A.W. Mack to Richard Yates

Head Quarters

76 Regt. Ill Vols

Columbus Ky Aug 31 1862

Hon R. Yates

Gov.

Dr Sir

I am not inclined to make complaints I always intend to do my duty in any & every situation, but I must say that I should never have been found at the head of a Regt. of Ills. men if I had supposed that we are to be set to doing the work of draymen & negros rolling bales of hay & barrells of goods &c up the banks of the Mississippi This fatigue duty as it is called is in my humble opinion a most unnecessary labor, when thousands of contrabands can be had for the taking of them & I know of no more successful method of completely demoralizing the men & unfitting them for any real military duty, than this one of setting them to work like slaves instead of drilling & exercising them as soldiers. If you can do any thing to get us out of this infernal scrape do so. We are anxious & wiling to fight, but such work as we are doing here we never enlisted for & I can only say for myself & my command, that in case it continues much longer I shall abandon all effort for organization & instruction as soldiers, & take my turn with the men in working upon the levee

Resp &c

A. W. Mack

Col 76

76th Regt.

Sep 17

Col A. W. Mack

Columbus Augt 31/62

Is not inclined to make complaints and always intends to do his duty.

His men set to work doing the work which negros ought to do & they can be had very easily, fears under the circumstances demoralization in his Regt. he or his men never enlisted to do what they are now doing, “working on the Levee & doing the work of Negros.

ML

Uncle Jesse

Read & reflect.

Return this to me. I want to use it.