Lucy Hinesley to Richard Yates

Petersburg Ill Apr 12th 1863

Mr. Gov - Yates

I now take the present time to write to you a few lines to let you know my troubles that has been brought on me in my old days which has been brought on by this war

I am a poor widow woman my husband has been dead about 19 years leaving me with a house full of children to raise and nothing to raise them on and at first did not know what to do but went to work taking in washing or any thing that I could get to do and I managed to make a living for

them and I am now old and not able to work and I have only one boy left that is able to do any thing for me and last summer they were getting up companies of soldiers here and they got after him to join and they that were making up the companies got him up town and they treated him pursuaded and hired him and got him to drinking and kept him drunk untill they took him away and promised him his monthly wages and bounty money extra and the morning they started I went to the captain and told him that my boy was drunk and did not what he was doing and for him to let him stay untill he got sober and then if he wanted to go I would not say

a word against it and he went off and gathered them all up and started with them and my boy was so drunk that he could not set up in the wagon but they laid him in and he lay there not knowing where they were taking him or what they would do with him

I heard they said that they had taken him away drunk and they meant to keep him drunk untill he was mustered into services so he would be safe and he staid with them about five months and they Lieutenant wrote back that he was as good a soldier as they had and all the time he was gone he did not draw any bounty money and only one months wages he kept with them to perryvill ky him and

some other boys stopped at a house one moring and while they were there some of Morgans men come along and took them and kept two or three drays and paroleed them and sent them home and now they say they can make them go back and some tells me there is no law to bind a man that is taken away drunk and dont know what he is doing and I want to know if you cant do some thing for me in some way to get him clear and if you can and will I will pay you for all your troubles

I want you to think how you would feell if you were in my place if it was in my power to help you I would be ready and willing to do it and I want you to do all you can for me and write immediately what you can do and what you will do I would have come to see you but was not able to come

Yours Lucy Hinesley

P.S. I dont want you to read this and throw it aside carelessly but study about it and write back to me what you will and write soon Direct Mrs. Lucy Hinesley

Petersburg Menard Co

Illinois

Ansd. Apl. 15/63

Mrs Lucy Hinsley

Petersburgh April 12th 1863.

Is a poor widow & has no one to support her but her son who volenteered while drunk. was taken prisoner and is now at home---wishes to know if they can compel him to return to his Regt.

of course

Recd Ex O. April 13 1863.