Julian Kune to Richard Yates

Springfield August 26th 1861

To his Excellency Governor R. Yates

Commander in Chief of the Illinois State Militia

Sir,

I am at present Major of the 24th Regiment Ills Vols under Col. Hocker. the regiment as you will remember I organized and had it accepted by the war Department. During the last three months we have been in service very intimate and pleasant relationships have sprung up between myself and the officers and men under me and I honestly believe that there is not a regiment of the whole volunteer force in the army that can boast of better men or officers, but at the same time I am under the necessity to confess that the chief of our Regiment does not possess the military qualities and atributes that are necessary to make a good leader and to preserve discipline among his men. his character is unimpeachable but his temper is such as to create and keep up a continual dissension and feeling of distrust between himself and the officers. The result of entering the battlefield under such circumstances would be a sad one. I am on the best standing with both the Colonel and the rest of the officers nevertheless I would prefer to serve my country in some other regiment coming from the State of my adoption.

There are now as I understand several

new Regiments forming under your supervision and if your Excellency has not assigned all the field officers to those Regiments yet, I would respectfully apply for a post in one of the Regiments. I was brought up a military man have been a commissioned officer during the Hungarian war when only 17 years old and am ready to submit to the most rigid examination on matters necessary for the accomplishments of a Colonel or Lieut. Col. I can refer your Excellency to the Hon. W B Ogden Hon J. N. Arnold Hon J. Y. Scammon Genl. Asboth of Genl Fremonts staff with whom I served under [Kossuth?].

With much consideration allow me to remain Your Excellency

Most obedient servant

Julian Kune Major

24th Regt Ills Vols

Julian Kune

Asking appointment