Letter from Mayor J. C. Monet to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; January 2, 1862

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Letter from Mayor J. C. Monet to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; January 2, 1862

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People

Brown, Hezekiah G. D.Dahlgren, Charles Gustavus, 1808-1888 Fewell, John W.Harkins, Unknown Monet, Julius C.Pettus, John Jones, 1813-1867

Military Units

Confederate States of America. Army Confederate States of America. Army. Mississippi. Infantry Regiment, 3rd Confederate States of America. Army. Mississippi. Infantry Regiment, 7th Confederate States of America. Army. Seven Stars Artillery Mississippi Home Guard

Places

Bodies of Water--Alabama. Mobile Bay Florida Louisiana--Orleans Parish. New Orleans Mississippi--Hancock County. Bay Saint Louis Mississippi--Harrison County. Biloxi Mississippi--Harrison County. Cat Island Mississippi--Harrison County. Mississippi City Mississippi--Harrison County. Pass Christian Mississippi--Lincoln County. Brookhaven Sectors of Land--Mississippi. Gulf Coast

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Shieldsborough January 2^nd 1861

His Excellency J. J. Pettus
Governor of the State of Mississippi

D^r Sir

At the pressing request of a large number of our Citizens, this morning by Telegraph I communicated to you the first hostile landing of the Yankees upon our coast, as stated in the dispatch the Gun boat New London Crowded with troops, on the 31^st Ultime about 4 O'Clock A. M. came as near to the Town of Biloxi as she could and by means of boats from the blockading Squadron, which is now quite numerous, landed some hundred men in Biloxi; and requird the Town authorities to Surrender the Cannons Muskets and other arms in the hands of the inhabitants within a specified time, or they would shell and burn the town, the arms were delivered up without any resistance, and a Schooner loaded with lumber lying in the Bay was Captured by the boats, The arms delivered up according to best informations obtained, are two Clairon Cannons lately fished out of the Bay and the muskets furnished by the State of Mississippi to the Home Guard Company of Biloxi Captⁿ Fewell which they refused to deliver up when required so to do by Gen^l Dahlgren. I am credibly informed that Twice or Three times boats from the enemi's quarter on had landed in the Town of Biloxi under a flag of truce, and each time were received by the Home Guard under arms; by which means the Yankees ascertained what was the number of men and arms they could muster, and finally peremptorily demanded their surrender: intimating that if the arms were give up, and the inhabitants surrendered and behaved peacefully, they would not be molested, which intimation coupled with threats of shelling and burning the town caused the rather shameful giving up of the arms and Town to the enemi without any resistance. In the reght of the 31^st Ulti the reflection of a large fire was seen in the direction of the back bay of Biloxi supposed to have been cause by the burning of the Steamboat Grey Cloud, one of the public transport, which some time since had been chased in the Bay Biloxi and fired at, whilst at the wharf, by the New London, in which firing two shells fell in the Town without doing any damage; since that time the Grey Cloud has been blockaded in the back Bay where after the landing of the ennemi at Biloxi it is supposed it was burnt to prevent her capture. We are informed upon good authority that there is Several regiments of Federal troops on Ship and Cat Islands, though nothing is positiively known as to their Number, those troops will no doubt now be landed on the Mainland, because it is absolutely impossible that any large number of men could procure a Sufficient quantity of water on those islands; to oppose them we have the 7^th Regiment of Miss. Vol^s 7 Companies of which are encamped about 2 or 2 ¹/2 miles from this

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place, the other Three Companies are encamped at Pass Christian, there is also encamped in our Town Two Companies of Artillery, the Brook Haven artillery Captⁿ Harkins company which is now much weakened by details of men on board of publis vessels; The Seven Stars Artillery Capt ⁿ Brown's Company which is full and composed of fine men, but those Two Companies six lights pieces between them, which may prove very effective in a field of battle, or to prevent boats from landing, but which are absolutely useless in preventing gun boats from coming at a distance near enough to shell any of our towns along the coast, each of which should be protected by Batteries of Heavy Cannons. We have also heard but as yet been able to ascertain if it is so that a Company of Cavalry had been sent to Mississippi City if it is so I think they can be of little use there by themselves, there they can procure neither forage, or grain for their horses, or provisions for the men, because the back country cannot furnish them, and the communications, or rather the transportation being cut off from New Orleans, they cannot receive any supplies from that quarter, and their number being necessary too limited they can do no good without the assistance of other troops.

If Twenty or Thirty pieces of large cannons had been placed in batteries at the different points where they could have been useful for the protection of our Coast, [instead?] of send them to and afterward removing them from Ship Island; and the 4 ^th Regiment of Lousiana troops & the 3 ^rd Regiment of Miss. Vol^s left on the Coast from where they have been taken to be sent to places where they are almost useless , we would not be in the situation we are now placed and the danger threatening us never existed. as it is unless something be done effectually and promptly the whole Coast of the State of Mississippi which could have been easily defended will be invaded. The great promise of Confederate Gun boats has proved to be a complete failure if the money paid for the Old Steamers of the Mail line had been applied to the building of proper boats the Mississippi Sound could have been protected. Now out of those boats purchased at great cost the Oregon is laid up for repairs which will take several weeks the Pamlico is said to be very leaky the Florida until within few days was blockaded in Mobile Bay the Grey Cloud as already stated was shut up in Biloxi Bay and the Arrow the only one now available has now been ground several days somewhere in Lake Pontchartrain and our whole coast left without mail, or communications except by Telegraph. Hoping that you will use all of your influence and the means in your power to relieve us as soon as possible. I in behalf of the Citizens of this place of whom I am the interpreter

Present you my most humble respect
J. C. Monet
Mayor of the City of Shieldsborough