Correspondence of Governor Isham Green Harris, 1861
Three Letters on this page.
Isham G. Harris, Governor of Tennessee
In Reply to Simon Cameron, U. S. Secertary of War
(Draft, see image. - 92k)
Executive Department
Nashville Tennessee
April 15th 1861
Hon Simon Cameron
Secretary of War
Washington
D. C.
Sir Your dispatch of 15th Inst.informing Me that Tennessee is called upon for two Regiments of Militia for immediate service, is received.
Tennessee will not furnish a single man for the purpose of Coercion, but 50,000 if necessary for the defense of our rights and those of our Southern brothers. Isham G. Harris
Governor of
Tennessee
Source: Isham G. Harris Papers, Tennessee Library and Archives, Nashville.
Isham G. Harris to Abraham Lincoln, April 29, 1861
(Seizure of ship on Mississippi)
(Draft, see image. - 72k)
Executive DepartmentTo His Excellency the President of the United States.
Nashville Te. Apl. 29. 1861
Washington City. D.C.
Sir;
On the 26th inst. TheSteamboat C. E. Hillman on its passage from St Louis to Nashville was seized and taken possession of by an armed force on the Steamboat Swallow. This seizure was made on the Mississippi River, a short distance above Cairo Illinois. The boat Hillman was owned by citizens of Tennessee, and its cargo was the property of this State and her citizens. It is believed that the force employed in this work is a part of the force recently called into the service by the proclamation of the President.
This interruption of the free navigation of the Mississippi river and the seizure of property belonging to the State of Tennessee and her citizens, is aggressive and hostile, and without commenting upon the character and lawlessness of the outrage, it becomes my imperitative duty to inquire by what authority the said acts were committed. I have therefore respectfully to request that the President shall inform me whether the same was done by or under the instructions of the Federal Government, or is approved by said Government. Very respectfully,
Isham G. Harris
Governor of Tennessee.
Source: The Abraham Lincoln Papers at the Library of Congress Series 1. General Correspondence. 1833-1916.
Abraham Lincoln in Reply to Isham G. Harris
(Draft, unsigned, perhaps unfinished)
Executive Department
Washington D.C. May __ 1861
To His Excellency the Governor of the State of Tennessee --
- Nashville Tenn - Source: The Abraham Lincoln Papers at the Library of Congress Series 1. General Correspondence. 1833-1916.Sir, yours of the 29th ultimo calling my attention to the supposed seizure near Cairo Illinois of the Steamboat C. E. Hillman, and claiming that the said boat and its cargo are the property of the State of Tennessee and her citizens, and demanding to know whether the seizure was made by the authority of this Government, or is approved by it, is duly received -
In answer I have to say this Government has no official information of such seizure; but assuming that the seizure was made, and that the cargo consisted chiefly of Munitions of War owned by the State of Tennessee and passing into the control of its governor, this government avows the seizure for the following reasons -
A legal call was recently made upon the Said Governor of Tennessee to furnish a of Militia to suppress an insurrection against the United States, which call said Governor responded to by a refusal couched in disrespectful and malicious language - this Government therefore infers that Munitions of War passing into the hands of said Governor, and intended to be used against the United States, and the government will not indulge the weakness of allowing it, so long as it is the power to prevent -
This Government will not at present, question but that the State of Tennessee by a majority of its citizens is loyal to the Federal Union, and the government holds itself responsible in damages for all injuries it may __ to say who may from to be such --
