To Milroy From Josephus Drummond Nov 24 1862

              Camp New Creek Station 
                                  Nov. 24th 1862 
 
General Millroy, Dear Sir, will you honor please 
to read the following statement of facts: 
   You, no doubt, have been troubled before with this 
vexatious subject.  Nevertheless, I’ve been urged 
by my friends & fellow Souldiers of the 9th Va. Reg. of 
which I am Hospital Steward, to make,  ?? ?? on a  
short statement of the most prominent reasons 
why we, the 9th Va. Reg. desire more particularly to be 
allowed to return to, or near our former homes.  I am 
anxious to return, as the sequel, for just reason, I 
hope, will demonstrate.  In the first place, Co. B 
of Spencer Roane Co. Va. were nearly all of them 
Home-Guards, by Certain Statement, made to them 
by a certain Colonel, they were induced to disband 
the Home-Guard & join the U. S. Service for a term 
of 3 years &c.  This was the nucleus of the 9th Va. Reg. 
I need not repeat the many favorable & positive 
promises made to them, for, indeed, they have all been 
broken & most of us entirely ruined in consequence 
of our absence from that Region.  Co.s B.&G. were 
made up, principally, with the promise that , as 
long as U.S. troops might be needed in Western 
Va. that they should not be moved therefrom, that 
they should be allowed to protect their own homes, 
& those of the adjoining Counties.  Not one syllable of 
which has been fulfilled.  I might detail facts of this 
character in great abundance, but forbear at present 
I now come to our real situation.  I mean, ourselves 
as souldiers & our helpless families as Dependants 
upon us for help.  there are about 150 families of  
Co. B. & G who are, most of them, entirely ruined          
 in consequence of their absence (the husbands & fathers 
of these families) Now Sir, no longer than this day (2 ds) 
did we talk to a gentleman & a Souldier of the 10th Va. Reg. 
     turn over 
 
 
(Written Perpendicular) 
 
 
Petition to have 
Co B & G return 
home to Roane Co 
Va to care for 
families and 
clean up Rebels