Richard Yates to Sarah Holderby

December 7th. 3.

Mrs Sarah Holderby

Meredocia Illinois

Madam. I am in receipt of your letter asking aid to secure discharge of your son from service. All troops in US. service are subject to orders of the War Department; and they will only permit the discharge of soldiers from service on grounds of total physical disability and that can only be decided by Examination & certificate of a regularly qualified Surgeon of the Army Your son should report immediately to the hospital which you say he left without furlough otherwise he is liable to treatment as a deserter If his resent attending

physician can make affidavit that a return to Hospital at St Louis would be destructive of life or cause permanent disability it would mitigate the case very much-but his leaving there without authority will I fear cause him trouble

I would cheerfully assist you in any way possible or consistent for one to do but I could not do more than acquaint you of the rules governing the service, that I can now think of

Very Respectfully

Richd. Yates

Governor