Letter from Howard W. Wilkinson to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; January 1, 1863

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Letter from Howard W. Wilkinson to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; January 1, 1863

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

People

Pettus, John Jones, 1813-1867 Steede, Abner C.White, Sam Wilkinson, Howard W.

Events

Crime Crime--Larceny Emancipation and self emancipation Military Events--Recruiting and enlistment

Military Units

Confederate States of America. Army Confederate States of America. Army. Mississippi. Cavalry Battalion, 17th Mississippi. Militia United States. Army

Organizations and Businesses

Newspapers

Places

Gainesville (Miss.)Hancock County (Miss.)Jackson (Miss.)Marion County (Miss.)Pearlington (Miss.)

Social Identifiers

African Americans Enslaved people Military Status--Draftees Military Status--Military deserters

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Pearlington Mississippi
Jan 1^st, 1862—

Gov J, J, Pettus

Dear Sir—

There are three or four hundred men, at present; conscripts and deserters, in and around this place. Most of them were members of Steed's Partizan Rangers & since the companies disbanded, the men have been told, & have even learned as much from the press, that they were to be treated as deserters, having been members of an illegal corps three months after ordered to report to Camp of Instruction It is reported that a cavary force, from Jacson, are in Marion County with bloodhounds after conscrips & deserters; that has induced some to secrete themselves in the swamps, some have organized themselves into bands to resist them, & many have gone over to the enemy & and an almost daily communication is being kept up with the enemy by which, those, that are organized to resist any attempt to carry them off, can supply themselves with Guns & Ammunition The majority of these men are willing and desire to go off & join the Confederate Army & would do so could any reliable security be given that they might pass unmosested to any command of the Mississippi Army that they may choose to join—

Maj Steed stationed two Companies of his command near Gainsvill, in this county; but these men were never, to my knowledge supplied with rations or pouwder consequently

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they could not drive off the enemy, who have been, and are constantly coming here in small parties, pillaging and plundering private property, enticing the negroes off and providing them with means to escape Negroes in numbers are constantly coming here from the interior & are harboured by ours until means of escape to the Fed's. is afforded them. A small cavalry ^force^ with supplies, can prevent maurading expeditions of the enemy and keep the negroes back A force sufficient can be organized from the men here who will gladly defend their homes & their country but will not leave them to the mercy of the Yankees, With a request that you address me a few lines on the subjects I have the honor to remain yours with respect

Howard W, Wilkinson
Pearlington
Care of Col. Sam White Hancock Co
Miss,

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Howard W. Wilkinson
Pearlington Miss
Jany 1^st 1863

To Gov. Pettus 1862