THE CALL FOR TROOPS On the 16th of April, four days following the assault on Fort Sumter, Governor Samuel J. Kirkwood, of Iowa, received the following telegram from Simon Cameron, secretary of war: "Call made on you by tonight's mail for one regiment of militia for immediate service." That very day the governor proclaimed to the people of Iowa that the nation was imperiled and invoked the aid of every loyal citizen in the state.  The telegram above alluded to was received at Davenport.  The governor was then residing at Iowa City, but there was no telegraphic communication in those days between the two cities. It was important that the dispatch should reach the eyes of the governor at once and General Vandever, then a civilian, volunteered to take the message to Iowa City.  The governor was found on his farm outside the city by the self-appointed messenger, dressed in homespun and working in the field.  Reading the dispatch Governor Kirkwood expressed extreme suprise and exclaimed:  "Why, the president wants a whole regiment of men!  Do you suppose I can raise so many as that, Mr. Vandever?"  When ten Iowa regiments were offered a few days later the question was answered. Debbie Clough G-erischer G-erischer Family Web Site http://gerischer.rootsweb.com/ Assistant CC, Iowa Gen Web, Scott County http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/ List Manager for: IASCOTT-L * G-erischer-L * D-encker-L Fitzpatirck-L * V-lerebome-L * Huntington-L * Otis-L * Algar-L EIGS-L * Pickens-L * McNab-L * Patris-L - Rankin-L