Letter from J. S. Neal to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; July 6, 1863

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Letter from J. S. Neal to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; July 6, 1863

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People

Brinson, C. S.Brown, S. H.Fairley, George Langston, W. A.Neal, John S.Robertson, E. S.Rogers, Elisha Terrell, Vernon LaGrange Walker, L. B.

Events

Confederate States of America--Draft Crime Crime--Destruction of property Crime--Theft Crime--Threat Crime--Treason Criminal Procedure--Arrest Criminal Procedure--Parole Military Events--Military elections Military Events--Military transfer Military Events--Raid Military Events--Recruiting and enlistment

Military Units

Confederate States of America. Army Confederate States of America. Army. Mississippi. Cavalry Regiment, 4th Confederate States of America. Army. Mississippi. Cavalry Regiment, 4th. Company A Mississippi Home Guard Mississippi. Militia Mississippi. Militia. Minute Men Infantry Regiment, 2nd (1862-1863)United States. Army United States. Army. Cavalry

Organizations and Businesses

Jails

Occupations

Messengers Prison Guard

Places

Brookhaven (Miss.)Jackson (Miss.)Lawrence County (Miss.)Little Fair River (Miss.)Military training camps Monticello (Miss.)Pearl River (Miss. and La.)Silver Creek (Miss.)Woodville (Miss.)

Social Identifiers

Military Status--Draftees Military Status--Military deserters Military Status--Prisoners of war Spies

Vital Statistics

Death Wounds and injuries

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Lawrence Co,, Miss,, July 6th 1863

To the Governor and Commander in chief of Miss

Sir On the 23^rd of June past I started Lieut,, Langston to Jackson with A Report to you which is herewith Transmitted and on Reaching within a mile or two of Brookhaven was met by A Company of Yankee Cavalry who made him and the man who I had Sent with him prisoners and Paroled them and in consequence of which they Returned without performing the duty which I Started him on. I very much regret to have to Report to you that on the night of the Same day they Succeeded in Surprising my Camp and made prisoners of My self Lieut,, Robertson and 15 of my men also Capt,, V Terrell and five of his men who were at my Camp and who had just arrived and Released us on parole I had that day Sent out all of my Company on duty but the number Just Stated I had three of them guarding the Stables and three guarding A prisoner in Camp I must think that much blame Should attach to the people at Brookhaven for not Sending notice ahead of them If I could have had only fifteen minutes notice of ^their^ approach I could have killed nearly all of them at the first fire as I had places on the Different Roads Selected for Ambuscades which were So Situated that they could not have hurt a Single man of my company they Destroyed a portion of my guns and equipments I have not yet been able to ascertain exactly how many as the citizens that night and next morning got A portion of them and A quantity of ammunition for the purpose of following the yankees and have not Returned them Here it may not be ammiss to State that it was very fortunate for us that I had a Supply of ammunition here that was not Destroyed for had it not been for that they would have went through unhurt. I am Trying to Collect and get my guns and Such other propperty togather as I can. There has been Some guns got out of the River where the Yankees threw them in and the persons getting them I have been Told refuse to give them up I think the most they Could do would be to charge for their Labor in getting them out. I would have [page torn]

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[page torn] if I could have [page torn]mitted to go on with my Organization as those who were absent were Comeing in without much Trouble I had all of the old or original members in except two who I intended catching in a few days and Jailing them or Sending them up to Jackson as they might require And there were a good many Confederate Deserters who were prepareing to leave for Camp and Some I am informed have gone and others will Soon follow but there are many who will Require force and Some of them are making Threats for the purpose of intimidating people from intifering with them nothing Short of Some Rigorous examples will do them any good. After the Capture of the yankee Raiders I Considered myself at Full liberty to exercise the functions of my office and on examining into the Condition of every thing Scattered as were my men and the difficulty of getting them togather and the Short time which Remained for Completing the Term of enlistment I Concluded that we Could Render the Country more efficient Service by forming Volunteer Companies for Local Defence and accordingly on Last Thursday I appointed a meeting for the purpose of making A company at which time there were about fifty who enrolled themselves as Volunteers and we then proceded to the Election of officers at which time I received the whole of the Votes ^cast^ for Captain and C S Brinson A Majority of the Votes Cast for 1st Lieu^t,, and E S Robertson A majority of the votes Cast for 2^d Lieu^t,, and L B Walker a majority of the Votes Cast for 3^rd Lieut I then Ordered them to meet in Monticello on the next day and Draw ammunition which they did and I issued 20 Rounds to each man Here permit me to State to you that the Shot gun ammunition in kegs have no Caps and I would be glad that you Cause them to be furnished us as there is none to get in the Country

There was also A Company formed at Monticello of the west side of Pearl River Which Major S H Brown was elected Captain of and who I presume will make Report to you I also Learn that one is in Course of formation at Brookhaven but in all these there are many who are under the age of 45 and Consequently are Conscripts but there will be enough left after taking them out to keep up the Companies in a State of efficiency if they will do So if The Certificate men Can be made to Serve in this kind of organization the compan^ies^ will be full. Should it meet your approbation to continue these companies as now organised would it not be well to appoint a Chief of Squadron with power to employ on Regular pay a Small force to act as Scouts and Couriers by which mean[page torn]

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information of the approach of the enemy might be obtained in time to Stop his progress at the River if not Sooner if Such Suggestions Should meet with your approval Major S H Brown would I doubt not make a very Suitable Chief if he will accept it. I have omitted to make mention in the foregoing part of this Report of the manner in which they Surprised me. On that day Cap^t,, Terrells Company was to meet in Monticello for the purpose of resuming thier duties and I was expecting them as well as Some Cavalry which I had been informed Cap^t,, Fairley had gone to woodville for to assist us in getting Some Deserters in the east part of the County. At the time the yankees made their appearance it was quite dark They rode up Slowly as if very much fatigued in front of the house in which we were camped and Called for me and thinking it was Cap^t,, Fairley I Stepped out to them when they drew their pistols and ordered me to Surrender which I was Compelled to do. They had obtained Very Correct information of the Situation and Strength of my Camp also knew that I was expecting Some of our Cavalry that night which all goes to prove that we have Traitors in our midst of the worst kind. After demanding me to surrender Some of Cap^t,, Terrells men commenced Running which Caused one or two of mine to do the Same which Caused the yankees to Commence firing which they done Promiscuously into the Crowd as if they wanted to kill Some of us for the Sport of the thing Some of my men were wounded Standing but a few feet in my Rear and one had two balls to pass through his hat while Standing by my Side and Lieu^t,, Robertson had a ball to pass through his whiskers while Setting on the edge of the floor about two feet in Rear of me all of which went to prove that they wished to kill Some of us whether they had Cause or not

There were three of my men and one of Cap^t,, Terrells wounded but none Dangerously So, While we were being paroled Some of them entered the the house and broke open my Trunk and Stole from it my pocket Book Containing Some fifty—or Sixty dollars also my pistol and ammunition belonging to it they went on to Silver Creek that night and camped at Elisha Rogers,s and Stole all the money from him which he had as well as doing much other damage

Respectfully your &c

J S Neal Capt Co A
2^d Reg 3^d Brig Miss S Troops

Capt J, S. Neal
Silverspring Miss

[note] This item has not been deacified. [/note]