Letter from John A. Winston to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; May 29, 1861

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Letter from John A. Winston to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; May 29, 1861

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

People

Davis, Jefferson, 1808-1889 Dillard, A. W.Pettus, John Jones, 1813-1867 Walker, Leroy Pope, 1817-1884 Winston, John Anthony, 1812-1871

Events

Crime Crime--Lynching Criminal Procedure--Execution Military Events--Recruiting and enlistment

Military Units

Confederate States of America. Army

Organizations and Businesses

Virginia State Capitol (Richmond, Va.)

Places

Alabama Arkansas Jackson (Miss.)Kemper County (Miss.)Mississippi River Mobile (Ala.)Richmond (Va.)Sumter County (Ala.)

Social Identifiers

African Americans

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[Seal]

Mobile May 24 1861

My Dear Sir

On my arrival here from Sumter where I had been for three days I found your fa-vor 20^th I had already recieved the despatch and had charged the 500 as requested. We are yet doing a little business, but pretty much used up. I spent two weeks at the Capitol dancing attire-dance on rusty [hatched?] [?] men. The president treated me quite kindly, and promised me a position. My desire was to be appointed a col^l and to be au-thorised to raise a regiment. And I supposed that would be the course adopted, but I now find it is not—I may be ap-pointed to regiment in no respects homogenous—or native to the manor—The president doubt-less is willing to do something for me but I apprehend the secratary of war is not—The secratary of

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war is universally pronounced the man in the wrong place, and Davis^s' confidential friends ~~augt~~aught to let him know what is the populur judgement—So great a cause should not be [jeopardized?] by any sense of false delicacy to any [?], who has overestimated his capacity—The cabinet aught to be reconstructed, and at once. If I am not provided in some manner satisfactory in a very few days, I shall haul off and look after my private affairs, which are getting in a d—d bad way—every where—, my negroes have cut up with in Ark and some of them trimble to be hang—ed by linch law—and I [?] getting on badly—I expect to have hed next Monday for Richmond or Arkansas—

Judge A W Dillard is anx-ious to go into the army under the new bill, but if only a few regiments more are taken

from Ala^a we will have a bad chance for an appointment—I should have liked very much could we have been in the ar-my together. my apprehension is the war is to be a lively one and fierce unless we whip [?] this summer—and that the enemy will come down the Miss river—and an early battle will take place on the Miss" Our friends in Kemper and Sum-ter are in [?] health, we have of fair prospects for crops but want rain— [gap] Why is Jack not in active service & where is he?

My yours &c
John A Winston

Ex John J Pettus
Jackson

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John A. Winston

May 29^th1861