J. E. Callaway to Richard Yates

with J.E. Callaway letter 2/23/65

Head quarters

21st Ill. Vol. Inf'y.

Huntsville Ala Feb'y 9th 1865.

Hon Rich Yates,

Dear Sir,

Your kind letter of

Dec'r 18th accompanying commissions for Major

Jamison & myself came to hand in good time

for which please receive my sincere thanks.

Allow me, though at a late date to congratulate

you on your late brilliant & most signal success.

Politically I was much gratified but

personally I rejoiced with "exceeding great joy"

Certainly no one could feel a deeper & more

sincere interest & pleasure in your triumph

than I did & have ever done.

In regards to the suggestions of your letter

I had "taken time by the forelock" & had written

earnest letters to Mr. Bromwell M.C. elect,

to Senator Peters of Vermillion County Malden

Jones, Mr Spink of Paris & other gentlemen

including the Members from Piatt & [Moultrie?].

I received a letter from Mr Bromwell in

reply a few days since. He had been absent

in Indiana Since Nov. 18th attending at the

bedside of his Sick wife & was therefore unable

to render you any direct assistance.

On the death of his most excellent wife he wrote

me informing me of his [irreparable?] loss & though

overwhelmed with grief he expressed much pleas-

ure & gratification at your election to the Senate

& made merry over the utter [rout?] & [discomfiture?]

of our enemies in Illinois.

I deeply sympathize with our friend in his

affliction as his wife was one of the most accom-

plished and amiable ladies I have ever known

and Mr Bromwell I have ever valued as one

of the best & noblest of men.

Governor, I am exceedingly anxious to have

enough Vols or Drafted men assigned to the 21st Ills

in order, if possible, to fill it to the maximum or

at least to the minimum. The gallant old

regiment now numbers only 214 aggregate & only

128 aggregate present for duty! 44 being on

detached Service & the others are absent some woun-

ded other on furlough &c. Now is this not

sufficient to dishearten & may I say demoralize

any officer whatever his qualifications?

When I was a Captain, nearly four years ago

I commanded 100 men, now as Lieut Col I com-

mand 128 & this after four years hard Service &

much valuable experience. Do you not think

there is more probability of my becoming extin-

guished than distinguished? Can you assist

me in any manner in having the reg't filled?

The Shameful & foolish policy of raising new reg'ts

from our State (while there are fifty -- old, gallant

Veteran regiments that number little if any

over two hundred men each) will I fear doom

us to some sort of consollidation or final extinction.

I can not look upon such policy with any

degree of Charity. And again the 21st seems to

be the object of total neglect. The 38th Ills. with-

out their knowledge have had 200 men assigned

to them. Also the 36th 41st 57th 59th & others have

had large numbers of men assigned them,

while the 21st has not been noticed -- entirely ignored.

Major Jamison, then [Comg?] & I have both made

written applications to the Sect'y of war to have

men assigned us. I have also written a personal

communication to Lt Genl Grant.

Will you be kind enough to see our noble old

hero Gov. Oglesby & together see if anything can

be done for us?

I would also, most earnestly ask that you will

if consistent with your views, speak a favorable

word with the Governor in my behalf - For that

I am upon any other than [good?] terms with the

Gov. for our relations are most amicable & he has

no better friend than myself living in the Prairie

State or that wears a blue coat.

As an evidence of this, I will say, that I wrote him

a letter about a year ago, while he was at Washington

asking him to become a Candidate & pledging him

my support for the Gubernatorial Chair & I redeemed

that pledge most faithfully while at home last spring.

Gov. the "peace rumors" having ended in Smokes

we will doubtless have to fight it out like men, & as the

war now promises to continue perhaps for years.

I believe I will try and scramble a notch or two

higher. If I behave myself becomingly is it not

practicable? There [are?] greater [dunces?] than I am,

much higher. I would not ask for or accept a position

that I feared I could not fill with credit to myself

& justice to the Gov't. I have had a large experience

& have some creditable & flattering recommendations.

I would be most happy to hear from you at your

liesure & convenience.

Permit me to renew the appearances of my

most profound respect & to remain

Your most Obt Servant

J E Callaway

Lieut Col &c

Lt. Col. Jas E. Callaway

21st Regt. Ill. Vols.

Huntsville Ala

Feb 9 1865-

Regiment reduced to 214 agte

Earnest appeal for assignment

of more men- Regts organized

later than 21 have had men

assigned - theirs overlooked

or forgotten--Mentions his de-

sire for promotion &c. - Congrat-

ulatory over Election to U.S.S. &c

Wrote Sec of War urgently request

ing assignment of several hundred

men-- Also to Gen Oglesby re-

questing him to aid &c and

[D?] Callaway of what action

taken with his case generally

March 11 '65 Wash D C

Loomis

Sec.