John L. Verdin to Col. James A. Hardie, October 1, 1864

                   ST. JOSEPH'S COLLEGE

                            Bardstown, Ky.  ----Oct. 1st 1864

Rev. T.J. DeSmot has lately informed me of a very great favor conferred upon R. Flanagan & myself by the Secretary of war & also of your kindness in seeing the instructions of the Secretary carried out- Please accept our most sincere thanks- Be kind enough also, at your convenience, to express our gratitude to the Hon. Secretary and the other officers who have been put to trouble on our accounts, for the indulgence extended to us. Fr. DeSmoot? Also sent me your address & mentioned that if any other member of our community should be drafted, I could, through your kindness, obtain a similar favor for him. In consideration of this kindness I take the liberty to make another request, not for any one member of our house, but for a whole community in our neighborhood “The Nazareth Female Academy”. In this Academy there are about 100 sisters of charity, whose principal occupation is the education of young females, of whom they have now, boarding with them over 220. In the beginning of our difficulties, before there was time to make suitable preparations for the comfort of our sick & wounded soldiers, the superior of this Academy sent a considerable number of the Sisters to take charge of several hospitals & to nurse the sick soldiers in Louisville & in many other places. If I am not much mistaken (I cannot just now make further inquiries) they have received nothing for their services. In their circumstances & especially in the present times, it is almost impossible of them to procure white laborers. Within the last year or so seven of their colored men, (they could scarcely be called slaves) volunteered in the U.S. service. No objection was made as it seemed to be their desire to join the army. The last draft has taken three more, named Dick, Ignatius (or Nace) & Philip (Phil). The two first named Dick & Nace have already been accepted as soldiers in Lebanon Ky head-quarters of Board of Enrollment 4th District Ky. Dick likes it well enough, & hence the Sisters do not object to his going. But poor Nace has been almost constantly under the hands of the Doctor for the last year & feeling that he is not able to stand military service, takes it very hard-& consequently the sisters are very much distressed about him. Phil, the third one drafted, has not yet received any official notice of being drafted, though his name appears on the published list. He is certain, he says, that he is above the age of 45—but as he was not born in this immediate neighborhood, it is difficult for him to prove the fact. Now the favor I have to ask of you, on the part of the Sisters is, to exempt, if possible, Nace & Phil from military service & to allow them to return & remain at home. Be kind enough also, Colonel, to allow me to make the further request of exempting the three or four remaining colored men, belonging to the Institute? & liable to draft.

I hope, Colonel, that you will excuse me for ht liberty I have taken in trespassing upon your precious time & perhaps of putting you to a great deal of trouble—but I feel that the Sisters of charity, for whose interests I have done so, are really deserving of of any protection or favor that can be extended to them. If Father De Shot? Should still be in Washington, he can explain to you much better, than I can, what claims the good Sisters of Charity have to be favored & protected

            Your obedient servt. 

                 Jno. L. Verdin S.J.

                     President of St. Josephs College

                         Bardstown Ky