William S. McCormick to Unknown

March 4, 1865

State of Illinois

LaSalle County

William S McCormick of said county being duly sworn Saith that he is a loyal citizen of the United States and has resided in said county for the last thirty years, That he had two sons enlisted in the military service of the United States, one of them Bruce McCormick enlisted in the three months service under the first call of the President for troops serve three months, and then enlisted in the 53d regiment of Ill. vols. Col Cushman. William McCormick the other son of affiant enlisted in the 138 Reg. Ill. Vol. and served the full term of enlistment and for almost three months thereafter, and was honorably discharged, That while encamped at Villa Ridge said Bruce McCormick was attacked with fever, came home on sick furlough and was sick two months and a half before he was able to work while said Bruce McCormick was at home the same fever attacked the family of affiant and affiant and six of his children besides said Bruce had said disease. Julius McCormick son of affiant died with the disease at that

time. So that by the disease brought from said camp by said Bruce affiant and his family have suffered very severely both in bodily & mental suffering and in pecuniary loss. Affiant further saith that the health of said Bruce was permanently injured and destroyed. That After said Bruce McCormick had returned to the army he returned again on sick furlough and was home about [30?] days sick. That he returned to the army and was again prostrated by sickness That on the 10th day of February 1863, said Bruce McCormick receive a furlough to go home until March 14, 1863, and came home sick. That on the 14th day of March 1863 he was sick at home and unable to do military duty. That affiant procured Doctor J.O. Harris assistant surgeon of said 53rd regiment to examine said Bruce and said surgeon gave a certificate in the usual and proper form stating that said Bruce was then unfit for service and unable to do military duty. Affiant took said certificate and sent it to the proper officer of the regiment as affiant supposed and believed at the time affiant can not now say to what officer the [illegible] was sent he having forgotten.

[That?] affiant is since informed [illegible] that said certificate was sent by him to the wrong officer that in consequence of this error and mistake on the part of affiant, said Bruce McCormick was marked as a deserter on the Co. rolls Said Bruce was in feeble health, and only about 20 years old when he learned that he had been marked and published as a deserter was very much alarmed believing that he would be arrested and confined a long while before the matter could be explained, and he then left affiants house and fled to Windsor in Canada where he now is. That his health was poor when he left, That he became sick and has remained so until this time and is now unfit and unable to do military duty, his health being entirely broken so as to unfit him for and active exercise That the time for which he was enlisted expired in November and affiant prays in view of the fact that the desertion of said Bruce was caused by a mistake [illegible] of affiant, and in view of the suffering which has been undergone by affiant and his family and by said Bruce and of the loss of health which said Bruce has sustained in

the service that he be permitted to return to the United States and be discharged from the service and released from any military penalty he may have incurred.

To prove the statements [herein--?] made, I enclose the following papers.

1. To prove my own loyalty the certificate of Gov. Richard Yates Marked (a)

2. That the health of my son in the service was a [illegible] I refer to the certificate of Col. Cushman Marked (B) The certificate of Surgeon Welch, Marked (C) The certificate of J.O. Harris Asst Surgeon Marked (D) The furlough of said Bruce Marked (E) To prove the fact of the utter invalidity of said Bruce to travel when his furlough expired March 14th 1863, I refer to affidavit of surgeon Harris Marked (F)

To prove that said Bruce is now broken in health and unable to do any military duty or any work requiring exposure or severe bodily exertion I refer to the certificate of Surgeon C.B. [Hildreth?] Marked (G)

all of which is respectfully submitted

William S.McCormick

State of Illinois

LaSalle County

William S. McCormick being duly sworn saith that the statements herein before made are true in Substance and in fact

W. S. McCormick

Subscribed & sworn before me this 4th day of March 1865

S W Raymond Clerk of the County Court

I certify that William S. McCormick is well known to me that I have known him for about 30 years and that he is a loyal citizen of the United States.

B.C. Cook M.C.

In the matter of the petition of William S, McCormick