John M. Schofield to Richard Yates

St. Louis, Sept. 9th 1861

To His Excellency

Richard Yates

Governor of Illinois

Dear Sir.

I had the honor to receive your telegram of Saturday (though not until late last night), and also that of today, tendering me the colonelcy of a Regiment of Illinois Volunteers. I replied by telegraph that I could not accept though I regretted it very much.

It would be improper for me to dismiss so flattering an offer from your Excellency without explaining my reason for so doing. The regiment to which I have belonged since the beginning of this war is being converted into a light-artillery regiment. The work we have undertaken is a very great one, and will demand the united efforts of all engaged in it. Therefore, although my position in the regiment is a subordinate one, I do not feel at liberty to abandon

it for the sake of promotion.

Permit me to express my high sense of the compliment paid me by your Excellency, and to assure you of my profound esteem.

Yours very truly,

J. M. Schofield

J M Schofield

declining colonelcy