Letter from Captain W[illiam] L. Towner to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; August 14, 1861

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Letter from Captain W[illiam] L. Towner to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; August 14, 1861

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People

Brown, William H.Clark, Charles, 1811-1877 Crooker, John A.Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845 Laffite, Jean Pettus, John Jones, 1813-1867 Towner, William West, Absalom Madden, 1818-1894

Events

Crime Crime--Mutiny Military Events--Disband Military Units Military Events--Invasions Military Events--Military elections Military Events--Recruiting and enlistment Wars and Military Conflicts--War of 1812

Military Units

Confederate States of America. Army Confederate States of America. Army. Mississippi. Infantry Regiment, 6th Confederate States of America. Army. Mississippi. Infantry Regiment, 6th. Company E Confederate States of America. Army. Mississippi. Infantry Regiment, Unknown (Army of 10,000-Alcorn's)

Organizations

Mississippi--Military Board

Businesses

Railroads and Railroad Companies Railroads and Railroad Companies--Southern Railway (U.S.)

Places

Mississippi--Hinds County. Jackson Mississippi--Newton County. Lake

Page 1

[seal]

W. L. Towner
Aug 14^th 1861

Lake Miss Aug 14^th_,, 1861

To
His Excelency John J. Pettus—

Sir:

I went to Jackson yesterday for the purpose of having an interview with you relative to a subject of great importance to me and many other—Gross misrepresentations and injustice have placed us in a very peculiar and embarrassing situation—The honor of 70 or 80 men is at stake & whether the community will look upon us as cowards & recreants is for you to say—If I could only see you or some of my friends who are acquainted with all the circumstances connected with the matter I know what course you would pursue—The course that reason & Justice would surely dictate—The matter I have reference to is this: I command a

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company of 75 or 80 men calling them selves the "Lake Rebels"—we have enlisted in the state service and have been received—but it seems from a document to you from Gen Clarke (which Col Brown had the kindness to show me) that a portion of my company has committed some great offense—and consequently would not be received under his (Clarke's) com-mand—Now, the question is, what have these men done? As briefly as possible I will inform you—Jno A. Crooker organized a company called the "Miss Scouts"—there never was an election in the company—he appointed his own officers—both commissioned & non-commissioned—I being one of the former—We went to Corinth as an independant body without any order—at Corinth the men refused to mustered into service—unless they could hold an election & choose their own officers—they petitioned the Capt to give way and let them elect their officers—in accordance with the laws and the requirements of the State—but he would not hear to this—and the company broke up & went home. Through motives of malice & revenge Crooker represented the affair to Gen Clark in a garbled and exag-gerated form or I am satisfied that the Gen never would have written you such a letter—because he had no grounds under the Heaven's to take such step—

In the first place the organization of the company was directly violating the laws of the State, which requires an election of officers by ballot—& this is all the men asked for at Corinth— [gap] But you may have heard that we have been to some expense to the State—if you have you have been in-correctly informed. If Jno A. Crooker has acted in good faith—if he

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has acted honestly we have never cost the state a single cent—because the contributions to the company some $5500 or $600.00 was sufficient to defray all expenses incurred by this company—transportation to Corinth and provisions there & every thing in-cluded—Crooker kept every dollar of this money which was contributed & if he has acted honestly he has paid it ~~paid it~~ to the Government

The only expenses of the company was transportation to Corinth & rations a few days there—& $550 or $600.00 is more than sufficient to cancel this out—Now sir, this embraces all—The men never received a dollar—They have never cost the state a dollar—if Capt Crooker has acted honestly—They have never been mustered into service—I understand that the matter was brought up before the Military Board as it was about to adjourn and they left the matter to your discretion—After I came home from Corinth I organized another company—under a different name & different in

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every particular from the old company—about 30 or 35 of the old com'p'y joined me 'tis true—but I have over 48 without them—It is an entire different organ-ization—and I am surprised to see any difficulty in getting into service. Col Brown tells me that we stand on the roll as a received company—Gen West says he is satisfied & is perfectly willing to take us if it meets with your approval—Let me insist that you examine the matter thoroughly before you decide—for as I said before our honor is at stake. When we know that Gen Jackson received into his ranks in the War of 1812 Lafitte the Baratarian chieftain & his cut-throat piratical crew—it seems hard that 70 or 80 able bodied young men shall

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be doomed forever to stay at home when the country is invaded—when they have never committed any offense or violated any law—

No, I do not believe that such will ever be the fate of a band of Mississippians—

We have tents & uniforms & are ready to leave on short notice—as soon as you decide please write me as we are in suspense—

I respectfully submit this hasty letter to your discretion & I feel in so doing that I am pursuing a proper course

Your's with Respect

W. L. Towner
Cap^t of the "Lake Rebels"

Lake Station Southern R. R—Miss