Mrs. J. W. Pullen to Richard Yates

Grayville Illinois

Monday July the 6th 1863.

Honored Sir,

It is with great reluctance I assure you that I take the Liberty of addressing you on the present occasion. Being personaly unknown to you I Beg you will please excuse the liberty I am about to take, the object of my addressing you is with Regard to my Husband who is in the Army and he is at the present time very Sick and he is not taken any care of, and he is not in any Hospital, and unless there is something done for him he will not live long, he has nothing to eat but crackes and he cannot eat them, and he is so very week he cannot walk, his fellow Soldiers say that him and Several others in his Regiment will soon die if they are not better attended to than they have been. My Husband is not by any means a healthy man, he has been in this War almost all of the time, he was an Officer in the first 3 months Service, and he served his time out and he enlisted again and was elected an Officer in another Regiment, and he was in it 9 months and his Ill health compeled him to resign his commission, and his health became some better for awhile, and there was another company going from here and the Captain persuaded him to go again promising him an Office, and telling him that if he would go that he would be shure of an Office as he was not able for duty as a private, he then enlisted and was Sworn in and his captain would not let him have the Office, and he went as a private, his Captain Never liked him and he has got him as a private he is very unkind to him and he is very Sick and I think from what my Acquantences write home he cannot live long, unless he

is removed to some hospital where he can be taken care of. And I Beg you will have something done for him. I would not have written to you but I thought you was a kind hearted man and would not wish any person to die for want of luxuries to sustain life and O beg you will please do something for my poor distresed Husband, and want you to have him Discharged, and if you will not do that please to let him have a furlough to come home so that I can attend to him, and try to Save his life, and if you will not comply with these requests, please have him removed to some of our Northern Hospitals, for unless there is Something done for him he will die and I would be very lonely and desolate indeed, there has a great many died out of his Regiment and the officers does not pay Scarcely any attention to thier men. My Husbands Name is John Wesley Pullen and he is in the 87th Illinois Infantry, Co. B. and he is at Vicksburg or Warrinton, close to Vicksburg, you will please comply with my requsts and please write and tell me if you will do any thing for him or not I hope you will. you will please keep this a Secret and not say anything about me writing to you, but I beg you do Some thing for him, and please write to me and tell me if you will not do something for him. Direct to Mrs. J. W. Pullen Grayville White Illinois

no more but remain yours with Respect,

Mrs. J. W. Pullen

to Hon Gov Yates,

an July 16 - 63

Pullen J W Mrs.

File P.

Grayville July 1, 1863.

Her husband is in the 87th Regt now before Vickburgh and is very sick - wishes the Governor to have him discharged or sent to some hospital in Illinois. wishes a reply to this letter if any thing can be done for him.

Recd Ex O. July 20 '63