Letter to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; February 20, 1863

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Letter to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; February 20, 1863

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People

Pettus, John Jones, 1813-1867 Buckner, W. E. Lundie, Thomas F. Lee, H. M, Jolly, T. J. Singliton, A. Goodwin, J. K. Johnson, P. G. Wiley, O. H. Lawhorn, W. Verner, J. M. Woodward, S. A. McMillan, J. A. Lowe, Jesse Waller, R. L. Kendel, James L. Dooley, E. B. Shaw, W. H. Foust, John Iron, D. Driser, G. L. Jorden, W. R. Houston, A. A. Cook, M. J. Hart, James E. Cearley, E. Tidwell, R. A. Ayres, R. S. Boyd, M. R. Cousan, Thomas Burch, W. S. Spence, W. B. Terell, S. B. Williams, S. R. Bruer, N. Sanders, J. H. Higgenbotham, R. C. McFarland, D. Nelson, J. A. Daems, N. G. Motter, T. L. Williams, Charles Kunon, John William Patton, Alvah Hormon, D. K. Goodin, Unknown Howry, James M. Knight, W. E. Coleman, W. J. Adams, J. W. Ater, A. B. Browning, Alfred Butter, Pascal Ivy, J. J. Livingstore, John Lovelace, C. R. Groce, J. J. Beard, W. Welsh, Howell Singletary, D. Carter, L. Goolsby, W. P. Nelson, R. T. McElroy, Z. McCane, Unknown Flanagen, R. J. Goodard, W. H. Warner, R. M. Douglas, W. J. Yeas, Ida Wendel, Thomas N. Moore, S. A. Waley, N. F. Dooley, J. M. Slate, P. J. Hollowell, William F. Wheeler, D. Rainy, M. V. Lawrence, Saint Clair Calloway, J. J. Garet, John J. Burnett, W. B. Williams, J. H. Wooton, J. G. Gist, J. S. Chambers, J. D. Flanagan, A. Hodgens, J. E. Thompson, William Owens, B. Marberry, J. C. W. Marberry, J. N. Pigues, T. E. B. Bryson, R. M. McKee, W. S. Adams, W. A. Mitchell, William B. Matthews, E. M. King, S. T. Cullen, W. B. King, N. J. Banks, S. B. McLeod, A. Viser, J. H. Quinche, A. J. Kilgore, B. M. Barr, William H. King, J. M. Carothers, W. H. Cook, C. A. Hudson, J. R. Wilson, W. R. Cook, R. F. Pierce, C. J. Chilton, A. R. Cook, J. M. Wilson, John Strong, Nelson Able, Jo Wilkerson, N. G. Lewis, J. L. Buford, H. A. Wimberley, Lewis Trigg, J. M. Allen, B. C. Redwine, J. A. Robertson, G. W. Carter, R. O. Word, C. S. White, T. H. Powell, R. W. Drury, P. Delay, William King, A. M. Randle, John C. Cook, Thomas J. Barr, H. A. Chilton, R. R. Burney, J. R. Williams, W. H. Voght, A. Schulz, James Kenwood, William Neilson, W. S. Smither, W. A. Dellniss, J. D. Goodwin, T. W. Powel, B. Cardwell, George W. Benny, W. S. Gurney, John C. Buford, Thomas A.

Events

Confederate States of America--Draft Invasions Military discharge

Military Units

Confederate States of America. Army Confederate States of America. Army. Mississippi. Infantry Regiment, 22nd Confederate States of America. Army. Mississippi. Infantry Regiment, 4th Mississippi. Militia United States. Army

Organizations and Businesses

Farms Railroad

Occupations

Farmers

Places

Lafayette County (Miss.) Oxford (Miss.)

Social Identifiers

Draftees Impoverished people Military families

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[note]Feb 20 1863[note]

Hon. John J. Pettus
Govener of the State of Mississippi,

Your petitioners, citizens of the County of Lafey=ette in the said State of Mississippi respectfully represent that a draft of the Militia of said county has just been made, and your petitioners, (who were not drawn in said draft,) in behalf of those who were so drawn, and in behalf of the destitute condition of the people of the county in general, would suggest to your Excellency that the absence of those men from the the county, at this time, must be attended with great inconvienence, and suffering, not only to the immediate families of the said persons, but to the people of the county in general.

But little conception can be formed by those who have not passed through the country since the invasion by the enemy, of the situation of affairs amongst us. A large proportion of the agricultural laborers of the county have been taken away by the enemy, and those that remain are de=moralized to such a degree that the utmost vigilence is necessary to make them of any service towards contributing to the support of the population of the county. The farms have been left, as a general

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thing, in such a dilapidated condition that it will require all the laber of the county that is left, and indeed men than can be made available, to put them in proper condition by planting season to make a crop, But few horses have been left in the county, and those few of a very inferior qual=ity and your petitioners do not see how with all the energy that can be brought to bear, the deficiency can be supplied.

Your Excellency knows the fact that a supply of provisions must be made in the county for the population that is in it as it will be impossible to obtain them elsewhere owing to the condition of the rail-roads, and other transportation facilities of the country.

Many other facts to the same effect could be stated, but it would be impossible to convey to Your Excellency any adequate conception of the forlorn and ruined condition of the citizens of this devastated county. Suffering there must be, in any event, and when it is remembered that we are here exposed, at any moment, to another incursion of the enemy, it will be readily seen that we have urgent need of all our available force at home; and your peti=tioners, respectfully, request your Excellency to release from the service, at least those who have been drafted

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from the county to-day, by the order of your Excel=lency.

Oxford Miss. Feb. 20^th 1863

W,, E,, Buckner
Col. Militia

Tho^s_. F. Lundie
H. M, Lee
T, J, Jolly
A, Singliton
J K Goodwin
P, G, Johnson
O, H, Wiley
W, Lawhorn
J. M. Verner
S A Woodword
J, A, M^cMillan
Jesse Lowe
R, L, Waller
Ja^s. L Kendel
E B Dooley
W H Shaw
John Foust
B, Iron
G, L, Driser
W, R, Jorden
A, A, Houston