John Belser to Richard Yates

Camp Butler

Aug 31 1861

Governor,

The following is my dispatch to the Times. It speaks for itself.

Respectfully,

John Belser

FROM CAMP BUTLER.

Special Dispatch to The Chicago Times.

CAMP BUTLER, Sangamon Co., Ill., Aug. 30.

Governor Yates to-day made the following appointments:

Captain C. J. Tinkham, of Champaign county, Lieutenant-Colonel; Robert A. Gillmore, of Chicago, Major; S. A, Buckmaster, Jr., of Alton, Adjutant; and C. A. Nasero, of Chicago, Quartermaster, of the Twenty-sixth Regiment, Colonel Loomis.

Philip B. Fouke, Colonel; Ellias S. Dennis, Lieutenant-Colonel; and Thomas A. McClurken, Major, of the Thirtieth Regiment.

Lafayette McCrillis, Lieutenant-Colonel; and Thomas Homer, Major, of the Third Cavalry Regiment.

Of the above-named officers, I know seven to be staunch democrats, which refutes the assertion that it is the intention of the Governor to allow political preferences to control him in the selection of the field-officers of the regiments now in course of organization here.

The plan of forming regiments of companies from the different Congressional districts has been abandoned, and regiments are now organized as fast as companies arrive on the ground.

Companies continue to arrive in large numbers, principally from Egypt. Southern Illinois has been well tried, and, so far from having been found wanting, she has far exceeded the most sanguine expectations of all, in the numbers of her loyal sons who are offering themselves to battle for their country.

John Belser

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