Letter from J. W. Cooper to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; January 16, 1862

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Letter from J. W. Cooper to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; January 16, 1862

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People

Cooper, J. W.Falkner, William C. (William Clark), 1825-1889 Pettus, John Jones, 1813-1867 Tupper, T. C.Wagoner, Unknown

Events

Confederate States of America--Draft

Military Units

Mississippi. Militia

Organizations

Mississippi--Legislature Plantations

Occupations

Cooks Plantation overseers

Places

Mississippi--Clay County. West Point Mississippi--Grenada County. Grenada Mississippi--Hinds County. Jackson Mississippi--Holmes County

Social Identifiers

African Americans African Americans--Enslaved people Enslavers People with disabilities People with disabilities--Blind persons

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[seal]

Gov Pettus

Dr Sir

In the month of June last my overseer was drawn in the militia of Holmes County—There being no white person in the place and the statue requiring that negroes should be quartered in a certain distance of some white man as owner or overseer and not being able to obtain an oveseer I went on the place myself—In a short time another draft was ordered in the same county and I tho not a citizen of Holmes County (being enrolled in Hinds) having on a planting interest there was drawn and ordered to report at Grenada. I immediately came to Jackson to see Brig Gen Tupper to obtain from him what relief in his judgement the nature of the case and the circumstances required- after making a plain statement of facts which were that that portion of country (Honey Island) where my planting interest lies by season of the militia draft had become almost deprived of white men and that the negro pop-ulation so far exceeded that of the whites that every consideration of prudence required that at least one white man should be on a plantation—I further stated that I partially superinted the plantation of my brother who from a recent misfortune had become blind—From thist statements Gen Tupper issued an order the Colonel commanding the regiment in which I was drawn granting a furlough for 30 days- This furlough has been renewed and is about expiring—Upon calling on Gen Tupper for its renewal he informed me that a recent act of Legis-lature had left the detailng or granting of furloughs with your excellency Hoping that you will afford whatever relief in your judgement the cirsumstances require I am very respectfully

J W Cooper

It may not be improper to state that I have furnished to the Regiment free of charge two negro men

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who are acting as Wagoner and Cook.

J.W. Cooper
Furlough for 30 days

W. C. Faulkner

West Point & Grenada

J. W. Cooper
Furlough for 30 days

order issued Jany 16^th 1862