Francis J. Parker to John A. Andrew, 21 September 1861
No 80 Chester Park,
Boston September 21. 1861.
Sir.
I have been quite unfortunate in my endeavors to see you since my return, and will not trespass upon your patience beyond this.
The tender which was made to me by the parties interested of the command of the Irish regiment & which was at once accepted by me, was at no solicitation or suggestion of mine either directly or indirectly. I did not and do not seek or desire that or any other position—if it comes to come it must come as a duty from which I will not shrink. A military position implies to me sacrifices too large to allow me to wish for it and sufficient to overcome my natural inclination to such pursuits. I say this in order that you who can appreciate such feelings should understand me.
The programme as presented to me was that the whole influence of those who control the ideas with which our Irishmen sympathize could be enlisted in the prompt completion of the enrollment—that having no officers of their own it was to be officered by such persons as were deemed best qualified—ie American—and that it was to be purely and simply a Massachusetts regiment. That the advantage on their side of a separate regiment consisted in the expectation that the Chaplain would be of their most common faith and thus the rites of their religion could be always at hand.
It had no connection whatever with the Irish Brigade of New York and had best have none.
My friends in the army, perhaps with some hue of personal regard, assure me of my competency & Gen Franklin who volunteered such an assurance said that he did it without relation or reference to any military knowledge or experience, but as I have already written to you the commission for examination has not been appointed at Washington and probably will not be.
It seems to me that for the public interest the question of the command & organization of the regiment should be determined soon and I know that for my own interest a decision is very desirable in order that I may lay out my own cause. Should you arrange for the regiment without me I shall be quite content and will use all the influence at my command, which I think is considerable, for its speedy enlistment in any shape.
The matter remains in your Excellency's hands & with the highest respect I shall ever be,
Very truly Yours
&c &c &c
Frans J. Parker
Gov Andrew
DATABASE CONTENT
| (4162) | DL1842.001 | 192 | Letters | 1861-09-21 |
Collection of 28 Letters and Documents relating to Colonel Francis Jewett Parker, 32nd Massachusetts Infantry, September 21, 1861 through July 7, 1863, re: Battle Fredericksburg, 28th Massachusetts (Irish Brigade), Confederate diplomats John Slidell and James Murray Mason, Trent Affair, Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, British intervention, foreign diplomacy, disease, illness, malaria, typhoid fever, political appointments [1861, 1862, 1863]
Tags: Duty, Enlistment, Irish Americans, Promotions, Religion
People - Records: 2
Places - Records: 1
- (237) [origination] ~ Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
SOURCES
Francis J. Parker to John A. Andrew, 21 September 1861, DL1842.001, Nau Collection
