Letter from A. B. Watts to Mississippi Governor Charles Clark; June 30, 1864

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Letter from A. B. Watts to Mississippi Governor Charles Clark; June 30, 1864

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

People

Acre, Robert Ainsworth, Unknown Clark, Charles, 1811-1877 Cooper, D. G.Davis, Amos Grierson, Benjamin Henry, 1826-1911 Kersh, Unknown Maxey, William P Mendenhall, T. L.Myers, Unknown Neely?, Unknown Peyton, E. A.Watts, A. B.

Events

Criminal Procedure Criminal Procedure--Deputize Military Events--Impressment Military Events--Impressment. War Material Military Events--Military elections Military Events--Military leaves and furloughs Military Events--Raid Property Management Property Management--Confiscations

Military Units

Confederate States of America. Army Confederate States of America. Army. Mississippi. Cavalry Regiment, 12th. Company L Mississippi. Militia Mississippi. Militia. Cavalry Battalion. Reserves (Peyton's)

Organizations

Courts and Judicial Systems Courts and Judicial Systems--Probate courts

Occupations

Adjutants Clerks Law Enforcement Law Enforcement--Sheriffs

Places

Mississippi--Simpson County. Westville

Social Identifiers

Draft Resisters

Page 1

Near Westvile Miss June 30^th 1864

To His Excellency
~~Gov~~ Charles Clark—Gover State of Mississippi

Respected Sir,

The petition on which I write praying your Excellency ~~[?]~~ to have certain property returned—and your petitioner alleging that said property was siezed illegally—was shown me this morning. Wherefore I have the petition Davis mustered—and sent him to his command. having seen your Proclamation—also Orders to Maj Peyton declaring that no man belonging to the Army should be appointed Deputy Sherriff. This man Davis belongs to Capt Col WP Maxeys Company—and obtained a furlough from Lt Myers of Capt Maxey Co—for forty days—but before the forty days had expired he was appointed by the Sheriff of this county as one of his (many) Deputys. This man Davis has been lying in the woods since the passage of the law declaring all men between the ages of 35 and 40 liable to Confederate services—And this man Davis told me this morning that the Sheriff told him to stay in the Woods until he could get the order from you to appoint Deputy. Sheriffs—he done go—and his appointment was made while he was in the woods—His having lost the furlough that Capt Maxey had given him—And during the time Capt Cooper was stationed at Westville—this man Davis was brought into Capt Coopers—Quarters by some of his friends—and their accord a protection pass for second day. pledg-ing his honor—and his friends also vouching for him to report again at the exparation of his pass—soon commits himself with some Confederate Organizations. But he did not report This man Davis is a very large stout able bodied man

And from the statement of a number citizens that Know him well—I believe him to be a trifiling worthless Man atleast that is the ~~[?]~~ character he is [unclear] with those who have Known him for a number of years—And the steps he has taken in ~~[?]~~ [?] was dodging to Keep out of the Army—clearly shows to me that he is a ^man^ devoid of Principles or Honor,

The order was not issued by me for the citizens of [?] have—but I told Lt Kersh that he did right—believing that the horse—belonged to Neely?—who ~~was~~ is lying in the woods

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~~take~~ in consideration that this petition was not read to Davis until I read it to him—Yet he swore that the statement contained—was true and correct.

Davis says this morning that he was opposed to getting up the petition—until he could see me—but Mendenhall—advised him to get up the petition and send it to your ~~att~~^Ex^cellency immediately.

I argue Excedingly that your Excellency—is troubled with this ~~[?]~~ cases as it must be very annoying——and the same time cause you to believe that your troops are not acting as become Officers and Soldiers—but I assure you that I have watched every movement of Capt D G Coopers Company and have yet to find when ~~they have [unclear]~~ or when either himself Lts—or men have acting unbecoming Officers and men.

Your Excellency may think I have been too severe on Davis—but I had read this communications to him in the presence of several citizens and Soldiers and asked him correct any mistatement that was made—he raises no objection

Pardon me for a lengthy communication

I am Gov

Verry Respectfully Your Obt Servant

A B Watts

Adjt Peyton Battal

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Brig^dr Gen^l A, B, Watts & in Company with two other persons whom I Suppose to belong to the Said Company and demanded Said Mule and without the consent of, your orator took Said Mule and Carried him away alleging that they had orders So to do as above Stated which Said order was Read to me by Said Robert Acre your orator further says and avers that if it is the intention of the State or Confederate Government to deprive its Citizens of Such horses and Mules as are gathered up in the rear of a raid in lieu of those that have been taKen from them then in this matter BI have nothing of which to Complain although such a course may bear heavily upon many Citizens, but if such is not the in=tentions of Said Government then Your orator begs leave to make the following Suggestions as to the reasons why Said Mule was taKen which I will make according to the best information and belief I have in regard to the Matter as follows First:—In recent organization of Cavalry Commands many persons have Connected themselves with Cavalry Companies who are and have been unable to mount themselves and their officers having been ~~promoted~~ ^Elected^ and now being desirous of retaining their positions & as Cavalry men, not desiring that their Commands should be Consolidated, or dismounted are extremely anxious to Secure Such StocK as they may be enabled to Collect through the County from persons (who like myself) are not advised fully in these matters, and thereby be enabled to mount their men who are unable to mount themselves and thereby prevent either a portion of their Commands from being sent to infantry Regts, or the entire Companies or Batt^s, from being dismounted. Such are the opinions of your orater in regard to this matter, Since not only my Mule branded U,S, but the horse of a young lady was also taken in my immediate neighborhood on Said day on the grounds alleged that her brother

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and has been for the past eighten (18) months—and has sent me word that I can confiscate the last dollars worth of property he owns—but he will never return to the army—: However I learned that the horses taKen from his place was not his property and have asKed L^t Kersh to return ~~from~~ it

As regards the Mule—taKen from him—that was done under my Order—under Orders from Maj: Peyton to seize all horses—in the hands of Citizens belonging to the Government—The mule was left by Grierson as M^r,, Ainsworth together with several others—and a party of citizens went to M^r,, and requested ~~that~~ him ^to^ let M^r,, Davis have one of the mens to finish his xrop with—which M^cA—did but Told him that he must not dispose of him—as he claimed that the mule was his property until the Government called for him—M^r A is a member of Capt Coopers Company (and is one of the best men in the County) He told me of this mule and requested that I should send for it and mount one of Capt Coopers men who was ^not^ able to moumt himself.

Davis says in his petition that ^he^ is not the only case when Capt Coopers men have ~~acted~~ impressed horses claiming to have orders to do so—. And in answer to that I will state to your Excellency—that Capt Cooper has never impress^ed^ a horse since his Company has been organized, I say this Knowing it to be a fact as I have had the Company with me since it first organized. A number of Horses and Mules have been taken by Capt Cooper from Deserters and held as hostages for the owner—but in all cases they have been returned when the owners came for them—I think he has now two Horses in his Company belonging to deserters—and has had them for the past two months but the owners are still in the woods.

In reading the petition I hope your Excellency will take in consideration that is was drawn up by—Mendenhall who has done all in his power to distant the Organization of your troop and has made himself a lackey for such men as Davis —& ^[?]^ others of his stripe &—And at the same time take

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was a deserter ~~that~~ and whose Said Brother ~~had~~ about Three months ago had his own horse taKen ^by Said Company^ for the same reason which Said horse has never been returned that I have any Knowledge of. And Said Horse which was taKen from Said young lady was her own individual property purchased with her own means & had been raised in this county and the only horse that she had on the premises and was Solely used in Cultivating the Crops of Said lady her mother and Sister and one Child, and besides the Cases alone enumerated Said Company ~~have~~ or parts of Said Company have thereore made frequent attempts to impress (as they Said) other horses under pretense of having orders so to do and in Some instances without refermence to orders. Yours orator humbly complaining not only for himself but in behalf of Said young lady prays that Maj^r Peyton Commander of Said Ba^tt,, be held responsible for the conduct of his men in this respect and not only Majr Peyton but Such other Subordinate Officers as are now acting under him and that Such property as horses & Mules as have been wrongfully taken by them or under their directions be returned to their respective owners, Your orator is unwilling that your excellency should rely Solely upon the State=ment made by himself alone in this matter. but asks that your Excellency may direct the taking of Such other Testimony in this behalf as to you may seem meet and proper and whether or not it would not be advisable to dismount all of Said Battallion, and place them in the army proper,

And as in duty Comd your orator will ever pray &c,

Amos Davis

The State of Mississippi
Simpson County

Personally appeared before me

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the Undersigned Probate ClerK of Said County Amos Davis who being by me first duly sworn deposes and Says in oath that the allegations and Statements made and Contained in the foregoing petition he verily believes to be true as Was Stated of his own Knowledge he knows them to be true,

Sworn to & Subscribed before me
this 29^th day of June A, D, 1864,
Witness my hand & Seal of office
T. L. Mendenhall
ClerK

Amos Davis

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The State of Mississippi
Simpson County

To A, B, Watts A^ctg, Adg^t. Majr Peytons Batt, & Lieut [gap] Kersh Commanding Squad of Capt D, G, Cooper Co of Said Batt,

Take notice that the within Petition will bee presented to His Excellecy Cha^s Clark Govenor of Said State together with Such Testimony as he may direct in this behalf on he 20,^th day of July, next when and where you can appear and defend the Same if to you it May Seem Meet and proper

To the Sheriff of Simpson County Mississippi who will Execute this Notice
Signed 29^th 1864,

Amos Davis

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Near Westvile Miss June 30^th 1864

To His Excellency
~~Gov~~ Charles Clark—Gover State of Mississippi

Respected Sir,

The order was not issued by me for the citizens of [?] have—but I told Lt Kersh that he did right—believing that the horse—belonged to Neely—who ~~was~~ is lying in the woods