Warren H. Kneeland to Richard Yates

Pana Christian Co. Illinois February 9th 1863

To His Excellency Richard Yates Governor of Illinois Springfield Ill

Sir, I hope you will pardon me for addressing you this letter but circumstances I think demands of me to give you due notice of certain movements in this quarter.

I have never had the honor of seeing you, or of visiting Springfield, but as a citizen of Illinois, I think it is my duty to inform you of any movements which I think may be detrimental to the cause of the Union, and I hold that it is the duty of every loyal citizen to expose any movements that would give aid and comfort to the Rebels.

Reports were current yesterday that ten or twelve volunteers dezerted the army and came home night before last. They all live in the vicinity of Tower Hill, or

what is call Tower Hill Township, of Precinct in Shelby County, about six or seven miles East of Pana. They make no secret of dezerting, and state that one hundred men dezerted the same night they did, out of the same regiment, and what is more threats are made that they could not be taken back as dezerters. I do not know that you have any power to order dezerters to be arrested, but I presume that the names and numbers of Regiments with all officers and privates are registered in the Adjutant Generals books. I will here state that should you want any further information I will give you all I can.

I will also state that a large majority of the citizens here and in the western part of Shelby County to my own knowledge are Southern Sympathesing Democrats and speak treason occasionally "open and above board" or without concealing their wishes and opinions. frequently they can heard hurrahing for Jeff Davis in the Streets in Pana and on the public highway and I doubt not but that should an attempt be made to arrest these dezerters that demonstrations would be made to rescue them from the authorities of the U. States or State governments.

I think without doubt that there is a Lodge of the K.G.C.s in or near this place and one at an out of the way place called the Knobs near Tower Hill and should these dezerters be allowed to escape there will be many more induced to dezert by promises of protection. If any arrests should be ordered by the proper authorities I would suggest that some secret police or government agents be sent among them. I think he could easily detect their whole objects in view. I reside two and 3/4 miles east of Pana and 3/4 mile south of the Terre Haute and Alton Railroad. Should any person be sent to detect fully the schemes and will call on me I will give them all the information I can, if necessary, but I will farther state that my name and my writing this letter must be kept a secret or I might be ruined. I am one of the few Republicans who reside in this vicinity and have always proclaimed my principles without hesitation and should this letter be made public, I would as [illegible] fall into the hands of South Carolina Rebels - these dezerters all enlisted last fall.

Respectfully yours, Warren H. Kneeland

P.S. I will mention that the action of Illinois Regiments at Corinth and Gen Logans withering rebuke has somewhat saddened the prospects of the peace machinery on the Vallandigham plans here. WHK

Warren H. Kneeland Pana Feb 9th 1863

Writes of the secessionists in his place wants to know if there is nothing that can be done with them.

Rebellion