John S. Loomis to Richard B. Avery

June 24th 4.

Personal

Richard B. Avery-

11th Cavalry, 126th Regiment

Indiana Vols.

Larkinsville Ala

His Excellency Governor Yates has received your letter of the 14th Inst. and is some what embarrassed to decide in what way to treat your great kindness and thoughtfulness in his behalf. So far as the mere gift is concerned he cares nothing and would not have you take this kind of trouble upon yourself or permit a single Union soldier to contribute for his benefit. Rather than they should contribute a shilling earned by their patriotic sacrifices he would exert his whole influence to further increase their pay and devote his life and private resources to care for their destitute families and educate their orphan children.

But as a testimonial of the soldiers of the Great North Western Volunteer Army he feels that he should not entirely decline a response to your "hopeful assurances and faith in the soldiers claim of right and willingness to stand by those who have been his firm friend during this terrible struggle" and as you say for yourself and comrades in arms "that we are determined to give him this evidence of your confidence and esteem" he has concluded to commit your letters & kind offer to me and has requested me to communicate with and give you such information as you have or may ask and leaves the matter, so far as he is concerned, in my hands.

I have known Governor Yates many years and have been with him constantly since April 1861-as Assistant Adjutant General of the State until August last and since as one of his personal staff. I have enjoyed a personal knowledge of his love for the Country specially evinced in his prompt and rigorous support of the Government in efforts to suppress Rebellion and maintain unbroken our National Unity. No man could enjoy his acquaintance and personal association during the long days and weary nights he has devoted to the organization of the volunteer forces from Illinois and note his watchful care for our sick and wounded in field and General hospitals and his [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] families of soldiers at home without recognizing in him one whose patriotism cannot be bounded by personal ambition or whose genius can be compressed by the principles we generally weigh our statesman & public man. In this intimate connection which I have had the pleasure to enjoy I have learned to love him as I honored and I loved my Father and shall consider it a great privilege to do anything in my power to assert or facilitate your wishes in carrying out the noble purpose you have conceived in regard to him & in strictness my opinion, allow me to say, does you the highest honor. It is not the wise or true policy to attempt or succeed in [illegible] the popularity of a man who rides into conspicuous position or notice of the people upon some unexpected lucky turn, in the wheel of fortune and who owes his success to mere chance. Richard Yates is no such man and you have wisely estimated his character-when a young man-in a District which cast a party vote of thousands-in majority against Lincoln took his stand boldly and defiantly against the opposition and his twenty two years of public life is an imperishable monument to his integrity and honesty. His successes have resulted from positive and persevering adherence to the right and no position has ever been given him that he did not win by earnest, honest persistent labor against the enemies of "Truth and Liberty." He has always been the champion of equal rights and the People Government and during this war has been the unflinching friend of every man wearing a United States Uniform and no soldiers wife or widow ever left his office "empty handed"

For this great interest manifested in one whom I love sincerely I shall claim the closest friendship and wish you complete success in your noble enterprise and a brilliant career in the service of your country and a safe return home and a long life after every traitor is subdued and our glorious Union saved.

I have today mailed you the Adjutant Generals Report of 1863, but it contains the name of no officers commissioned after 1st Jan '63 and would not be worth much as a guide now in addressing Circular.

If you will send me manuscript of your Circular or Subscription List I will have as many thousand printed as you desire without expense to you and furnish you a complete list of Commanding Officers & present locality of all our regiments & batteries.

I would suggest that Col John Williams, of this City Commissary General of the State and principal owner & President of the First National Bank of this City be named as the Trustee & Custodian of the fund until such time as the sum you desire is raised and then you might have the brave boys who have created the fund represented by an Executive Committee or Association to carry out their design etc. etc. I would also suggest that each contributor be supplied with a neatly engraved certificate stating his name, rank, Co, & regiment and the amount he has sub-scripted to the object etc. Please command me in any way I can forward your plans and I will always be glad to respond and shall now take pride in giving your name the prominence in the enterprise which you so highly merit.

Your friend

John S. Loomis

Col. Loomis to Col. Avery, June 24, 64

Yates Testimonial

John S Loomis