Hon. William H. Seward,
Secretary of State.
[Addressed to the mayor of Philadelphia.—Translation.]
Dresden,September
30, 1866.
The undersigned takes the liberty of making a request of you, the
result of which will influence his whole life.
When I was but fourteen years of age I came to the United States, in
1858 ; from 1863 to 1865 I served through the war as volunteer in
the seventh Pennsylvania cavalry regiment, and when the war was
over, I was discharged on the 25th of September, 1865, and
naturalized in Philadelphia as a citizen of the United States.
On the 30th of September, 1865, I started to Berlin, my birthplace,
to finish my lithographic studies. There I was forced into the army,
though I had left Prussia when I was fourteen. I sent a remonstrance
to the United States minister in Berlin, and he wrote that he would
take the necessary steps to procure my release; but, alas, nothing
has yet been done. So, since the 30th of November, 1865, I have been
serving in the first Brandenburg, (body grenadier) regiment No. 8,
at first in the third, afterwards in the fifth, attached company,
the regiment commanded by Colonel Von Berga.
My naturalization papers, consisting of a Prussian certificate and a
discharge from the Union army, are kept from me, and I am threatened
with Castle prison if I try to get off. My every action is watched,
and my correspondence inspected. Now, my request is that you send me
a paper certifying I have done my duty as a soldier and a citizen;
to do what you can to procure my discharge; to request the United
States minister in Berlin to have my papers returned to me, and to
demand of the Prussian government $1,000 per year, as damages and
compensation for my loss of time. As a free American citizen, I
think I have a right to expect protection from the government of my
new home, the United States of America.
As I have no correspondent there, I address you; and, if you will
take the trouble to grant my request, you may direct a letter to me
in the Prussian garrison in Dresden.
With much respect, &c.,
FRIEDRICK BOETTENER, Fifth Company, First
Battalion, Eighth Brandenburg
Regiment.
