John Hendricks to Richard Yates

Aug 31st/63

Terre Haute Henderson Co Ills

Governor Yates

Sir

I take the liberty of addressing you on an important matter. The copperheads of this neighborhood are armed and prepared to resist the draft. They held a meeting the 29th of this month about 3 miles east of here, at which there were about 500 copperheads armed to the teeth and speeches made as treasonable as could well be imagined calling on the assembly to rise that now was their time to clean out the d---ned abolitionists. They are to hold another meeting at Olena this coming Saturday about 9 miles from here. In fact Sir the country around here is filled with rebel emissary's men who have nothing

to lose and whose only aim is to promote the success of the rebellion by exciting discord and anarchy at home They do not propose to wait for the draft at all but to begin their hellish work of bloodshed at once and I trust Sir you will not pass this by unheeded but consider it well and try and avert this great evil before it is too late as the union men of this neighborhood are wholly unprepared and unarmed.

Very Respectfully

Your Obedient Servant

Jhon Hendricks

ansd Sept 10-63

File Revol

Jhon Hendricks

Henricks, Jno.

Terre Haute. Henderson County. Ill. Aug. 31st

A meeting of about 500 copperheads was held at a place about three miles east of this place. Another meeting to be held in the neighborhood the Saturday after date Great numbers of Copperheads in the vicinity armed to the teeth. Union men unprepared. An urgent case.

Recd Ex O. Sept 8 1863