Letter from John Dickerson to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; May 18, 1861

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Letter from John Dickerson to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; May 18, 1861

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Each transcribed document contains links that connect it to other documents on the same topic in the collection.

People

Brown, R. O.Coon, Jasper Dickerson, John Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 Pettus, John Jones, 1813-1867

Events

Emancipation and self emancipation

Organizations and Businesses

Clubs and Secret Societies Clubs and Secret Societies--Mississippi Vigilance Committees Mississippi. State Penitentiary (Jackson, Miss.)Political Parties--Free Soil Party (U.S.)

Places

Fair River (Miss.)Jackson (Miss.)

Social Identifiers

African Americans Confederate States of America--War Dissenters

Page 1

[seal]

Fair River, Missi
May 18^th 1861

Hon John J Pettus,
Governor,

Hon Sir,

There is, in our neighborhood, a man whom we regard as being dangerous, or at least he is opposed to our southern movements

We ~~have organized~~ are organizing a Company here which we think will be completed in 2 or 3 weeks and we have a Vigilance Committee of 15 Connected with the Company and our "Constitution makes it the duty of this Committee to ferrit out all disloyal persons in our bounds.

This Committee has found some 3 persons who are opposed to the South, One of the most notorious is named Jasper Coon, who has expressed himself as being a "Free Soiler" ~~says~~ says he hopes Lincoln will succeed and free all the negroes.

This Vigilance Committee, have summoned him to come before them and he will not do it

We believe that he ought to be put in the Penitentiary and kept there during the war—

Our Committee have thought best to ask you for advice as what course we must take with him

Page 2

He is an enemy to our Country and would injure our Cause in any way that he could. He is going at large and we want to get rid of him and we dont want to be precipitate.

We want you to advise us what course we must take with him.

We will send him to Jackson if there is any place for him there,

Please advise us—at your earliest convenience, address us at

Fair River, Missi
Very Respectfully Yours

John Dickerson
Chairman of Committee

R, O, Brown
Sect