James A. Irwin to Richard Yates

Camp Dennison Aug 12th/63

Hon Richard Yates

Dear Sir

as I cant think for one moment but you Sympathise very much with Inviled Soldiers and that you wish to Comply with thare wishes as far as you can gave me Courage and hope to write to you once more thare is a number of Illinois boys heare at Camp Dennison that has bin in the Hospital from two to nine months and as thare is an order to Send all invileds to thare own State we feel neglected as the Ohio boys is coming to thare own State daly and thare is no attention paid to us we petitiond to you to have us transferred you Say you have not the power to order our transfer but you referred the Same to

Ans'd Aug 15 63

the Surgeon General U.S.A. with the Request that we be transferred as we heard no more about it we thought it might be over looked and forgotten we got up a Squad of fifty as It was Rumered that number could be transferred and handed them to the Surgeon in Charge of Camp Dr B [Cloak?] and he Said if we would get an order from Governor Yates he would transfer us now we do trust to Your Excelency for the Grant of our Wishes the Ohio boys sent a petition from Philadelpha to Gover Tod and he had them all to Camp Dennison in a few days and they transfer they Ohio boys from heare to any place they want to go in thare Own State whare thare is a Hospital thare is some of our boys heare at

Camp that is detailed on Camp Duty here which would be much pleasantenter if they could do it in thare in thare own State Some of us has bin in the Hospital for months and cant get to go home on a furlow I have bin in the Hospital Six Months with Spinal affection and almost lost the use of my legs ant worth any thing a fifteen days furlow is all they will give any of the boys hear it will for thare own boys that lives close but a fifteen days furlow would be a poor thing for a Sick man to go clear from heare to Illinois and pay out two or three months wages that has a family to keep on his wages but thare is very few Illinois boys gets a ferlow any how if we was in our own State we could have our folks come and See us if we couldent get home but

So far away it costs more than a poor man can pay to have his folks come and See him we are Union Boys volenteered our Servis for the good of our Country and if we have done all we can we have done our hole duty and if we get able to go to the field again we are willing to go with all our harts but we would be much better satisfied and think it would be much better for our helth if we could be transferred to our own State and if we cant get able to go to the field and thare was light duty at some Camp thare we could do it with a good heart in our own State pleas do all you can for us and get an order for us to be trans ferred few or many what ever we can get to gether and oblige true Union boys pleas let us heare from you Soon Your Truly

James A Irwin

Adress

James A Irwin

12 Division Ward 72

Camp Dennison Ohio

Ansd Aug 15 - 63

Irwin James A

Camp Dennison Aug 12 63

Cannot think but that the Governor wishes to comply with the wishes of Invalid soldiers - There are a number of Ill soldiers who desire to be transferred to their own State - The Ohio soldiers are going home daily - thinks the Ills soldiers are neglected, wishes the Governor to do what he can to have them discharged &c &c

Recd Ex O. Aug 18 1863