[Pattie’s husband, John, served as a private in Co. F, 45th NC Inf. The Vernons owned a small farm in the Leaksville section of Rockingham County, where they were living with their four small children at the time of the 1860 Census. According to the Census, John and Pattie Vernon could not read or write.]

Leaksville N C
oct the 16th 1863
Govener Vance Dear Sir I seat my self thes
evning to implore your protection the latter
part of last Septeber my husband was
conscripted he went to the army with out a
murmer leving me and 5 small Children and
my widowed sister with 5 and two of my
other Sisters one with 5 and the other 1 and
my brothers wife with 7 and his brothers
wife 6 his mother and two sisters thier husbans
had volenteered and he was all the de
pendence tell he was conscripted thay told
him not to carrie eney thing with him
they would be found him and he stayen tell
nerarly Christmast with out over coat or blankt
his close become thin and torn and no tent
nor shelter he desred and come home to get
him some close he had taken so much colde he
had like not got home he was confind to
his bed for 3 months when he got about he
had lost the use of his left arm and he has
not the use of it yet though it is a grateal
bettr the Dr told him when he got ready
to go back he would a transfer to his regment
he had two brothers had bin at work on the
railroad and thay got after them to carry
them to the army and thay left and com home
and went in the woods and he went in the
woods to them one night to try to get them
to go with him to the army and the
details com on them and took them and
handcuffed them and started with them to
they army he was like the mos of men he
was determed not to go in chains and he
Succeeded in geting a way he Sayed if he
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could not go like a man he would not
go like a dog he Staid at home till my
brother come home on a sick furlogh
and his helth got bettr and he was m[??]
ing reddy to go back and my husband
thought he wold g[o] back with him and
Started to go to my brothers to get him
a forlough for a few day as he might [??]
time to fix up his bisness when the details
caught him again and handcuffed him and told him
that thay would shoot him in five days after
thay got him to the army but he succeeded in
geting away again I want you if you please to
to pardon him and send him furlough for a
few days and transporttation to his
regiment unharmed he is anxious to go
back if he can go back with out punish
he dos not dare to show him self thay ay
thay will kill him whare ever they
can find him thay say thay will grant
him no pardon I do now implore your
protection for the safty of him back to his
regiment if you will grant my housb
reqest direct him to the 45th regiment
NC troops companny f John vernon is
his name I hope you will grant my reqest
and let him go back unharmed
and if you will please rite as soon as
you get this and direct your letter
to Leaksville Rocking ham county NC

Pattie vernon
yours truly Pattie vernon