H. Berdan to Joseph A. Warner

With Thomas Dummer letter 11/13/61

Copy

Camp of Instruction

Berdan's U.S. Sharpshooters

Washington 8 November 1861

Joseph A. Warner Esq

Chicago Illinois

Sir I hereby authorize you to raise a company of sharpshooters for one of my regiments and to report with the same to me at this camp with as little delay as possible. You will have every man completely examined by a competent surgeon and under no circumstances will you accept any but strong able bodied men. Neither will you muster in any private who has not made a string of ten shots at rest with globe or telescopic sights at two hundred yards not exceeding fifty meters or the same string at one hundred yards with the common open sights. Camp and garrison equipage uniforms etc will be furnished here also superior rifles, with sharps improved breechgate, cast steel barrel, patched ball, double triggers rifle stock all complete and in the best manner made to order and in my judgment greatly superior to any guns you can bring for this branch of the service. I shall endeavor to put all companies from the same state in

one regiment. You will report to me from time to time on the progress you are making.

Yours respectfully

H. Berdan

Col. Commanding U.S. Sharpshooters

Chicago November 13, 1861

To Governor Yates

The above is a copy of an authority from Col Berdan to me to raise a company for his brigade. I hereby apply to you 1- for a commission as captain or an order therefore according to the practice in such case. 2- for permission to recruit men in this state for said company. 3d for subsistence & clothing for my men and an order to have my men submited & quartered in Camp Douglas; 4- for such aid in the way of passes &c as is by law given to recruiting officers.

I take the liberty to add that the men who will enlist in this celebrated corps are those who will not volunteer in the ordinary regiments of the line. They are to be reserved for special services, such as their qualities fit them for. If they do not enlist in this corps their services will probably be lost to the country.

Even if they should enlist in some regular regiment of the line their efficiency would not equal that which they will have when they are kept for this specialty. The enclosed correspondence of Col. Berdan with the War Department shows the importance attached to this corps by the Federal Government, and it should be the pride of Illinois to contribute our quota to a body of men whose services have already been of so immense value to our cause.

I wish to have the company raised as an “Illinois Company” & to be branded as “Illinois troops” I would like to have such a permission from the Governor to recruit in both the military departments of the state as would excite public attention and create an interest in the movement and this not only because I would like to have the sanction of the Governor of Illinois to what I am already authorized to do but because I hope that no little credit will accrue to the state from the conduct of this Company

The Governors of other states have uniformly made this corps an exception to the general rule that recruits were not to

to be taken from the units of their respective states for independent organizations, and nowhere has the corps had [illegible] friends than in the Northwest.

Hoping that you will also conclude to allow a company to be organized here I remain

Very respectfully yours

Joseph A. Warner