Letter from Lieutenant Colonel J. D. Stewart to Mississippi Governor Charles Clark; February 22, 1865

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Letter from Lieutenant Colonel J. D. Stewart to Mississippi Governor Charles Clark; February 22, 1865

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People

Clark, Charles, 1811-1877 Green, Joshua Haughton, L.Mangum, W. H.McCall, Unknown Stewart, J. D.Taylor, Richard, 1826-1879

Events

Evacuations Evacuations--Meridian (Miss.), 1864 Legislation. Mississippi Legislation. Mississippi. Chapter LIX (1864)Military Events--Raid Political Office--Appointment to office

Military Units

Under Review United States. Army

Organizations

Confederate States of America--War Department Confederate States of America--War Department. Ordnance Department Confederate States of America--War Department. Quartermaster Department Military Headquarters Mississippi--Legislature Mississippi--Military Department Mississippi--Military Department. State Armory Mississippi--Treasury Department

Businesses

Gun shops Railroads and Railroad Companies Railroads and Railroad Companies--Mobile and Ohio Railroad Company (Mobile, Ala.)Retail Stores Retail Stores--Grocery

Occupations

Blacksmiths Laborers Law Enforcement Law Enforcement--Sheriffs Manufacturers Messengers

Places

Mississippi--Hinds County. Jackson Mississippi--Lauderdale County. Meridian Mississippi--Noxubee County. Macon Mississippi--Yazoo County

Vital Statistics

Disease and illness

Page 1

Head Quarters Ord Dept St. Miss^s
Macon Miss^s Feby. 22^nd 1865

To His Excellency
Ch^s Clark.
Governor & Comd^r in Chief

Sir

In compliance with your order I beg to submit the following report of matters connected with this Department and of its present condition

Since the evacuation of Meridian in February 1864 the Department has been located at this place, where I proceeded to establish a gun Shop for the repair and cleaning of arms, and a blacksmiths shop in connection therewith all of which has been upon a very limited and economical scale.

There were many stores of different kinds saved from the wreck at Meridian in Feby last which could not be used advantageously in the Depart-ment here which by your direction were turned over to the Confederate Government an Invoice of which you will find accompanying this report marked exhibit A

Since the shops above referred to have been in operation here I have done work in leisure times for citizens, and for the other State Departments and for the Confederate Government, The amount received and due for such work is $4486⁵⁸. For the Ordnance Department there has been repaired and cleaned 3000 stand of arms since may last (the time the shops went into operation) besides manufacturing tools for the use of the shops—which

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will be seen by reference to Inventory marked exhibit "B"

I have not had more than twelve hands con=nected with the shops at this place at any one time—much of their time was lost by sickness besides having to send them as messengers & guards in charge of Stores shipped from point to point as necessity required, having no other men at my command

Since the 21^st Dec 1863 I have drawn from the State Treasury on account of the Ordnance Dept the sum of $34.324⁰⁸, and of this amount the sum of $4122⁶⁷ was paid on the certified ac=counts of my predecessor, and $1442²⁵ to W H Mangum Sheriff Yazoo County under Special Act of the Legislature for guns collected.

This amount includes expenditures for building pay of employees &c &c at Meridian

For the receipts & disbursements of Arms ammunition &c &c I beg to refer you to exhibit marked "C" It will also be seen by this statement in whose hands those issues now are, For the Arms & &c in this Dept at this time I refer you to exhibit marked. D

When the last raid of the enemy was made on the Mobile & Ohio Rail Road ~~was made~~, I was applied to by Gen^l Taylor through his Chief Ordnance Officer Maj. M^cCall for the loan of Ordnance to place in the hands of troops then going forward to meet the raiders—I con=sequently took the responsibility of turning over to him the arms &c I then had in transition—

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To this transfer I understood you to assent when I reported the matter to you

It is now the understanding with the Dept Commander that these stores will be returned upon demand The proper vouchers were taken for this [page torn] transfer

For the Arms, Ammunition and acc[page torn]trements furnished Capt Joshua Green at Jackson for his Company (& noted in exhibit "C") by your direction took a bond from him with good and sufficient Security in the sum of Five [page torn]housand dollars for their safe return

I received from you an order under date of 4^th Feby 18[page torn]5 directing me to "turn over to Col L Haughton Br. Mr Gen^l all work Shops, tools and app[page torn]ances ^into^ belonging thereto and all operations employed therein" which was promptly done and an inventory taken of all property so transferred a copy of which accompanies this report marked exhibit B to which is attached the value of the same amounting in the aggregate to $20661²⁹

In connection with the expenditures of this Department it is proper to state that immediate-

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-ly upon assuming the duties of my office I ap-proved a requisition made by the Superintendent of the Armory for the sum of $10,000, which amount was almost entirely consumed in the pay-ment of outstanding debts contracted previous to my appointment—. ~~The Superintendent af-terwards returned to the Q. M. Gen^l about one half the amount~~—Thus it will be seen that over ~~near~~ $14000.00. should be deducted from the amount of expenditures during my ad-ministration—

In addition I would beg to refer you to exhibits "C. & D" for statements of Arms, ammunition, accoutrements &c. now on hand, and an account of stores turned over to Maj M^cCall above referred to, and now due the state by the Confederate Government,

The usual and a more extended re-port will be made by me at the next reg-ular session of the Legislature—I hope however this limited report, with accompany-ing documents will furnish you with all the information most needed at the pres-ent time

All of which is respectfully submitted

J D Stewart
Lt Col & Chf Ordnance

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Report of

Lt. Col. J. D. Stewart
Chf of Ord St. Missⁱ

Feby 22^nd 1865