Stewart McKee to Richard Yates

Columbia, Monroe Co. Ill July 18th 1862 Hon. Richard Yates, Gov. of Illinois,

Dear Sir your exertions has been so great, and so very effective, since the commencement of the rebellion, in calling the power of the State into action to suppress it; in arming, clothing, and equipping the troops; in your care of the sick and wounded; in furnishing hospitals, nurses, medicine and conveyance, that it will greatly increase your power in raising the quota of the State of the last call for 300,000 men. But one thing lacketh yet, that you have as much power to correct as any one outside the Cabinet. I mean the removal of disloyal and inefficient officers.

Men suffering the fatigue of the camp, and the risk of the battle field, for the purpose of suppressing the rebellion, don't like to be commanded by officers whose object is to guard rebels and their property, and many will refuse to enlist while such things are continued.

Many of the West-Pointers are of very doubtful loyalty. Even McClelland. There are several strong reasons for suspecting his loyalty or capacity.

First, for keeping 150,000 men six or seven months at Washington City, at a cost of about a million of dollars a day, with an enemy of less force than his in sight, when any night he might have bagged ten thousand of them. This delay looked as if he was waiting for and expecting England and France to interfere, or, perhaps, acknowledge

the independence of the rebels

Second, Baker and his thousand companions were sold, I might say murdered by a West Pointer, and the commanding general must have known it. He must have known the orders given to Baker, and why they were given.

Third, He called troops from Banks, when he knew, and perhaps intended, that he would be cut up by Jackson's superior force, and even Washington City itself endangered.

Fourth, in his plan of descent on Richmond to go by water to Fort Monroe, leave the Potomac blockaded, and take all the troops from Washington only one regiment, seemingly with the design that the rebels might take it. The President, with all his mistaken confidence in McClelland, circumvented that plan.

Fifth, when Price was retreating from Lexington. Halleck would have taken him and all his force, had he not been countermanded by superior officers.

Sixth, he waited at Richmond until the rebels had time to send to Corinth for Beaurgard and his army, and gather forces from other quarters, all the while sending home word of his certainty of taking Richmond.

Seventh, He has always been praised by the enemy with great pretensions of being afraid of him, when the real fear was that he would be removed.

Eighth, He has done no act to prove that he is a true patriot or a good general. Therefore, he ought to be removed, and some tried man put in his place.

Your very humble servant Stewart McKee

Stewart McKee

Columbia Ills July 18th 62.

Thinks that the Governors very great energy, in raising arming, and equipping the soldiers heretofore, and his care for the sick and wounded, will greatly facilitate the enlistments under the recent call, "Yet one thing lacketh" which he thinks Gov Yates has more power to remedy than any man outside the cabinet, which is to effect the removal of disloyal and inefficient officers, and strongly urges that it may be done!

ansd Augt. 2 m