Dear Sir: I take great pleasure in sending to you, in the name and at the request of the local German Ladies' Aid Society for the Support of Sick and Wounded Union Soldiers, the enclosed draft for five hundred dollars drawn by Henry Greenbaum on Gilman and Company.

These patriotic ladies are firmly convinced that you will dispose of this money in a just and suitable manner. They are certain that the articles which are purchased therewith will not be given to hospital doctors, nurses, nor to officers who are well and able to do their duty, but to Union fighters who really are in need, without respect to position, rank or nationality, for the purpose of alleviating their suffering. Although it is the wish of the donors 2that soldiers from Illinois receive preference, this wish is not on absolute condition for the distribution of the articles which are purchased with the money, and you are herewith authorized to act as you see fit.

Please acknowledge receipt of this letter.

Respectfully yours,

Caspar Butz.

[The following letter, dated February 26, 1863, was written to Mr. Caspar Butz, representative of the German Ladies' Aid Society for the Support of Sick and Wounded Union Soldiers.]

Dear Sir: I hereby acknowledge the receipt of your letter containing a draft for five hundred dollars which you forwarded for the Ladies' Aid Society for the Support of Sick and Wounded Union Soldiers. We are highly flattered by 3your quick and willing response to our request for help, and are honored by the confidence which you not only expressed in your letter, but also showed by sending us so large an amount of money for use in our work. Our Society is highly respected in all local hospitals, and that respect was won by our tireless and honest efforts in behalf of our unfortunate and brave Union soldiers. Although our membership is entirely German, we enjoy the confidence of many native citizens in all Union and some non-Union states. Thus we are enabled to extend our activity to many needy native soldiers without neglecting our brave German fighters who have been forced into inactivity by sickness or wounds which they incurred while in the service of our dearly beloved country. On the other hand, it is evident that we respect any special instructions or wishes with reference to funds or articles which are intrusted to us for distribution. Thus there are times when we cannot be as liberal as we would like to be toward those whose friends, neighbors, or relatives do not assist us as much as they can or should.

We assure you that we never give any part of contributions to hospital doctors 4or nurses, and much less to loitering officers. Our work is done solely by our members who visit huts, tents, and infirmaries in search of needy.

Thanking you for your generous and much appreciated assistance

I remain very gratefully yours,

Adolf Cluss, Secretary of German Soldiers'

Welfare Society.