Letter from C. Beckerdite to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; November 23, 1863

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Letter from C. Beckerdite to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; November 23, 1863

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People

Beckerdite, C.Hamden, Sidney Pettus, John Jones, 1813-1867

Events

Confederate States of America--Draft Crime Crime--Arson Crime--Theft Legislation. Confederate States of America. Congress Legislation. Confederate States of America. Congress. Twenty Negro Law (1862)Military Events--Recruiting and enlistment Starvation

Military Units

Confederate States of America. Army Mississippi. Militia

Organizations

Mississippi--Legislature

Businesses

Newspapers Newspapers--Tennessee. Memphis Daily Appeal

Occupations

Farmers

Places

Mississippi--Marshall County. Waterford Mississippi--Tallahatchie County

Social Identifiers

Draftees Impoverished People Marital Status--Widows Military Families

Vital Statistics

Death

Page 1

23^rd Nov. 1862

Waterford [gap] Miss—

Your Exelency, John J Pettus

I find in the Appeal of 18^th Inst. a communication from Sidney Hamden calling on you to convene the Legislature and have the old men and Boys enrold for state defence—Shurely he has not visited the path of our Army, or he would not thus publically ask for a provision that will, if made, drive every woman from the country—as acts in this vicinity prove a woman unsafe if alone—Shame this has to be said of our Souldiers—yet a poor Widow & daughter has left home for protection and others have been insulted by our souldiers. The path of our army is a desolation in meats, as the men get out of camp and kill our hogs whenever they find them untill we are without enough to support our Families; thus causing a faman in their wake, true many families have fled south of Tallehachy carring their stock

Page 2

If such a law is past the northern counties of this state will be deserted, Indeed so many have now left that but little wheat is sown, and if they fail to return there will not be one bushel of corn raised in '63 thwhen we raised 1000 this year. Along the path of our Army little or none can be grown as they burn our fences either for fewel or to distroy. In a word so great is the distruction by the necessity and theft of our souldiers that many Families—I. E. Women & Children, will starve in the coming year. Our WWidows—especially among the poor—are rappedly multiplying, by the death of there Husbands in the Armies—untill the olde men and little Boys will not be able to give them bread another year—as for meat & milk we will not have in these northern counties

I ask your Exelency if ^it^ will not be better to strike out the exemption clause of the amended Conscript Law so as to bring out every able man under 45 years—Such will remove the partiality shown the Rich—as the law now stands much hartburning exists on just grounds, as the Law makes the rich man superior to the ^poor^ forcing the poor in the field—depriving his family of an equal meal with that of his rich neighbour—showing to the world that the rich is to good to become food for bullets,, I have heard a great number of souldiers say that this exemption must be removed or they can,t do justice in the hour of battle

Nay—let me ask you to visit this once rich and flourishing, north Miss. before you convene the Legislature—after which—if you deem M^r. Hamden's views good, you will act upon them

I am yours with the esteem due your Exelency
C. Beckerdite

Page 3

P. S. Pleas pardon me for writing to you, blelieving you are thankful also needful for the true condition of the Teritory over which you presid for which only do I write to you

C— B—

[note] This item has not been deacidified [/note]

C Beckerwilt
Waterford Miss
Nov 23^d 1862

Opposing the assembling the Legislature and complaining of the army