Letter from T. D. Morgan to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; October 16, 1862

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Letter from T. D. Morgan to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; October 16, 1862

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People

Morgan, T. D.Pettus, John Jones, 1813-1867

Organizations

Railroad

Places

Military training camps--Camp Moore (La.)Mississippi River New Orleans (La.)Ponchatoula (La.)Summit (Miss.)

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[seal]

Summit tuesday 16^th 1862

Governor

We were surprised last night to learn that through the gross neglect and want of vigilance of our millitary officials at Ponchatoula and the various portions of our lives in that direction the enemy th has possession of that place and by accounts recieved are the marching on [Tangipahoa?] at Camp Moore

Concluding that the Yankees would not make such a move unless they had a preconserted and similar moove from the Miss=issippi by which they might be enabled to concent-rate their forces at a given point on our line of railroad we thought it advisable to send scouts over the roads Converging here

Governor we are without powder through the country here by wise preconserted action we can through systematized signaling collect in mass at a prearranged point and thus be enabled to be decidedly effective (by the simple Blowing of a horn from house to house and according to the number of Blasts Blown we can easily understand whats required theres no house without a gun send us some loose munition

We cannot disguise from our=selves the fact that there are those amongst us whose pecuniary interest are paramount to all other other considerations caring nought who wins so that they gain speculating grieviously on every thing even to the necessaries of life until at length from the examp=le set and allowed with impunity speculating has become a mania a plague and contagious even affecting

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the officials and officers in Command house acting on the Cupidity of our persons of this description they may well allow goods from New Orleans Knowing well that the mind instead of beng purely devoted to the interest of Country may in this manner be thrown of its balance and lost in the greed of gain

Stop it Governor stop it with a strong hand stop it and move especially among our officials

it is evident that we can have few Secrets that our position is well known that our movements along this line of railroad and at every point of importance in connection therewith is also made known to the enemy else why this sudden attack why know and be made aware that we were careless resting in fancied sec=urity and no doubt busy speculating at the time or luxuriatng on the fruits of such speculating

that there ar those amongst us who convey all and every important information to the enemy we cannot for a moment doubt that to stop such proceedings without strict vigilance and nonintercourse with the enemy is impossible and therefore you will see the necessity of placing a good Brain and a good pair of eyes at each point of importance whose business it should be to quietly and vigilantly notice and when necessary give notice according to arrangement Send us some few Boxes of Ammunition Governor that we may be somewhat prepared

praying that God may Bless with knowledge Wisdom and Power all those who are at the head of various departments Civil and Millitary not forgetting our boys

I am yours Governor
respectfully
T. D. Morgan