Boston, January 30, 1863

[Name of recipient:] Captain Robert G. Shaw, 2nd Regt. Mass. Vol. Infantry.

Captain:

I am about to organise in Massachusetts
a Colored Regiment as part of the volunteer quota
of this State- the commissioned officers to be white
men. I have to day written to your father, expressing
to him my sense of the importance of this undertaking
and requesting him to forward to you this letter,
in which I offer to you the commission of Colonel
over it. The Lt. Colonelcy I have offered to Capt. Hallowell of the 20th Mass. Regt. It is important to the organisation
of this Regiment that I should receive your reply to this
offer at the earliest day consistent with your ability


to arrive at a deliberate conclusion on the subject.

Respectfully and very truly yours
John A. Andrew.
Governor of Massachusettss