Letter from Mississippi Governor Charles Clark to General Leonidas Polk; March 18, 1864

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Letter from Mississippi Governor Charles Clark to General Leonidas Polk; March 18, 1864

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People

Clark, Charles, 1811-1877 Forrest, Nathan Bedford, 1821-1877 Gholson, Samuel Jameson, 1808-1883 McGuirk, John M.Polk, Leonidas, 1806-1864

Events

Military Events--Military discharge Military Events--Military transfer Military Events--Recruiting and enlistment

Military Units

Confederate States of America. Army Confederate States of America. Army. Mississippi. Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Mississippi. Militia Mississippi. Militia. Cavalry Regiment

Organizations

Confederate States of America--Congress Mississippi--Executive Department Mississippi--Legislature

Occupations

Letter carriers

Places

Alabama--Marengo County. Demopolis Mississippi--Chickasaw County. Buena Vista Mississippi--Lee County. Tupelo Mississippi--Noxubee County. Macon

Vital Statistics

Death

Page 1

Executive Office
Macon Miss March 18 1864

Genl

I enclose you copies of letters from Maj- Genl. Forrest and Gholson in relation to the transfer of State forces (Cavalry) Confederate State—Gen Gholson states the command at 1968—Effective Aggregate 1172—I have no doubt that from the mean abstract, two or three hun-dred can be obtained so as to raise the effective force to 1300 or 1400—

If you have authority to accept them and will do so, I will propose to the legislature which meets here next week to authorise the transfer, and will also ask that the horses (some 300) the property of the state be donated to the regi-ment to mount men not able to mount them-selves—I think they should be turned over without waiting to recruit—as under the late act of Congress they cannot recruit as state troops—They May by your order aferwards be recruited to the desired numbers, as all subject to duty under late act will desire to Join old organizations—

Page 2

I send this by Courier and request an answer by him. I hope you will make it as favorable as possible as you are well aware of the diffi-culties always to be expected in such changes of the status of the troops—I have offered a bounty of $50 to all who volunteer for the war. I hope you may be able to promise them efficient arms—their arms are in different—

M^c_"Guirks regiment have some five months pay due them—also for some 40 horses killed in action—You will much aid ~~the aid~~ the transfer ~~the~~ of that regiment by sending a pay muster to pay them for the time and loss ^while^ in Confederate Service—

Those troops are all good and nearly all have served long and are in as good ^a^ state of discipline and as effective as those of the Confederacy—

As state troops they cannot now be recruited and it would be wrong to discharge them at the present conjuncture, I hope therefore that the arrangement proposed can be effected—

I hope also that you will at the proper time find it consistent with your sense of propriety to Join in the recommendation of Genl Gholson as Brig Gen—As I shall most cor-dially do, but of course this is no part of the proposition of transfer

Page 3

I have the honor to be with high respect

Your Obdt Servt

Lt Genl L. Polk
Commdg &c

Demopolis—Ala—

P. S.
I send Col McQuirk regiment to Gen Gholson tomorrow to Buena Vista and then they will probably move as Gen Forrest sug-gested Tupelo. Please to send the payments to them as soon as possible—

Page 4

Executive Office
Macon Miss Mar 18 64

Governor Chas Clark
In reference to trans-fer of State forces to Confederate States Service