Letter from J. D. Fairly to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; June 22, 1863

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Letter from J. D. Fairly to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; June 22, 1863

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Document Metadata

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

People

Fairly, John D.Foggs, John H.Grafton, James M.Pettus, John Jones, 1813-1867 Postlethwaite, A. J.Smedes, Charles Edward Wails, Unknown

Events

Criminal Procedure--Arrest

Military Units

Mississippi. Militia Mississippi. Militia. Minute Men Infantry Battalion, 4th

Organizations

Confederate States of America--War Department. Quartermaster Department Military Headquarters

Places

Mexico--Matamoros Mississippi--Adams County Mississippi--Adams County. Natchez Mississippi--Jefferson County Mississippi--Jefferson County. Union Church Mississippi--Wilkinson County

Social Identifiers

Military Status--Military deserters

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Union Church June 22^nd 1863

To His excellency John J. Pettus
Governor & Commander in Chief State Miss

Sir I have just got through a town through Jefferson, Adams & Wilkinson Counties to see and confer with the Captains Companies "Minute Men" in order to see what would be the most practicable plan to execute Special order No. 158. in the 4th Batt Miss State Troops, In Adams & Wilkinson there are not loyal & obedient men enough to make a corporals guard, They openly and avowedly defy the authority of their officers I am satisfied that nothing but bayonets will establish discipline in the position of the command from those two counties In Jefferson I can report the organization only in a little better state of discipline What few men show any respect for one another do it very reluctantly and with hesitation urging they do not wish to except such stringent [?] against their old neighbors and friends. Upon the whole if you could send a good and reliable force of calalry with orders to arrest every Militia man at absent with out leave Special order No 158, would be executed much more speedily and effectively, Myself and the various company officers from many causes have lost all influence over and control of the

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command all we want is physical forces sufficient to restablish that control.

On arriving at Natchez I conf. that our Quarter Master Capt John H. Foggs had gone to Matemoras Mexico I left an order there for him to report at Head Quarters to settle up. ~~[?]~~ As you are aware he loses his position by the resignation of Col. Postlethwaite and as you would not appoint another untill he would settle up we are without a Quarter Master which occassions another difficulty in executing my order, When we are ordered to arrest and forward under guard to Head Quarters any mutinous or disobedient soldier, we should either hand transportations or the funds to procure it. we have neither.

In the demoralized State of the command we will have to have these men in camp to carry out the order, how are we to get provisions & forage without funds or a Quartermaster to furnished it I mention these few items to show you the hercuilian tasks I have with such scanty means of accomplishing it

What few men I could collect, I have now out under orders to arrest and bring to camp all absentees they can find, When I get them I have nothing to feed them with, The citizens ought ^to^ furnish us, but they say the military will not fight & ought not to be fed.

With the means I have at command I am

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doing and will do all I can to serve the great cause for which we are struggling, but want the matter to be plainly understood so that two great expectations need not be indulged in in regard to my efforts, when so ominous a task is alotted to me, I speak sincerely when I say that I have done all I could to make the State organization here effective, and believe I have ^a^ clear conscience when I say that I am not [acommentable?] for the demoralization in it

Dr. Grafton Adjutant of the Battallion tenders you his resignation He is totally inefficient from physical inability to do the duties of the office and I believe it would add to the service if you accept his resignation,,

I have now reported to His excellency the condition of the Battalion as plainly and thoughtfully as I can and if my efforts do not meet your approval, I am perfectly willing the matter should be in outdated by Court Martial

Hoping that my efforts will be crowned with more success than this report foreshadows I will close

Most obediently
J. D. Fairley Maj Comd 4^th
Batt M. S. T.

~~P.S.~~

P.S. I forgot to mention the fact that the two companies from Adams were placed under command of Maj. Wails by special order from yourself. I got a letter from him to day in which he stated, that being unable to execute the order, he had tended his resignation

J. D. Fairly Maj &c

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Major J D Fairley
22 June 1863

Answerd 25 June
by Dr Grafton
Report to Genl
Smedes for orders