" Approved January 18, 1862." Recruiting was being vigorously prosecuted at the commencement of 1862, and under most favorable circumstances, brought about to some extent by a brisk competition between officers, often leading to various schemes for inducing recruits to change regiments both before and after muster. A practice then considered sharp, but which was neither legitimate nor scarcely honest, but still considered by some as evincing a degree of energy, and by some called smart. And although this mode of operating was protested against from time to time, and complaints made leading to the publication of orders against it, yet it was found impossible to prevent the practice, and it was generally excused under a plea of zealous purpose. At this time there were in progress of rapid recruitment five regiments of infantry and three batteries of artillery. Their completion was most industriously pushed by the officers engaged, and by the end of March, 1862, they had all left the State for the field.
In addition to these, a Lancer regiment, three companies of Sharp-shooters, and a company for service at Mackinac had been organized and mustered into service.
The reports made in July to the Adjutant General's office by the several regiments, batteries, and companies, gave an addition of 2,028 recruits to their original strength, showing up to July 1st a total enrollment of 24,281 officers and men since the commencement of the war, which, together with an estimated number of 1,453 enlistments in companies in service of other States, gave 25,734 as a grand total. To this may be added the Lancer regiment disbanded, and the Chandler Horse Guard, making an aggregate of nearly 27,000 men placed in service prior to the 1st of July, 1862; thus exhibiting a surplus of over 6,000 over and above the number required to comply with all the demands of the Government, and establishing a degree of patriotism and promptness unsurpassed by any other State.