Seeds’ Commission

Cyrus Seeds received a letter from a cousin Jan. 14, 1864 who was with the Union Army in Alabama. The letter said he had to make a difficult decision about his military service. His commanding officer said if he reenlisted, he would be commissioned a first lieutenant. There was a condition. He could only receive the commission if at least two thirds of the regiment pledged to reenlist. The outcome is unknown but the unidentified letter writer was most likely part of the blockade of Mobile Bay.