Letter from E. L. Bowen to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; December 2, 1861

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Letter from E. L. Bowen to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; December 2, 1861

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People

Bowen, E. L.Gonagel, Unknown Pettus, John Jones, 1813-1867

Military Units

Confederate States of America. Army

Businesses

Drugstores

Places

Canada Great Britain Kentucky--Warren County. Bowling Green Massachusetts--Suffolk County. Boston Mississippi--Lincoln County. Brookhaven Virginia

Social Identifiers

British Spies

Vital Statistics

Marriage

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[seal]

Brook Haven Mi Dec^r 2^d,, 1861

Hon J. J. Pettus

Dear Sir

I think is the duty of all good and loyal citizens to enquire into the conduct of any one that may act in a suspicious manner giving reason to believe them to be spies and such bring the case with one who claims this as his residence having his wife here and doing business in the Drug Store line. I have thought proper to lay his conduct before you and ask of you the course to pursue if any act or step should be thought advisable. M^r Gonagel who has resided here for the past 18 months and who has married the daughter of one of our citizens has several times within the last eight months gone into the United States and returned saying at one time he visited Sickly encampment and went through the same unmolested holding conversation with Sickely at the same time he has been stated that he has been into Canada and through the Federal States or many of them but of this we only have his word,. When he goes off no one knows where he goes or when he is expecting on two or three occasions he has written back here his letters being post marked from the Federal States. He

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he is a subject of Great Britain and claims protection under that Government. He volunteered in a company here and was left behind with the promise of joining his company in Virginia when he left saying he was going to join his company he went to Canada (as he says) and obtained his papers of citizenship of Great Britain and as such did not join his Company saying he could not be compelled to do so as a British subject. He has been gone off the last time about three months or more arriving back on yesterday saying that he has a drug store in Kentucky near Bowling Green or in the place. All the circumstances related above has been stated to me as coming from him, and under the circumstances and his suspicious movements we doubt his good will towards us. I was told to day by a gentleman [here?] reliable that he had been informed that Gonagal was a native born of Boston or Massachusetts but the name of his informant he does not recollect these things are certainly suspicious and we are anxious to know how to proceed to assertain the facts in relation to his strange conduct. Our citizens are generally suspicious of him and believe him to be un-friendly to our country. What shall we do in the [premises?]

Very respectfuly

E. L. Bowen