Future Governor of Iowa talks to President & others to help general with appointment
Author
Recipient
Date Written
Sept. 16, 1863
William Milo Stone was 35 years old when this was written.
The recipient, Elliot Warren Rice, was 27 when it was received.
William Milo Stone died 29 years, 10 months, 2 days after writing this.
It was written 160 years, 7 days ago.
It was a Wednesday.
Knoxville Iowa
Sept 16, 1863
Dear Colonel,
Yours was duly rec’d. I wrote to a friend of mind today in Washington to call on the Secretary of War and ascertain whether your appointment had been made, and if not to have the President’s attention called to it. I can hardly think that they intend to pass you, as your appointment had been ordered by the President, yet Sam ‘s appointment may have been made by mistake in place of yours, or it may be the vacancies are now all filled, and that there is no room for you. However, I shall know as soon as my friend can ascertain and write me.
I am pleased with the reports I receive as to the political feelings in the army. And all hands, and from every quarter, I am assured of the support of all loyal voters. Our meetings throughout the state, this year, are by far larger and more enthusiastic than those of any previous year. Grimes and Harlan put my majority of the home vote, at 20,000, as do most of our speakers who are in the field.
The copperheads are generally in support of Tuttle [James Madison Tuttle], but the really ground war democrats do not; they regard his letter as a miserable subterfuge, dictated by politicians who induced him to become a candidate and introduced only to deceive union men. This is the general expression which he will not be able to overcome. The “New York Boy” is in a bad row of stumps.
I am sorry the General allowed himself to be used by these men, as they are not, and never have been since he entered the service his real friends. They did not expect to elect him and desired the use of his name merely for the purpose of strengthening their weak tickets throughout the state. He told me several times that he would not, under any circumstances, allow them to use his name, and even went so far to say he would support me! I really think it would have been better in the end to have supported a Black Republican, that to be destroyed by copperheads.
Let me here from you often, and especially keep me advised in regard to the matter of your appointment, as I think we can get it through without difficulty.
Very truly yours,
W. M. Stone
Scans of Letter
