A Recommendation

The Civil War Regimental Correspondence stored at the Maine State Archives in Augusta contains all kinds of interesting letters. Many of them are addressed to Maine’s adjutant general, John Hodsdon, but some are also addressed to the various governors of the state during the war. Go through the correspondence and you will find lots of requests for promotions from soldiers, petitions for the promotion of others from members of various regiments, questions about missing soldiers from fathers, mothers, and wives, and various administrative issues. It’s worth trolling through the files, though, because every so often you come across a real gem, like this letter written on February 6, 1864, from J.H. Cochrane of the Maine State Department to Governor Samuel Cony.

Dear Governor,

One Abial Getchell, A true and loyal citizen of the Hat and Cap persuasion, laboring under the delusion that the influence of the undersigned with your Excellency is very great, has besought me in a lachrymose manner to recommend and solicit the appointment of his son “Phil” as a Second Lieutenant in one of the new regiments to be raised in this state. “Phil,” (if I knew the rest of his name I would give it.) is now carrying a black canvas knapsack and Springfield musket in the Army of the “Potty-mack,” and is, I doubt not, a very brave and very good boy —Abial says he is and I believe it.

He left Maine, I have some reason to believe, with the avowed intention of capturing Jeff Davis, and sending the scalp to his father, who is I should add, an experienced furrier, but unfortunately some indiscreet person “let the thing out”, and that miserable rascal has ever since kept out of Phil’s way. No blame therefore should be attached to the latter, who may yet accomplish his laudable purpose. If he should be appointed as above, it would please Abial.—It would please Abials friends, of whom I am proud to be one.—it would please “Phil” also, and finally it would please all mankind.

Respectfully your obt. Sevt,

J.H. Cochrane

Private Philip P. Getchell of Augusta was in the 19^th Maine’s Co. F. He did receive a promotion but it was only to corporal. He was wounded in the Wilderness and mustered out of the regiment. He never got his chance to scalp Jefferson Davis but he lived to the age of 69, dying in 1912.

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