James Brown to Richard Yates

Bloomington Illinois

Aug 24th 1863

To His Excellency

Richd Yates

Dear Sir

I enlisted in Co H commanded by Capt Orme in the 94th Regt Illinois Vol on the 11th of August 1862. I left Bloomington with said Regiment and was with it in service untill the Battle of Prairie Grove in Arkansas on the 7th of December last At said Battle and while engaged in said Battle with my company I was wounded in the knee with a Minnie ball I was thence taken to the Hospital at Springfield Mo where I was on the 27th of last

April on account of said wounds discharged from the Military Service of the United States. Since said discharge and my return home I have been unable to do any thing to support myself and family. I have been during said time and still am compelled to go on crutches. I have a wife and three small children, one of my children is very sick. I own no property except my household goods: and before I enlisted I depended entirely upon my labor for the support of myself and family.

Under the above state of facts I applied to you for aid and hereby with much feeling and gratitude acknowledge to have received

from you through the hands of our mutual friend K N Fell Esq twenty five dollars Governor I entered the service from a sense of duty. I have won my reward upon the field of danger and have only to lament that my condition is such that I will not again be able to respond in active service to my country's call

Permit me to say that as the Executive of a great & noble state you have done your duty nobly and fearlessly. You have sustained the cause of your country and the soldiers. The soldiers recognize that your personal feeling and sympathies are with them and they have been cheered by your conduct But when they learn that your support and sympathies is to follow them individually from the

Battle field to their home then truly can they appreciate your noble love of Liberty and Country and announce to the world in more than an ordinary sense that in deed you are the soldiers friend Permit me again to thank you for your kindness and May God bless you and save our Country

Yours Respectfully

James Brown