Letter from J. H. Catchings to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; September 14, 1863

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Letter from J. H. Catchings to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; September 14, 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

Catching, J. H.Clark, Unknown Pettus, John Jones, 1813-1867 Seddon, James A. (James Alexander), 1815-1880

Events

Emancipation and self emancipation Legislation. Confederate States of America. Congress Legislation. Confederate States of America. Congress. Twenty Negro Law (1862)Military Events--Military discharge

Military Units

Confederate States of America--Military Service (Branch Unspecified)Confederate States of America. Army United States. Army

Organizations

Plantations Schools

Businesses

Farms

Occupations

Judges Planter Postmasters

Places

Mississippi--Copiah County. Georgetown Mississippi--Simpson County. Westville

Social Identifiers

African Americans African Americans--Enslaved People Military Families People with Disabilities

Page 1

Georgetown Miss
Sept,, 14th 1863

Hon John J Pettus
Gov,, of the State
of Mississippi

Dear Sir

duty once more involves itself upon me as the em-ergency of the case required on our part in The prosicution of This war. to write you explaining my situation, and asking of- you as an humble constituent of yours—your Just counsel, or aid from you if in ^your^ power to assist me in The embarrassed situation I am placed in, I once before wrote you in regards to this and was happy to merit your Just attention

So rarely now I find Justice given to individuals of my sphere of life, it is a matter of gratitude to me to know you are ^a^ man who listens to reason

The object I write you is This. The great necesity our Goverment stands in need of men at the present time for The farther pro-secution of this unholy war has caused it to call upon all infirm and disabled soldiers and citizens to fill places now ocupied

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by able bodied men, This certainly meets with The approbation of every true patriot as far as it is beneficial to our country. I have been lame from infancy with deformity of left foot. I have been exam-ined and discharged at Three diferent calls as unfit for service, I could very easy fill the situation of some nom-inal position and without any degree of reluctence I would avail myself of the oppor-tunity—if my situation at home would just-ify me, or if the good I could do There would balance with ^my^ services at home, I will explain my situation and leave The matter to you to reconcile me what I had best do

I am Guardian for Three minor children two Brothers and a Sister of mine I have their slaves my own and an elder Brother of mine who is in the army, all numbering about (40) forty on our farm owned and worked jointly and exclusively under my controol, The children are off at school, I am the only white male person on the place—and now Gov I ask you in The name of Justice is ^it^ right that I should be taken away to fill a nominal position in the army when there are thousands of dis-abled soldiers who can over fill these places and be glad to get the positions to make a

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living I have used every effort to find a competent man to take charge of my busi-ness in case That I am forced to go off I cant find no one of any kind, again is it good policy on The part of our Goverment to leave large plantations and families of negroes to go to destruction and The negroes to go to the Yankees. It is said that our secretary of war has placed the construction upon the negro exemption law (if it has not been repealed which lately I learn it has not) that this ex-emption clause only refers to persons bet-ween the ages of 35 & 45. I am not 30 yet I ask is it not the purpose of all Goverments to give protection to minors and Their effe-cts before all others as long as property is any consideration atall, and when it ceases to be I claim it to be justice ^not^ to ^~~not~~^ recognize the right in any one but place all able bodied men into the service regar-dless of age or circumstances in life

I feel that you fuly understand my situation I am desirous of doing my duty, I want Justice done me and to Those under my care, I cant bear the idea of leaving all That is under my charge and two thirds of that two belonging to inocent children—alone to be wasted and uterly lost I have been ordered to repot by Maj Clark for duty, but I beg of him to wait

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on me untill I can make some arrangements—this is imposible. so I write you inquiring if the prov-isions of the law has looked over cases of this kind. My situation is diferent from many, and I appeal to you to intercede in my behalf and make some arrangement satisfactory for the welfare of my Trusts, so that in the event I have to go into service I can go with a willing heart

Please favor me with an early reply and mutch oblige your most obdnt servant

J H Catching P. M

Direct your reply
to the care of Judge [?]
Westville Miss

J H Catchings Westville Miss Sept 14^th 1863