Letter from W. E. Montgomery to Mississippi Governor Charles Clark; November 25, 1863
Title
Letter from W. E. Montgomery to Mississippi Governor Charles Clark; November 25, 1863
Subject
Clark, Charles, 1811-1877; Mississippi. Governor
Description
From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Clark Collection. Letter from Captain W.E. Montgomery of the Herndon Rangers to Mississippi Governor Charles Clark concerning alleged raids being made by armed African Americans led by Milford Coe.
Creator
Montgomery, W. E.
Publisher
Mississippi Department of Archives and History. (electronic version); Mississippi Digital Library. (electronic version)
Date
1863-11-25
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_768-949-01-07
Coverage
1863
Text
Page 1:
Bolivar County—Nov 25 th" 1863—
Chas, Clark Gov & Comdr in chief State Troops
In accordance with verbal instructions recd" from Gov Pettus I have been reporting as scouts to the comdr of Confederate Cavelry in this State as often as practicable, besides making Monthly reports to the Gov—My greatest difficulty has been in procuring ammunition, I have made two requisitions & failed each time—I have some trouble in mounting my men, I could have my numbers increased If I had the means of mounting them, I applied for orders to press horses, but the orders were not granted, I sup-pose for good reasons—Would it be just for orders to be issued me, to take all the horses and mules of persons going aboard of Federal Boats without a Flag of truce—2 hourses & 2 mules were brought into camp by my scouts, taken from Persons who had gone on a Trading Boat up to the Feral post at the mouth of white River—I have released all of them, but one, & will release that one until I hear from you, If entitled ^to^ them, send orders to that effect, there is no way of stopping the Trade & communication with the Enemy Gun Boats except by pursuing This course, arresting the parties & sending them to Hd Qrs & burning all the cotton in the county except enough for spinning purposes—I have information that some persons are preparing to ship corn to Memphis—Is anything to be done with the parties who have taken the oath—or travel in The enemies Boats without passes from Confederate authority
Page 2:
I captured 5 negros from Island 75 near Lake Bolivar Three of Them belong to Mr. Humphreys, 1 to R.R. Estelle & 1 to Mrs Manly, one of The negros was armed, They were engaged in tearing down The houses [strikethrough] of [strikethrough] on Genl. Vicks Place & boating The lumber to the Island, where Milford Coe has established a wood yard & is collecting all The negros he can—He has with an armed band of negros several Times vis^i^ted Mr Estells place at night & taken whatever he wanted Coe with his negros & The crew of The Gun Boat Connestoga went out Wm Sillers?' place a few days ago & took his overseer Ayers prisoner & Willis The overseer on one The Humphreys places & did other damage, I went down to the i^n^tercept them, but they did not return on the road I expected them—Col Curry of the Marine Brigade Burned by house, Smoke house kitchen & c & my Gin House The quarters were not injured nor my cribs—he had some of the furniture removed, also some of the Bed clothes, But the negros & his soldiers stole more Than half of what was removed from the house—He acted Brutally & cowardly—The cause I am told was becasue I had The Allen Collier burned which contained a cargo belonging to Vance & Top—Top is running on a Cotton Boat—Mrs Clark applied to him for some groceries as hers & Marys had been burned, agreeing to credit it on his notes he refused, to but said he would pay in The money you helped to make—Your Taxes have been paid—I presume you have heard that Judge shall [?]
Page 3:
had been burned out & his family turned out of doors—It is said by a band of 300 armed negros, I Think how-ever that it must have been [strikethrough] a [strikethrough] Currys gang of Thieves [blacked?]—It looks hard to me, to see people taking the oath and placing themselves under the protection of the Yankees & living in plenty, when those who are true to the country have to be burned out & their fam-ilies to suffer—I recd" orders from Col. McGuirk to [strikethrough] unite my compan [strikethrough] report with my compy to him, the orders were from Genl. Gholson or George—I did not obey the order—because you are the only one having any control over the company—Whenever you order The company out or to unite with any Regiment, I will endeaver to carry out the order—
W. E. Montgomery Capt Comdg
Herndon Rangers—
Mrs. Clark, Mary, Emma & The children are well—Prick & Charley have been sick, but are—Mrs C. & Mary are living in The Loom house, they have had another small room put up and are doing tolerably comfortable considering everything. Mary Told Curry he would have burn again as she [wnted?] to live at home as long as she could—She put the Loom house out after they set it on fire—We have some salt & hope we will have enough to save meat plinty—Some of The negros acted badly—Mrs. C. will write to you
W. E Montgomery
Page 4:
Reporting
Capt. W E Montgomery
"Herndon Rangers"
Bolivar County—Nov 25 th" 1863—
Chas, Clark Gov & Comdr in chief State Troops
In accordance with verbal instructions recd" from Gov Pettus I have been reporting as scouts to the comdr of Confederate Cavelry in this State as often as practicable, besides making Monthly reports to the Gov—My greatest difficulty has been in procuring ammunition, I have made two requisitions & failed each time—I have some trouble in mounting my men, I could have my numbers increased If I had the means of mounting them, I applied for orders to press horses, but the orders were not granted, I sup-pose for good reasons—Would it be just for orders to be issued me, to take all the horses and mules of persons going aboard of Federal Boats without a Flag of truce—2 hourses & 2 mules were brought into camp by my scouts, taken from Persons who had gone on a Trading Boat up to the Feral post at the mouth of white River—I have released all of them, but one, & will release that one until I hear from you, If entitled ^to^ them, send orders to that effect, there is no way of stopping the Trade & communication with the Enemy Gun Boats except by pursuing This course, arresting the parties & sending them to Hd Qrs & burning all the cotton in the county except enough for spinning purposes—I have information that some persons are preparing to ship corn to Memphis—Is anything to be done with the parties who have taken the oath—or travel in The enemies Boats without passes from Confederate authority
Page 2:
I captured 5 negros from Island 75 near Lake Bolivar Three of Them belong to Mr. Humphreys, 1 to R.R. Estelle & 1 to Mrs Manly, one of The negros was armed, They were engaged in tearing down The houses [strikethrough] of [strikethrough] on Genl. Vicks Place & boating The lumber to the Island, where Milford Coe has established a wood yard & is collecting all The negros he can—He has with an armed band of negros several Times vis^i^ted Mr Estells place at night & taken whatever he wanted Coe with his negros & The crew of The Gun Boat Connestoga went out Wm Sillers?' place a few days ago & took his overseer Ayers prisoner & Willis The overseer on one The Humphreys places & did other damage, I went down to the i^n^tercept them, but they did not return on the road I expected them—Col Curry of the Marine Brigade Burned by house, Smoke house kitchen & c & my Gin House The quarters were not injured nor my cribs—he had some of the furniture removed, also some of the Bed clothes, But the negros & his soldiers stole more Than half of what was removed from the house—He acted Brutally & cowardly—The cause I am told was becasue I had The Allen Collier burned which contained a cargo belonging to Vance & Top—Top is running on a Cotton Boat—Mrs Clark applied to him for some groceries as hers & Marys had been burned, agreeing to credit it on his notes he refused, to but said he would pay in The money you helped to make—Your Taxes have been paid—I presume you have heard that Judge shall [?]
Page 3:
had been burned out & his family turned out of doors—It is said by a band of 300 armed negros, I Think how-ever that it must have been [strikethrough] a [strikethrough] Currys gang of Thieves [blacked?]—It looks hard to me, to see people taking the oath and placing themselves under the protection of the Yankees & living in plenty, when those who are true to the country have to be burned out & their fam-ilies to suffer—I recd" orders from Col. McGuirk to [strikethrough] unite my compan [strikethrough] report with my compy to him, the orders were from Genl. Gholson or George—I did not obey the order—because you are the only one having any control over the company—Whenever you order The company out or to unite with any Regiment, I will endeaver to carry out the order—
W. E. Montgomery Capt Comdg
Herndon Rangers—
Mrs. Clark, Mary, Emma & The children are well—Prick & Charley have been sick, but are—Mrs C. & Mary are living in The Loom house, they have had another small room put up and are doing tolerably comfortable considering everything. Mary Told Curry he would have burn again as she [wnted?] to live at home as long as she could—She put the Loom house out after they set it on fire—We have some salt & hope we will have enough to save meat plinty—Some of The negros acted badly—Mrs. C. will write to you
W. E Montgomery
Page 4:
Reporting
Capt. W E Montgomery
"Herndon Rangers"