Ebenezer Hutchinson to Richard Yates

Grandview Ills

September 4th 1862

Edgar County

his excelency Richard M. Yates Sir

I need not tell you that these are the times that try mens souls. you at least ought to know it. but I have set down to write about stubborn facts. that our country and our prospects are gloomy all know and acknowledge. the great question is how to get out of our present difficulties. I sugest the following plan let the govrnor of each state cause evry able bodied man, without regard to age, to be enrolled in some military company and to drill once twice or three times each week Send the recruits now on hand to the diferent stations that have to be guarded, and let the men now on guard be sent to reinforce the army in the field, as soon as the new recruits are sufficiently drilled to be of service send them to reinforce the army in the field and call out a large force of the enrolled malitia to supply their places and as soon as they are fit for service send them into the field and call out another force until every able bodied man is in the field or the rebellion is bloted out of existence. by this process the government will be able to sweep the rebelion into the gulf in the next four months---but it will be said the government cannot arm so great a force. that may be true. but nearly evry man in this part of the country owns a good gun, and although they may not come up to the government standard for war purposes, they may be made very usefull, especialy so in gurrilla warfare which the rebels seem to be addopting - try it

again it may be said the government cannot clothe so great an army. true, but can we not fight just as well in our homespun as in the finest military cloth trimed with all the tinsell of fancy war men. by addopting this plan many able bodied men, over forty five who have some experience in the battlefields of Mexico and florida will be brought into service and be made of the utmost usefulness to the army. take myself---I am fifty years of age and my powers of endurance are not the least impaired. the law forbids me to enlist, yet I have seen service and am satisfied that I could doe as good and better service than thousands of the young men now entering the army. I have been temperate in my habits of life and a man of temperate habits is just in the prime of life at fifty. I should like to enter the service of my country and think I could doe some good, as I have had experience. these views are presented to in hopes that if they meet your aprobation you will urge them upon the consideration of the President with whom you have an influence sufficient to warrant a carefull consideration of the matter. there is one thing certain, that unless an overwhelming force is put into the field soon, we must exhaust the resources of the northern States in a protracted war, or acknowledge the independence of the confederacy. then call out evry able bodied man at once and squelch the acursed thing from the face of gods earth. I expect that you have no time to spare to the consideration of a humble farmer. if you have however I should like to know your views on the foregoing plan. I am sir yours truly,

Ebenezer Hutchinson

Sep Ans

Ebenezer Hutchinson Grand View Edgar Co. Sept 4th 1862

Makes different suggestions in reference to war & the crushing of rebellion.