Letter from Thomas P. Shields to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; September 10, 1861

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Letter from Thomas P. Shields to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; September 10, 1861

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People

Pettus, John Jones, 1813-1867 Wade, William B. Hobson, R. M. Banks, James Shields, Thomas P.

Events

Recruiting and enlistment

Military Units

Confederate States of America. Army Confederate States of America. Army. Mississippi. Infantry Regiment, 10th (1861-1862) Confederate States of America. Army. Mississippi. Infantry Regiment, 10th (1861-1862). Company D Confederate States of America. Army. Mississippi. Infantry Regiment, 43rd Confederate States of America. Army. Mississippi. Infantry Regiment, 43rd. Company I

Organizations and Businesses

Confederate States of America--Quartermaster Mississippi. Legislature

Occupations

Physicians

Places

Columbus (Miss.) Florida Mobile (Ala.) Enterprise (Miss.) Alabama Pensacola (Fla.)

Page 1

[seal]

Columbus Sept
10^th 1861

His Excellincy Gov. Pettus

Sir

In January last when the call was made for troops to aid Florida, the company to which I was then attached the "Lowndes Southerns" not being armed, the State of Miss at that time as the adju-tant Gen. informed us Had not the arms to furnish us with. I Hastened to Mobile ~~when~~ as soon as our company received or-ders to rendezvous at Enterprise and up-on my own personal security received from the Quarter master of the State of Ala one Hundred stand of muskets for the company_ On the return of the Expedition the company Held the arms, bringing them to this place, nothing was, or Has been said, to me in regard to the bond given for these guns. I therefore presume I am still Held bound by the State of Ala_ The muskets are now in the Hands of the Same company, it Having been transferred in April to the Confed-erate States and is now company D 10^th Reg—(at Pensacola

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As perhaps you are aware, I Have been until very recently attached to the Company as 1^st Lieut. Having resigned some few weeks since_ I am now Engaged in raising a company for the Con-federate service, and am anxious to procure arms with which to arm ~~them~~ ^it^, and I think in con-sideration of the active part I Have taken since these troubles have come upon us, particularly since I armed at my own hazard a company for the first call your Excellency made in Jan last when the State was without arms, I can take the liberty of request^ing^ the favor of Having the company I am now raising and which will soon be complete armed by the State. Capt Wade of Com-D 10^th Regiment of Miss Vol was Here a short time since, and I requested that if it was possible to let me Have the surplus muskets in his Hands, some twenty five or thirty.. ^He^ and promised me to do so, but on his return to His company, found that a Mr Hobson claiming to act under authority from the state of Miss, Had taken the arms, and since which time has delivered them to D^r James Banks [?] [?] his agent at Pensacola, who is now raising an ^independent^ company at this place for the Confederate States. I do think if any favors are granted in regard to these guns I should be the recipient, again especially since I consider myself bound to the State of Ala for the muskets, and should they pass out the Hands

of the "Southerns" Compy D, they might be lost, and I held by the State of Ala responsible under my bond. ~~[?]~~ The Legislature of the state of Miss might or it might not indemnify me I trust Sir that you will appreciate the inter-est I Have ever taken since the difficulties now upon us commenced and the proptness with which I Have consistently responded to every call made by your Excellency—I have the Honor to be

Very Respct'
Your Obdt Sevt
Tho^s P Shields

Page 3

Thos P Shields

in reference to giving his bond to state alabama for guns