W. D. Henderson to Richard Yates

Assessor's Office,

United States Internal Revenue,

Fourth District, Illinois.

Monmouth, Dec 14th 1864

Dear Governor

You will recollect that when you were at Monmouth I mentioned to you that some 87 of the Boys that formerly belonged to the 17th Illinois Regmt. were induced to reenlist under a positive pledge that if a sufficient number of the Regt. did not Reenlist those that did should have the right to select whatever Regiment they chose to go into, but when they reported without any ceremony they were ordered into the 8th Illinois they wrote me at the time asking me to appeal to you to get them out of the Snap, and said at the same time that they had sent a remonstration to you, they claim that they have been deceived by men who made these representations to them that they should have the privilege of selecting when they would go, they also complain that now as they had about a sufficient number to make a company they should have had the privilege

of makeing the officers for one company they refer to Instruction No 36 from the War department which they claim is directly against such a consolidation I have never seen that Instruction and of course no nothing about it, you mentioned when here that you could give my son a position in some Provost Marshals office in the State if he desired it I wrote him that under the circumstances that was all that you thought you felt authorized to do & I received a letter from him on yesterday and he says he will gladly accept such a position and hopes if you give him that position you will do so at your earliest convenience for if the matter should lie over until your time expires he would have no hope of succeeding, he is now at Memphis or was when he wrote me on the 2nd Inst. his name is William P. Henderson in Company E. 8 Regt Vetran vol. Infantry. he was detailed as a Clerk in the Quartermasters Department for some time but was sent out of the Dept in which his Regmt was serving, and under an order from the War department was sent back to his Regiment.

Now if you feel authorized to give him a Situation in some provost Marshals

or in the secret Service of the United States I will esteem it a Special favour

I think I may safly say that if our Senator and Representative are not certainly right now on the question of the Senatership we will take such measures as will make them right before they leave

Very Respectfully your obt servant

W D Henderson

Henderson W. D.

Monmouth Dec. 14th 64

When you were in Monmouth you promised to do something for the boys of the 87th who are not allowed to choose their Regt at Expiration of one they are in as they were promised - Please give early attention

You also promised to get his son a situation in a Pro. Mar's. Office - which he desires very much.

Representative and Senator all right &c