John Wood to Richard Yates

Head-Quarters Quartermaster General,

Springfield, Ill., June 7th 1861

Govr Yates

Dr Sir:

Before Leaving I had intended to have found an opportunity to talk with you about appointing Mr W. L. Duff to the Office of taking care of the arms in the Arsenal and superintending the manufactory and manufacture of Ammunition in accordance with the power conferred upon you at the recent called session of the Legislature.

Mr Duff has been performing the duties of the Office for the past six weeks to the entire satisfaction of all the heads of departments; he has introduced order and regularity where before was disorder and confusion and is perfectly posted in all the manufacturing operations going on, it would therefore be detrimental to the public service as well as hardly fair to him to give the appointment to any one else. Permit me therefore to request of you to consider this an application for the office on his behalf and your favorable consideration of the same.

John Wood

Gov. Wood as to appt. of Duff