Letter from Ann D. Matthews to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; October 29, 1862

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Letter from Ann D. Matthews to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; October 29, 1862

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Each transcribed document contains links that connect it to other documents on the same topic in the collection.

People

Harriss, G. A.Matthews, Ann D.Pettus, John Jones, 1813-1867 Prince, Samuel Sharkey, William Lewis, 1798-1873

Events

Confederate States of America. Congress. Legislation. Twenty Negro Law (1862)Military Events--Military discharge

Military Units

Confederate States of America. Army Confederate States of America. Army. Mississippi. Infantry Regiment, 8th Confederate States of America. Army. Mississippi. Infantry Regiment, 8th. Company K

Organizations

Confederate States of America. Congress

Occupations

Planter

Places

Black Hawk (Miss.)Carroll County (Miss.)

Social Identifiers

Military Status--Military families Orphans Widows

Vital Statistics

Death

Page 1

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1862
Black Hawk Oct 29,
Carroll Co Miss—

Gov. Pettus,

Sir,

Some weeks since I wrote to my friend, Mr. Sharkey, requesting him to see you and if possible, obtain a discharge for my son-in-law Mr G A Harriss—a member of Capt. Princes Co. I suppose Mr Sharkey as seen you—for I have been informed that Capt. Prince received a letter from you in which you left it to him to decide whether Mr Harriss should be discharged or not. On the very day of the reception of your letter-—Capt. Prince heard of the death of his little son and left the Camp for an absence of several weeks. In the mean-time—I hear the Co intends leaving their= present encampment for some other place—Being very anxious for Mr. Harriss to obtain a discharge—I can not wait until Capt. Prince—returns to Camp.

Page 2

I now take the liberty of addressing you a few lines—and earnestly requesting ^you^ to grant my prayer—and enclose a discharge for Mr Harriss to my address—Black Hawk. I can then give it to him and he can hand it to the Capt or if he is still absent—to the 1^st Lieut;

Mr Harriss—is—41 years—old and has over 20 negroes on his place. with-out any one to attend to his buisness—

He has attended to mine since the decease of my husband—and understands it better than any other man and I prefer him to any other

I am here alone with my two daughters—surrounded by several large plantations—with-out a white man on any of them—I do not consider it safe for the three females to remain in our unprotected situation—

My son—who has hitherto lived with me is now—in the War—. I do not think I am—capable of attending to my buisness—and it is absolutely necessary that some one should be here now and I can not get any one to stay with—me—

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Mr. Harriss—could attend to my—buisness and his also—and I think he would be of more service in the neighborhood than in the War—

I know you receive a great many letters—of this nature, but I trust you will grant the prayer of the Widow and Orphans—It will be impossible for me to remain here unless Mr Harriss—can get a discharge—and I think it hard very hard—that in my old age I will be compelled to leave my home. I can not do it and I appeal to your generosity and mercy—and beseech—you to grant my prayer—

Capt. Prince—I expect will attend to the—buisness when he returns—but it is impossible to tell when that will be and I am needing some one now to assist me in my buisness—and I fear the Co. will leave soon—I think Capt Prince will discharge Mr Harriss—but I can not wait until he returns—and thinking you—possessed the power to discharge the—members of any of the State Cos. I have—add-ressed this letter to you. and I sincerely hope you will grant my request—

Page 3

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I have trespassed—on you time—too, long and will now. close by earnestly requesting that you will—return me an answer ^as^ soon as possible—

I remain. Sir—
Yours—very Res—
Ann D Matthews

Mrs Ann D. Matthews wishes her son-in law detailed to attend to her plantation and his own

Nov 2^nd 1862