduct shall not be judged by the statements of one, who is certainly not more entitled to credit than myself. If I have sunk so low, — then please cashier my commission and let me go home. I cannot deny, that I am deeply mortified by your letter and Capt. Wermerskirchs report of the conversations he had with you.
Permit me to say a word in favor of others. This morning we received notice that all officers appointed as additional aids on Gen. Fremonts staff were to be sent off, and that their commissions had expired with Gen. Fremonts withdrawal from the service. This would take away the two staff- officers you had the kindness to assign specially to me, Major E. Hoffmann and Capt. C. Spraul, and this, I suppose, is not the intention They are most efficient and valuable officers, one acting as assistant adjutant general, and the other as aid. They are so indispensable to me, that I should be at
Abraham Lincoln papers http://www.loc.gov/resource/mal.4228500 a loss, how to find two men equally well qualified and useful. They would have to be reappointed, I suppose, as aids to some other general and then ordered again to report to me for duty. Thinking that it was your intention, that these two officers should remain with me, I ordered them to stay until further advices should be received from Washington. You would oblige me by giving orders to this effect, — or otherwise providing for them in case you should deem it proper to deprive me of my 10 command and call me off. Pardon me for saying that your confidence in me cannot be great, if it can be shaken by the mere ex-parte statements of a man like Gen. Blenker. Pardon me also, if I should have not been careful and guarded in my language, for I have written this letter hurriedly and I feel deeply about the matter.
10 Maj. Ernest F. Hoffman and Capt. Charles Spraul were allowed to remain on Schurz's staff.
Truly yours
C. Schurz
P. S. Permit me to say, that what Gen. Blenker says of “being degraded” etc. is to say the least, a fanciful exaggeration. The fact is his Division was too large as a part of the general organization of the army. It was reduced to a convenient size. Your letter asked Gen. Fremont to give me “as good command as consistent”; he gave me a very moderate one, much smaller than Blenkers. I am sorry to trouble you about this, but it is not my fault. I do so in self-defense.
C. S—
Abraham Lincoln papers http://www.loc.gov/resource/mal.4228500