Letter from W. R. Stewart to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; July 20, 1862
Title
Letter from W. R. Stewart to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; July 20, 1862
Subject
Mississippi. Governor; Pettus, John Jones, 1813-1867.; United States. Navy.
Description
From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Pettus Collection. Letter from W.R. Stewart to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus concerning a local citizen who has sold supplies to the United States Navy.
Creator
Stewart, W. R.
Publisher
Mississippi Department of Archives and History. (electronic version); Mississippi Digital Library. (electronic version)
Date
1862-07-20
Contributor
Funding for this project provided by The Dale Center for Study of War and Society-USM, the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, the Mississippi Digital Library, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, the University of Southern Mississippi, and the Watson-Brown Foundation
Rights
NO COPYRIGHT - UNITED STATES; http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/
Language
English
Identifier
mdah_757-942-5-7
Coverage
1862
Text
Page 1:
Bolivar Co Miss, July 20th 1862
Gov Pettus
Jackson
Dear Sir
As I am entirely un-known to you you will please ask T. J. Wharton, or C E Hooker or some of the old citizens of Jackson who have been in public life who I am.
I feel that it is a duty that all loyal good citizens and the confederacy to give information of anything that might do our cause a very great harm—I do not wish to be obtrusive, forward or officious but fear ing that others have neglected to inform you of facts I take the liberty of doing so let the consequences be what they may
It is certain that Miles H Mage has had several interviews with Fitch the com mander of the expedition of yanke Gun Boats down the river and up White river and that too great an intamacy exists bewtwen them report says that he sold them 400 Bales of cotton, and supplies for there men of vegetables, fresh meat and vegetables &c &c
The fact is notorious, and Pattent here that for the last Three months his sympa thes have not been with our cause, and he does all he can to embararrass the raising of Partizan companies here, and report says has furnished the yankees with full information of the where abouts of all the cotton in the county, and the names of all praminent secessionists. He told Fitch
Page 2:
the yankee commander, so report says, that [he?] was forced to advocate our cause but that in reality he had allways been a union man
I have a commission from Genl Beauregard to burn cotton dated in May Miles H Magee told me that he would die by his Cotton if Genl Beauragard himself were to try to burn it—I have, nor had any force hence did not try to burn it although one hundred men offered there services to me—the Cotton was hid out, and I did not think he would sell it.
If any one here authorized by you to arrest him and take him to Jackson it would be done in double quick time—the loyal people here are very uneasy about his conduct. He is not all that is friendly to the yankies. John Kirk an other large planter is with him in his interviews on the Boats, and at Kirks house where Fitch was invited by them
An othe planter here Esqr Dodds has recd letters off of the Gun Boats, and also hailed in one and sent a letter north.
We have a private horse mail from my place to McNut in Sunflower Co, any letter you direct to that place will be brought here to the right person.
We want no domestic enemies amg us, We can handle the yankies—if you will keep off our own [we?], who give them aid
Respectfully
W. R. Stewart
Bolivar Co Miss, July 20th 1862
Gov Pettus
Jackson
Dear Sir
As I am entirely un-known to you you will please ask T. J. Wharton, or C E Hooker or some of the old citizens of Jackson who have been in public life who I am.
I feel that it is a duty that all loyal good citizens and the confederacy to give information of anything that might do our cause a very great harm—I do not wish to be obtrusive, forward or officious but fear ing that others have neglected to inform you of facts I take the liberty of doing so let the consequences be what they may
It is certain that Miles H Mage has had several interviews with Fitch the com mander of the expedition of yanke Gun Boats down the river and up White river and that too great an intamacy exists bewtwen them report says that he sold them 400 Bales of cotton, and supplies for there men of vegetables, fresh meat and vegetables &c &c
The fact is notorious, and Pattent here that for the last Three months his sympa thes have not been with our cause, and he does all he can to embararrass the raising of Partizan companies here, and report says has furnished the yankees with full information of the where abouts of all the cotton in the county, and the names of all praminent secessionists. He told Fitch
Page 2:
the yankee commander, so report says, that [he?] was forced to advocate our cause but that in reality he had allways been a union man
I have a commission from Genl Beauregard to burn cotton dated in May Miles H Magee told me that he would die by his Cotton if Genl Beauragard himself were to try to burn it—I have, nor had any force hence did not try to burn it although one hundred men offered there services to me—the Cotton was hid out, and I did not think he would sell it.
If any one here authorized by you to arrest him and take him to Jackson it would be done in double quick time—the loyal people here are very uneasy about his conduct. He is not all that is friendly to the yankies. John Kirk an other large planter is with him in his interviews on the Boats, and at Kirks house where Fitch was invited by them
An othe planter here Esqr Dodds has recd letters off of the Gun Boats, and also hailed in one and sent a letter north.
We have a private horse mail from my place to McNut in Sunflower Co, any letter you direct to that place will be brought here to the right person.
We want no domestic enemies amg us, We can handle the yankies—if you will keep off our own [we?], who give them aid
Respectfully
W. R. Stewart