Folded sheet of writing paper with a header that reads “COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS, ADJUTANT GENERAL’S OFFICE.” Upper left corner bears the state seal. Letter is dated BOSTON, OCT. 11^th 1865 and is entirely hand written It reads

“MAJOR GENERAL BANKS

BOSTON

DEAR GENERAL,

I CALLED TO SEE YOU THIS EVENING TO HAVE A FRANK AND CONFIDENTIAL TALK WITH YOU. YOU WERE OUT. I WOULD ONLY SAY NOW DON’T GO IN THE CUTTER TOMORROW. I WILL EXPLAIN VERBALLY WHEN I RETUNRN FROM THE CAPE.

TRULY + RESPECTFULLY YOURS

WM. SCHOULER.

William Shouler was born on December 31, 1814 in Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire, Scotland. He immigrated to the United States as a young child. His father had set up a silk print-works establishment on Staten Island and later established a similar business in Arlington, Massachusetts, where Schouler spent most of his childhood.

In 1842, Schouler became the owner and editor of the Lowell Courier for the next six years. Also during this time he served as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from Lowell. In 1845, Schouler headed a commission that investigated mill conditions in Lowell and recommended against a proposal to shorten the work day to ten hours. The uproar over Schouler's position led to his defeat in the next election.

Schouler moved to Boston in 1848, where he became part-owner of the Atlas. He also served as a member of the State House from Boston and was a delegate at the 1853 Massachusetts State Constitutional Convention, where he expressed the view that corporations were merely devices for people to avoid paying debts.

Later in 1853, Schouler moved to Ohio. He became the editor for the Cincinnati Gazette and later the Ohio State Journal. In 1855 he was appointed Adjutant-General of Ohio by Salmon P. Chase.

In 1858, Schouler moved back to Boston and in 1860 he was appointed Adjutant General of Massachusetts. He remained Adjutant General throughout all of the U.S. Civil War until 1867. In 1864, Schouler brought attention to Lydia Bixby, a Boston widow who lost several sons in the war; leading President Lincoln to write a moving letter of condolence to her.

Schouler later served one term in the Massachusetts State Senate. He also wrote the two volume History of Massachusetts in the Civil War.

Schouler died on October 24, 1872 at his home near Boston and is buried in Forest Hills Cemetery and Crematory, Jamaica Plains, Massachusetts.    [ad]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THIS ITEM, AS WITH ALL OTHER ITEMS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEB SITE,

MAY BE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR LAYAWAY PROGRAM.

FOR OUR POLICIES AND TERMS,

CLICK ON ‘CONTACT US’ AT THE TOP OF ANY PAGE ON THE SITE,

THEN ON ‘LAYAWAY POLICY’.

THANK YOU!