Medina County OhArchives Military Records.....Blake, Harrison July 28, 1862
Civilwar - Letters 166th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry
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David Holcomb david@holcombs.net October 24, 2006, 12:06 pm

Letter To President Lincoln
From the Abraham Lincoln Papers at the Library of Congress. Transcribed and
Annotated by the Lincoln Studies Center, Knox College. Galesburg, Illinois.

From Harrison G. O. Blake to Abraham Lincoln, July 28, 1862


Medina Ohio July 28th 1862

Dear Sir, as one of the Representatives from the state of Ohio, I regard it as my
duty to say to you that I shall sustain you in all the measures you deem proper to
take to put down this rebellion, having the utmost confidence in your honesty and
ability. It is proper, however, that I should say to you that there is great
dissatisfaction among your friends about the manner that Gen McClellan has managed
the army under his command -- most men here doubt his ability, and very many
question his loyalty. I donot pre sume to say how this is, you ought and doubtless
do know more on this subject than any other person.

I have supposed it to be my duty as long as you kept him in the field to maintain
and support him with all power I could bring to bear; and believing that still to be
my duty I shall continue thus to act. We find it very difficult to get men to enlist
here, they say they will be put to guarding rebel property or digging ditches in
some swamp instead of fighting the enemy. We shall do all we can to get men to
enlist, and we are offering from $25 to $50 in addition to all the bounty that
Government pays, but it goes hard. If the people could know for a certainty that a
more vigorous prosecution of the war would obtain, and that our men would be placed
under competent commanders who desire to put down the rebellion, I have no doubt we
could get any number of men to enlist.

I trust you will receive these suggestions in the kind spirit they are dictated.

I desire to do all I can to aid you in the great work you have to perform; and it is
in no spirit of fault finding that I have written thus plainly to you. I regard it
the duty of every loyal man to cease finding fault and take hold and save our
Country.

Yours Truly

H G Blake

[Blake was a Republican member of Congress (1859-63) from Ohio and became colonel of
the 166th Ohio in 1864.] 




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