Aven Pearson to E. C. Henshaw

Head Quarters Henshaw's Battery,

Camp Stebbins. Feb. 10. 1863

Capt. E. C. Henshaw.

Comd'g Henshaw's Battery, Ill. Vols.

Captain:

Isaac Deford, claiming to be the father of Henry Deford, a private in your company, called at these head quarters this morning and showed me a letter written by His Excellency, Richard Yates, Governor of Illinois, to Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War, in which I saw that an erasure and interlineation had been made by some person after it had been signed by the Governor; and upon calling Mr. Deford's attention to it he said that he had made the alteration. Said alteration was in relation to the date of birth.

I am, sir, very Respectfully

Your Obedient Servant

Aven Pearson

Lieut. Henshaw's Battery