Letter from Willie Lyons to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; February 28, 1863

Documents
Letter from Willie Lyons to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; February 28, 1863

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People

Lyons, William Pettus, John Jones, 1813-1867 Taylor, Armistead Tupper, T. C.

Events

Emancipation and self emancipation Military Events--Military service exemption

Military Units

Mississippi. Militia United States. Army

Organizations and Businesses

Plantations

Occupations

Plantation overseers

Places

Big Black River (Miss.)Bolivar County (Miss.)Canton (Miss.)Jackson (Miss.)Mississippi River Pearl River (Miss. and La.)

Social Identifiers

African Americans Enslaved people Military Status--Military substitutes

Vital Statistics

Disease and illness

Page 1

[seal]

Jackson Miss 28^th February 1863

To his Excellency
Governor J. J. Pettus—Dear Sir—

I respectfully ask that my overseer Armistead Taylor be released from Militia duty, for the following reasons.

My plantation is in Bolivar County, fronting on the Missⁱ_. River & now within the Enemys line, they have stolen from me five likely Negro men, I still have on the place 11 Negroes & about 30.000 Bushels Corn, I have been forced to run off the other hands, & now have them scattered about 70 on the Big Black, 20 near Canton, and 16 on Pearl River, these last are at work for the Government making charcoal, I have no Overseer, nor any one to look after these slaves, but Mr Taylor, who is over 46 years of age, and subject to Rheumatism, these facts are respectfully made known to you, and will I trust be deemed of such weight as to justify the prayer of your petioneer, without naming other reasons.

Your Very Respectfully

Willie Lyons

P. S. I have used every exertion in my power to procure a substitute without success unless I paid $250 per M^o. or $3000 per year, but owing to my heavy [loans?], I had not the means to do so, having had burned by our Govt. 856 Bales Cotton, & the last crop entirely lost for want of picking and the man I ask for is I believe, the only one ^who^ can now save what I have remaining on the place & properly attend to the negroes.

W. Lyons

Page 2

I respectfully state to the Governer that Col Lyons is entitled to full credit, in his statements, and I recommend that his petition be granted

T C Tupper
Maj Genl