Head Quarters Iowa troops
Keokuk June 8 1861
Genl L. Thomas
Adt Geni U.S.A.
Dr Sir
Three regiments each over a thousand strong are now assembled here, and earnestly and anxiously awaiting Complete equipment. I command the 2nd (The first for 3 years) and it is already pretty well advanced in company and battalion drill.
By your order No. 15 there is allowed to each regiment one asst quartermaster, one asst. surgeon, and 2 lietuen-ants to a company. The regiments are much larger than those we had in Mexico, and I think we will need the same number of officers we had then, i.e. 2 surgeons, 1 quartermaster 1 Commissary and 3 Lieutenants to each company. The quarter master and Commissary may both be detached from the Lieutenants and so of the adjutant if we have 3 Lieutenants to the company.
I shall write the Comissary department on the subject of varying the ration to suit the varied localities of our army, which if necessary I hope you will favor as our present ration is not adapted to the abundance of wholesome and cheap food found in the Mississippi Valley
Very Respectfully
Your obt Servt
Saml R. Curtis
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