Letter from Major W. E. Montgomery to Mississippi Governor Charles Clark; August 7, 1864

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Letter from Major W. E. Montgomery to Mississippi Governor Charles Clark; August 7, 1864

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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

Adams, William Wirt, 1819-1888 Balfour, Charlie Blackburn, J. C. S.Bradford, Unknown Clark, Charles, 1811-1877 Deeson, S. T.Evans, P.Forrest, Nathan Bedford, 1821-1877 Gartly, William F.Harrison, Unknown Jackson, Unknown Johnston, Unknown Montgomery, W. E.Saunders, F.Seddon, James A. (James Alexander), 1815-1880 Stafford, Unknown

Events

Military Engagements Military Engagements--Goodrich's Landing, Battle of, La., 1863 Military Events--Military transfer Military Events--Recruiting and enlistment Political Office--Appointment to office Taxation Taxation--Exemption Taxation--Mississippi

Military Units

Confederate States of America. Army Mississippi. Militia Mississippi. Militia. Cavalry Battalion, 2nd Mississippi. Militia. Cavalry Battalion, 2nd. Reserves Under Review United States. Army

Organizations

Confederate States of America--Army Adjutant and Inspector-General's Office Farms Military Headquarters Mississippi--Military Department. Quartermaster Department

Occupations

Tax Profession--Assessors Tax Profession--Collectors

Places

Bodies of Water--Interstate. Mississippi River Mississippi--Bolivar County Mississippi--Coahoma County Mississippi--Hinds County. Jackson Mississippi--Issaquena County Mississippi--Washington County

Social Identifiers

Military Status--Military families

Vital Statistics

Disease and illness

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[seal]

H^d Qrs 2^nd Bat. Miss state Cav—Bolivar County Aug 7^th, 64

To His Excellency
Chas Cark—Gov & Com^d in Chief
State Forces—

Sir

In conformity with orders I have made out a full monthly report of the Battalion which has been forwarded to the Adj^t Genl ^s Office—The organization of the Battalion has been delayed to some extend on account of my own health & serious illness in my family—I had just commenced endeavoring to organize it properly When I rec^d orders on the 3^rd Inst to report to Gen^l Wirt Adams, at Jackson, "Without Delay,"—I have been making preparations & have given all the necessary orders & will start out Tomor-row to Report to Genl Adams—enclosed find copy of Gen^l Adams orders to me—Should you deem it necessary for the service to order the Battalion to continue opperating the [Sump?], after this emergency is over, I think it will add greatly to the efficiency of the Bat, by fur-

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-nishing arms of the same caliber & also good Pistols if they can be procured—Or if the Department can furnish lead, car-tridge paper &c I can appoint an ordi-nance Master and have Cartridges of all kinds made, so as to keep a constant sup-ply on hand—Since my last report—I have had Picked Scouts in Issaquena County, con-stantly, who have been reporting to me reg-ularly—They have made themselves fam-iliar with every road & path in that county. I rec^d a report from Scouts urging me to move the command down to Issaquena as rapidly as possible as it was deemed prac-ticable to break up the Federal Farming inter-est in that secion of the county—Harrison had whipped the Federals out at Good-Riches Land^g & ~~there was~~ no reinforecements could be sent to this side of the River. Scouts reported not more than Thirty Federal soldiers on this side at the Stockade Fort on Charlie Bal-four^s place—I was extremely sorry that I could not avail myself this opportunity of breaking up their Farms—But the orders I rec^d from Genl Adams, would not allow me to do this—Consequently I have ordered My Scouts in, & will move

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out with the entire command, tomorrow—

The following is a list of the Troops in the bottom opperating in the Mississippi River —Capt Bradford with about 50 men from Genl Adams command ~~Capt P. Evans, with about~~ opera-ting in Issaquena County—Capt P. Evans with about 20 or 30 men, Scouts for Genl. Jack-son^s Division—operating in Washingon Issaquena & Bolivar—Capt. F. Saunders with about 60 men, &c Genl Forests Com^d operating principally in Coahoma County—

Capt J. C. S. Blackburn & Capt John-ston, with about 30 men each—Indepen-dants—Acting under authority from the Secretary War—Furnished by the Government with arm, amunition & substance, but drawing no pay, claiming all they Capture & receiving half pay for all they destroy that belongs to the Enemy these two companies have been organizing for sometime & have been subsisting (so I am informed) from the Tax in Kind—The Tax in Kind has not all been assessed in this county & the collector, has not collected any of it—I did not know that any one would ^be^ allowed to subsist off the Tax in Kind prior to its collection—

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There has been 60,000 lbs of meat bonded in this county by persons claiming ex-emption—Citizens have twice and again requested to have some arrangement, so that receipts given by my Quarter Master would ^be^ good in paying their Tax in Kind or in Cancelling their Bonds—I leave this matter to your consideration

Lieut Stafford will hand you an applica-tion from Mr S. T. Deeson, be allowed to accept the appointment of assesser of The Tax in Kind for this county—Mr Deeson does not desire the appointment if it requires that a transfer from the State Service—If he can accept of the appointinemt and still remain a member of his present company, then he is anxious to accept of it—Mr Deeson is an able bodied soldier & doubting my right to allow him to accept of the appointment—I have refered the matter to you

I am Gov Your
Obt servant

W E. Montgomery
Maj 2^nd_" Bat M. S. Cav

Capt Gartly reported yesterday
W.E.M