James Bickley to Richard Yates

Medical Inspector's Office,

Memphis, Tennessee,

January 16 1865.

Hon. Richard Yates,

Springfield, Ill.

Sir,

I have the honor to address

you in behalf of the Hospital Stewards of the U.S.

Army now on duty in this city and would most

respectfully solicit your influence in favor of a Bill

now before Congress to raise our rank and pay to that

of Second Lieutenants of the Army.

The pay of our Hospital

Steward of the Regular Army is only $33.- per month,

which is not commensurate with his arduous and

responsible duties.

He is expected to be an accomplished

pharmaceutist, competent to take charge of the Dispensary

of the Hospital.

He is also expected to be competent to, and

supervise for the Surgeon in charge the Hospital Records

and papers, Reports and Returns, Accounts of Pay and

Clothing of the Patients, and have made promptly and

correctly the Final Papers of Deceased Soldiers, upon

which depend the claims of the widows and orphans.

He is also expected to have charge of the Commissary

and keep it properly supplied with delicacies for the

sick; to make all necessary purchases, and be responsible

for the condition of the Hospital generally.

I have enumerated

only a part of our duties in order that you may see

the justice of our claims; and I respectfully ask that

this letter be forwarded to Hon. Elihu P. Washburn, member

of Congress from the 3rd District of your State, with such

endorsements as you may deem most fitting to call

his attention to the Bill now before Congress and to solicit

his influence in its behalf.

And I further request to be

briefly advised of any action that may be taken in the

matter:

And with many thanks to you for acts of kindness

towards myself and fellow Soldiers, who claim Illinois as our

home

I have the honor to be, Sir,

Very Respectfully

Your Most Obd't. Serv't.

James Buckley,

Cor. Sec'y.

(Box 28.)

Buckley James

Memphis Tenn

Wants your influence in

favor of a bill now before

Congress, to raise the rank

and pay of Hospital Stewards

to that of 2nd Lieutenant

U.S. Army.