Letter from William H. Varnado to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; December 8, 1862

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Letter from William H. Varnado to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; December 8, 1862

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People

Leeds, Unknown McKinis, Unknown Pettus, John Jones, 1813-1867 Poitevent, Unknown Portevent, Unknown Steede, Abner C.Varnado, William H.

Events

Crime Crime--Assault and battery Crime--Destruction of property Crime--Extortion Crime--Murder Crime--Robbery Criminal Procedure Criminal Procedure--Execution Military Events--Disband Military Units Military Events--Invasions Military Events--Recruiting and enlistment Starvation Wars and Military Conflicts--American Revolutionary War, 1775-1783 Wars and Military Conflicts--Mexican War, 1846-1848

Military Units

Confederate States of America. Army Confederate States of America. Army. Artillery Confederate States of America. Army. Mississippi. Cavalry Battalion, 17th Under Review United States. Army United States. Army. Colored Infantry Regiment

Organizations

Military Headquarters Political Parties Political Parties--Democratic Party (U.S.)

Occupations

Clergy Legal Profession--Lawyers

Places

Mississippi--Hancock County Mississippi--Harrison County. Ship Island Sectors of Land--Mississippi. Gulf Coast South Carolina

Social Identifiers

African Americans Christians Christians--Baptists Impoverished people Military Status--Draftees Military Status--Military deserters Military Status--Military families

Vital Statistics

Death Disease and illness

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December, the, 8, th 1862
State of Miss Hancock County

John J Pettus to your excilency

I have thaut some time of droping a few Lines to you but fearing perhaps it would be but litle profit I have ometed it untell now—

first my Connection are all democrats So fare as I no my Granfather faut through the revolution--ary War and my father the Last war, and South Carolina is my birth State. I am now in my Sixtyeth year, have Served as a military officer a bout fourteen years, and Since that a Baptist minister Twenty four years. I now breath Southern breath and have done the best I can acording to my ability and property to defend our Cause and it is with fear and almost tears that I pen these Lines herein and and Seeing the Confusion of our Country and army and the deception of Some men in this Section in whom we most depended, we understand there has been a Large number of Leters ritin to head qua^r^ters or to you excilences caracterseing our Cavalry Company, C M of Steeds batalion Colling them roges and robers and every thing but Jentlemen and this is the Cause of Their being disbanded, and that our portion of the Confedracy was not worth Defending and that and that Cavalry was doing no moore harm than good true they Kept the yankeys at bay and a Great many from Trading with them and that is the Grind, I Saw, 2, Leters riten to Capt,, Portevent by a man on the boast about a Skermish he had with the yankes, asking him to have nomore Skirmishis there, God help us if we are a Confedracy are to hear ^and^ be ruled by Such men as them and our Soldier abused and they in the field fighting for us and our Property Cold or hot wet or dry Sick or well and many of Them Left their wives and Children at home and but Litle to eat or wear ~~and~~ Can our Soldiers fight our battles without Something to eat and wear now Let us lift our eyes to

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heaven and charrty and look upon them with pity I also will Say that our Cavalry here Maj Leeds Batalion has been treated bad in as much as ^they^ have ~~bin~~ never bin furnished with provisions but a Short time and equpages to Discharge the duties of Soldiers. and they have been abused and from what we hear faltsly reported at head quarters and that by men that is wealthy and is not wiling to take our Confedrate money for Provisions, and if they do they extortion and now our Cavalry Some is disbanded and the balence ordered away and we here in the Southern end of the State w^h^ere the enemy mutch abound ~~and~~ ^yes^ we with all our affects and ~~and~~ the Gate thrown open for the enemy to Land and march North or any ~~where~~ direction they please our enemy threatning to put out two regiments of Negroes as a man from Ship Island Said that they Said they were going to do. O,, do arrange maters if you Can for us to have three Companies of our Cavalry, Capt, Poitevent and Capt M^cKinis and any other you Can they Know the Cuntry and Coast furnish them they and will do their duty and do for The Lord Sake fix Som plan to Get the Deserters and Conscripts with out hunting and Shoting them maby we can fix a plan to encourge them in and they will do Great Service for us I have Seen and talked with Several ~~of The Comp~~ and they Complain of Starving Sickness and bad Treatm but that is nothing moore than we expect of Some of them Some Say they would go back if They ware not a fraid of being punished try them and See what they will do. in this Cuntry there is the worst Confusion I have ever Known and particular of The removal of the Cavalry Some of The Conscrips is Gone to the yankeys and many others Talk of Going and I believe will before they will Leave all here exposed to the enemy and why not Let them form in Companies on the Coast and defend there property and Then beet up for Volunters to go off out of Their Companyes, encourage them

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and a Great many would Go willingly and That is the way we want men ~~and~~ then they will fight, again our Artilry Guns is also Left where the enemy Can get them and no one to defend Them do have our Cavalry and Artilry Call to Gether as quick as possible and Let Them Defend This end of The State and furnish them provisions and munition to do it with. I in this Leter I have riten the Patriartic feelings of The people and wer I to try no doubt Could have a Thousand assinors or moore and in as much as I havent time the Transcribe my Leter as ^I^ want it to go now I hope you will See my View and if it is worth any thing useit if not throw it by as a true Southern man and friend I have riten to your Excilency and,, O my god in his infinite mercy Look upon us and give our officers Courage with Charity and good Judgement and our Soldiers Courage with obedience and morality and deliver us Depressed from our enemy

This minute heard from the Coast and the enemy Commiting bad Depredation and except our Cavalry and Artilry is Called to gether our hole Cuntry must be robed and the men Killed and abused and our women insulted

and now I close Excuse bad riting and mis-takes

William, H, Varnado Esqr

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William H. Varnado
Hancock County
Miss