Lucius Hubbard

Title: Request for Hubbard's Promotion
Type: Document
Date: 1864
Source: Minnesota Historical Society

Description: In 1864, an officer of the army requested that Hubbard be given a promotion for his brave performance as a soldier and leader in battle.
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Activities:

1. What caused McArthur to request a promotion for Hubbard?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: Hubbard's courage and leadership during a battle led McArthur to request promotions for Hubbard and two other colonels in the army.
2. Why was the request for promotion sent to Abraham Lincoln?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: As president of the United States, Lincoln was the commander in chief of the military and therefore the only official authorized to grant promotions of this nature.
3. Why do you think others signed the request?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: Often other witnesses were needed to verify the truth of the claims so that no one was promoted simply because they knew or were associated with someone in power. They had to be able to prove that the person honored was deserving of the honor.
4. How might we be able to find out if Hubbard actually got the promotion that was requested for him?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: We may be able to locate the actual orders that granted his promotion. Also, if we look at later documents from Hubbard's life, they might mention his military title.