Kate Andrews to Richard Yates

Salem Ill, Oct 1st 1864

Governor Yates Dr Sir

You will pardon my presumption in writing to you when you hear my grievance You are probably aware of the fact that C. W. Webster of Salem has been made Superintendent of the Sanitary Commission of North West, but you didnt know he is a copperhead, did you! He is, nevertheless, one of the leading copperheads of Southern Illinois, doubtless a K. G. C.(?) a cowardly one too as he is two faced, but no one in Marion County ever doubted his being a traitor or suspected him of being a loyal man. Why he was a candidate for nomination for Sheriff in the Copperhead Convention 3 weeks ago here. His own daughter has been an alien from his house because she is a true loyal woman.

If a bomb shell had exploded in our midst we could not have been more surprised then when he received his papers on last evening, & every loyal man woman & child was indignant, mortified, disgusted and went from house to house in the dark hours of night telling the humiliating story, but it was done with clenched hands & trembling voices and always wound up with the question "what will we do"? Why have him put out, or we will quit doing anything for the Sanitary Commission. We will close up our Aid Societies For how can we trust our goods in charge of a man whose influence goes to fill our hospitals with our wounded soldiers and have him turn round his dough face and distribute comforts to them sent by loving hands & loyal hearts just because he can fill his purse thereby. You will think, perhaps, I have a personal spite at Mr. Webster. I have nought against him only he is a copperhead. We have lived

close neighbors for 3 years & have never been acquainted, only for the same reason. Nor have I a friend who is seeking the office. I dont care a fig who has the office so that he is a loyal man. And it is true, too, Mr. Webster has a son in our army, a good brave soldier. So I could name scores of copperheads who have sons in our army. We blame I. T. Reynolds of Springfield, Sec of Agricultural Soc. for getting the position for him. in days gone by, when Copperheads were not bipeds(?), Mr. Webster & Mr. Reynolds were neighbors and close friends, but they have been separated in different parts of the state during the last four years, and he does not realize that Mr. Webster is a traitor, for no doubt he calls himself union when he is with Mr. Reynolds & talks all right, any copperhead can, but surely he must know at least he is a McClellan man, & we know Mr. Reynolds would have a great influence, for he is a worthy, true & good man but mistaken in this.

Now we all say Webster has to be put out and we want you to help us. You are a friend to the people and to our soldiers and death on copperheads, so are we. Now we want him put out. I was appointed to make the appeal to you. I dont care if Webster, or any one else, reads my letter, and more I can head a paper with the words "This is to certify that C. W. Webster, Supt, San. Com. of Illinois is a copperhead, and I can get five hundred loyal persons of our village to sign it. Yes one thousand names. Then I can head another paper with "This is to certify that, C. W. Webster is a true Democrat & a Union Man, and I can get all the copperheads in Marion County to sign it. I think the marshal of the State, D. L. Phillips knows Webster to be a copperhead.

Your friend

Mrs Kate Andrews

Salem, Ill.

Col.(?) H, Don't fail to attend to this. See Reynolds & let me know the results