2 page letter, 7 ¾” x 10 ½”, in ink, on imprinted letter sheet, with New York State seal. Letter is directed to Major General Charles W. Sandford, New York City.  Both sheets are in very fine condition; fold lines, with few small fold line tears at top of each page. Text is as follows:

State of New York, Executive Department, Albany, January 14, 1861.

Sir:

I have received your favor of the 12^th instant informing me of the unanimous passage of a resolution by the Board of Officers of the First Division of New York State Militia, tendering, through you their services for any duty which the present emergency may require. In accepting as I do, provisionally, the proffered service, I cannot omit to commend the promptness with which offers and men throughout, have responded to the call upon their patriotism. The alacrity exhibited by the First Division is but an earnest of the disposition of the people of New York to rise to the aid of the Federal authorities in this or any crisis, which the same readiness and unaminity that they would rally to the defence of their State and municipal institutions.

I am,

Very respectfully yours,

E.D. Morgan

Morgan, Edwin D., major-general, was born in Washington, Mass., Feb. 8, 1811.  He entered business life as clerk in the wholesale grocery store of his uncle in Hartford, Conn., in 1828, was admitted to partnership in 1831, and in 1836 moved to New York city, where he established himself as a merchant and accumulated a large fortune.  He held various offices in New York city; was chairman of the Republican national committee in 1856 and vice-president of the Republican national convention of that year, was member of the state senate, 1850-54, commissioner of emigration, 1855-58, and from 1859 to I86I was governor of the state of New York.  He was appointed major-general of volunteers by President Lincoln, Sept. 28, 1861, and held the position until Jan. 1, 1863, when he resigned, refusing compensation for his services.  During this time the state of New York was a military department under his command, and he

sent 223,000 troops from New York to the army and put New York harbor in a state of defense.  During his term of office as governor of New York the state debt was reduced and an increase

in canal revenue was made.  Gen. Morgan was United States senator from New York, I863-69; declined the portfolio of the treasury, offered him by President Lincoln in 1865; was temporary chairman of the Republican national convention in 1864, delegate to the Loyalists' convention in Philadelphia in 1866; chairman of the Republican national convention of 1872, and manager of the campaign which resulted in the reelection of President Grant.  He was an unsuccessful candidate for United States senator in 1875 and for governor of New York in 1876, and in 1881 declined the secretaryship of the treasury in President Arthur's cabinet.  He died in New York city, Feb. 14, 1883.  Gen. Morgan's philanthropic bequests aggregated $795,000.

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