Mary A. Newcomb to Richard Yates

Gen Hospital No 3

Vicksburg Dec 26/63

Hon Mr Yates

Dear Sir

you will think it strange to receive a letter from a Lady with regard to military matters - but has not Woman done much & can she not still do something - I paid the Ill Infantry a visit & found all but 4 or 5 boys in fine spirits those I found low spirited & nearly broken hearted - near a year ago a little Trouble occured & these boys was put under arest - it was done through their unpricipaled Capt T. M. Rose of Co. G. & those Boys are still under arest their present Col. Coats. tells me he got up a partition & had it approved by Gen. McPherson & sent to Gen. Grant to have them released -yesterday he recd an answer saying he could do nothing until the sentence at Washington was comuted now no one knew thare was a sentence on the nature

of it if any -- today I found them in dispar they knew thare was papers sent to Washington they have never had a trial & are kept in [illegible] [illegible] - have drawn no pay & some of them have families with little children -- they are all of them good & faithful Boys as all in the Reg pronounce them such. they have the entire sympathy of the commanding officers from Col down - now my object Sir is to ask you to do something for those brave boys that helped to elect you to your position & would do it again & more than that they stood so bravely at Donolson & at Shilo & have suffered the long & tedious seige here at Vicksburg -- they only wish to be relieved that they can take a part in the duty of the rest of the Reg -- they are good boys & all of them ocupied respectible positions at home -- but as they told me they are only Privates & can do nothing - but thank God it is the Private that will gain the great victory if it is ever gained.

now Sir will you telegraph to Washington & see whare the trouble is

& why it is that those Boys are kept here in the dark - Gen Ransome sent the papers but he has gone & left the matter silent

I no I do not appeal to you in vain. They are our own Ill Boys & ought to receive the sympathy of every Citizen of the state -- hoping to hear from you & be the mesenger of glad tidings to the hearts of those boys that are nearly broken I will close

Very Respectfully

yours

Mary A. Newcomb

Matron of Gen Hospital no 3

The names of the Boys are

Thomas Griffith from Effingham Ill

Wade Mathews do [ditto] Ill

Wm Wilcox do [ditto] Ill

[Mr. Honme?] do [ditto] Ill

I have written this without the knowledge of the Boys - I do not [illegible] new [illegible] to their already overflowing cup M.A.N.

Newcomb Mary

Vickburgh Dec 26 63

Has visited the 11th Regt. found 4 or 5 men who are under arrest, wishes Governor to use his enfluence to have them released.

Refer letter to proper Dept & write her kindly -

Executive Office Jany 13 64