Letters: Officers of 45th Pennsylvania Regiment to Governor A.G. Curtin, 1865

Head Quarters 45th Penn. Vet Vols.

Near Al;exandria Va's

May 30th, 1865

To His Excellency A. G. Curtin Gov. of Pennsylvania

Sir,

Notice having been received from the Surgeon General of Pennsyslvania, of the assignment of Francis B. Davidson formerly assistant Surgeon in 2nd Pennsylvania Cav. as Surgeon of this regiment. We the undersigned officers of the 45th Regiment Penna Vet Vols. respectfully and most earnestly protest against such assignment as unjust to Asst. Surg. C.E. Iddings who is now the only medical Officer with the regiment and is performing all the duties of his office to the entire satisfaction of both officers and men of this command.

He would also respectfully request that Asst Surg. C.E. Iddings be appointed Surgeon of the regiment. believing him to be justly entitled to such promotion. Forth from professional abilitiy and the estimation in which he is held by us as an officer and a gentleman

Very Respesctfully

Your obedient Servants

Theodore Gregg. Brevet Col. 45th P. v. v. John [D?] [S?] [Bland?] [?] 45th Reg PVV

G. E IDDINGS, M.D. SANDY SPRING, MD In explanation of this petition to Gov. A. G. Curtain I would state that I had not asked for promotion, although I had been the only medical officer with the regiment during all of its active service in the last year of the war. It had been the unform rule and "unwritten law" in the regiment, that all promotions of commisioned officers should be made by election among said officers, and it was a great surprise to them when Dr. Davidson, (after the war was over and we were waiting to be mustered out of service) Reported for duty as surgeon of the regiment. Colonel Gregg immedialy called a meeting of officers at regiment head quarters and this petition was the result.

I was anxious to return to my family and asked as a special favor that I be allowed to keep this petition signed as it was by every officer of the

2000 0005 0165 regiment, and that I be permitted to tender my resignation, the war being over, and it would be but a short time until we would all be mustered out and begged them to allow Dr. Davidson to be mustered in. The resignation could not be accepted leaving the command without a medical officer, & his coming would give me the opportunity I desired. They at first objected strongly to doing so, but finally, reluctently consented to my keeping this orginial petition: to leave to my children as evidence in the future of my having served faithfully during the War of the Rebellion C E Iddings