Morton S. McAtee to Richard Yates

Chester Randolph Co Ills

Aug. 25th 1863.

Governor Richard Yates:

Sir; Your letter of the 22d inst is received, in which is stated "that if you will get strong letters from Generals Grant and Prentiss &c I will urge your claim at Washington".

The commission under which I am acting specifies the condition that I am to serve "without pay." Hence I could not be paid for services rendered under it.

Moreover, I could not in good faith accept pay even if it was tendered to me. For certain specified reasons, which need not be repeated now I wished to hold the position of Colonel of Artillery and agreed to serve without pay as one of the conditions of its being granted to me. Of course then I could not honorably presume to even mention such a thing as drawing pay for services rendered

under these circumstances.

Neither do I claim any credit for serving without pay. My most intimate friends do not know but that I am under full pay nor have I ever mentioned it to any one save Gens Grant, McPherson, Hurlbut and Prentiss. The fact is known to others (to my sorrow) through them and not through me.

On the contrary it is a matter of humiliation to me to reflect that while men, who, when they entered the service knew nothing whatever of even the rudiments of the intricate science of artillery practice, are holding similar positions with full pay and emoluments, I, who may boast at least of having received a military education, and take equal risks with them, have not even the assurance that my family will receive a pension should an accident befall me, nor the privilege of surgical care in a hospital if wounded, and am moreover under the necessity of partially covering my own expenses in the field and those of my family at home, by writing political

essays for the public prints.

I mentioned in my former letter that I had recd pay for certain services before Vicksburg. I will explain. The work to be done was a very difficult and dangerous piece of engineering, to do which, no competent officer was at hand. It had no connection with my own duties and I saw nothing wrong in accepting pay for it. - not as Col of Artillery, however, but simply as an individual employed for that specified purpose.

My sole object in addressing you was to be put in a position where I could stand in all respects on an equality with other officers henceforth, and without any desire whatever to be paid for services under the commission I now hold. To further this object I wrote to Gen Grant on the same day I wrote to you and also to Gen Prentiss, but as your favor of the 22d inst makes no mention of the real object of my letter I must infer that the case is hopeless.

I have no reason to think that your Excellency will ever give the matter a second thought, yet I cannot rest satisfied without knowing

that I am properly understood. Nor do I wish to be understood as complaining. As long as I can be of use in the service and can do no better, I will serve under my present commission willingly and gladly.

Could I have visited you in company with Gen Prentiss, I believe that something might have been effected, but as my leave expires next week I will not have the opportunity.

Hoping that this letter may effect the object for which it is written I will couple my apology for trespassing upon your time, with the assurance that I will not trouble your Excellency with the subject again.

I am

Very truly and respectfully

Your obedient servant

Morton S. McAtee

Col of Artillery

Ills Vols.

Your Excellency's kindness in offering to urge my claims for back pay is appreciated, but while the obligations it places me under are none the less, for reasons stated above I cannot avail myself of it.

Govern

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McAtee Norton S.

Chester Ills Aug 25 1863.

Wishes the Governors influence to place him upon an equality with other artillery Cols. Thanks the Governor for offering to aid him in securing back pay - but having accepted the position on the condition that he should draw no pay, cannot avail himself of it.

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Recd Ex O. Sept 5 1863.