Letter from J. D. Fairly to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; June 22, 1863
Title
Letter from J. D. Fairly to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus; June 22, 1863
Subject
Confederate States of America. Army.; Draft.; Military deserters.; Mississippi. Governor; Pettus, John Jones, 1813-1867.
Description
From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Pettus Collection. Letter from J. D. Fairly to Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus asking for troops to be sent to southwest Mississippi to help round up deserters and conscripts.
Creator
Fairly, J. D.
Publisher
Mississippi Department of Archives and History. (electronic version); Mississippi Digital Library. (electronic version)
Date
1863-06-22
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_757-945-2-31
Coverage
1863
Text
Page 1:
Union Church June 22nd 1863
To His excellency John J. Pettus
Governor & Commander in Chief State Miss
Sir I have just got through a town through Jefferson, Adams & Wilkinson Counties to [see?] and confer with the Captains Companies "Minute Men" in order to see what would be the most practicable plan to execute Special order No. 158. in the 4th Batt Miss State Troops, In Adams & Wilkinson there are not loyal & obedient men enough to make a corporals guard, They openly and avowedly defy the authority of their officers I am satisfied that nothing but bayonets will establish discipline in the position of the command from those two counties In Jefferson I can report the organization only in a little better state of discipline What few men show any respect for one another do it very reluctantly and with hesitation [ongoing?] they do not wish to except such stringent [?] against their old neighbors and friends. Upon the whole if you could send a good and reliable force of calalry with orders to arrest every Militia man [strikethrough] at [strikethrough] absent with out leave Special order No 158, would be executed much more speedily and effectively, Myself and the various company officers from many causes have lost all influence over and control of the
Page 2:
command all we want is physical forces sufficient to restablish that control.
On arriving at Natchez I conf. that our Quarter Master Capt John H. Foggs had gone to Matemoras Mexico I left an order there for him to report at Head Quarters to settle up. [strikethrough] [unclear] [strikethrough] As you are aware he loses his position by the resignation of Col. Postlethwaite and as you would not appoint another untill he would settle up we are without a Quarter Master which occassions another difficulty in executing my order, When we are ordered to arrest and forward under guard to Head Quarters any mutinous or disobedient soldier, we should either hand transportations or the funds to [procure?] it. we have neither.
In the demoralized State of the command we will have to have these men in camp to carry out the order, how are we to get provisions & forage without funds or a Quartermaster to furnished it I mention these few items to show you the hercuilian tasks I have with such scanty means of accomplishing it
What few men I could collect, I have now out under orders to arrest and bring to camp all absentees they can find, When I get them I have nothing to feed them with, The citizens ought ^to^ furnish us, but they say the military will not fight & ought not to be fed.
With the means I have at command I am
Page 3:
doing and will do all I can to serve the great cause for which we are struggling, but want the matter to be plainly understood so that two great expextations need not be indulged in in regard to my efforts, when so ominous a task is alotted to me, I speak sincerely when I say that I have done all I could to make the State organization here effective, and believe I have ^a^ clear conscience when I say that I am not [acommentable?] for the demoralization in it
Dr. Grafton Adjutant of the Battallion tenders you his resignation He is totally inefficient from physical inability to do the duties of the office and I believe it would add to the service if you accept his resignation,,
I have now reported to His excellency the condition of the Battalion as plainly and thoughtfully as I can and if my efforts do not meet your approval, I am perfectly willing the matter should be in outdated by Court Martial
Hoping that my efforts will be crowned with more success than this report foreshadows I will close
Most obediently
J. D. Fairley Maj Comd 4th
Batt M. S. T.
[strikethrough] P.S. [strikethrough]
P.S. I forgot to mention the fact that the two companies from Adams were placed under command of Maj. Wails by special order from yourself. I got a letter from him to day in which he stated, that being unable to execute the order, he had tended his resignation
J.D. Fairly Maj &c
Page 4:
Major J D Fairley
22 June 1863
Answerd 25 June
by Dr Grafton
Report to Genl
[?] for orders
Union Church June 22nd 1863
To His excellency John J. Pettus
Governor & Commander in Chief State Miss
Sir I have just got through a town through Jefferson, Adams & Wilkinson Counties to [see?] and confer with the Captains Companies "Minute Men" in order to see what would be the most practicable plan to execute Special order No. 158. in the 4th Batt Miss State Troops, In Adams & Wilkinson there are not loyal & obedient men enough to make a corporals guard, They openly and avowedly defy the authority of their officers I am satisfied that nothing but bayonets will establish discipline in the position of the command from those two counties In Jefferson I can report the organization only in a little better state of discipline What few men show any respect for one another do it very reluctantly and with hesitation [ongoing?] they do not wish to except such stringent [?] against their old neighbors and friends. Upon the whole if you could send a good and reliable force of calalry with orders to arrest every Militia man [strikethrough] at [strikethrough] absent with out leave Special order No 158, would be executed much more speedily and effectively, Myself and the various company officers from many causes have lost all influence over and control of the
Page 2:
command all we want is physical forces sufficient to restablish that control.
On arriving at Natchez I conf. that our Quarter Master Capt John H. Foggs had gone to Matemoras Mexico I left an order there for him to report at Head Quarters to settle up. [strikethrough] [unclear] [strikethrough] As you are aware he loses his position by the resignation of Col. Postlethwaite and as you would not appoint another untill he would settle up we are without a Quarter Master which occassions another difficulty in executing my order, When we are ordered to arrest and forward under guard to Head Quarters any mutinous or disobedient soldier, we should either hand transportations or the funds to [procure?] it. we have neither.
In the demoralized State of the command we will have to have these men in camp to carry out the order, how are we to get provisions & forage without funds or a Quartermaster to furnished it I mention these few items to show you the hercuilian tasks I have with such scanty means of accomplishing it
What few men I could collect, I have now out under orders to arrest and bring to camp all absentees they can find, When I get them I have nothing to feed them with, The citizens ought ^to^ furnish us, but they say the military will not fight & ought not to be fed.
With the means I have at command I am
Page 3:
doing and will do all I can to serve the great cause for which we are struggling, but want the matter to be plainly understood so that two great expextations need not be indulged in in regard to my efforts, when so ominous a task is alotted to me, I speak sincerely when I say that I have done all I could to make the State organization here effective, and believe I have ^a^ clear conscience when I say that I am not [acommentable?] for the demoralization in it
Dr. Grafton Adjutant of the Battallion tenders you his resignation He is totally inefficient from physical inability to do the duties of the office and I believe it would add to the service if you accept his resignation,,
I have now reported to His excellency the condition of the Battalion as plainly and thoughtfully as I can and if my efforts do not meet your approval, I am perfectly willing the matter should be in outdated by Court Martial
Hoping that my efforts will be crowned with more success than this report foreshadows I will close
Most obediently
J. D. Fairley Maj Comd 4th
Batt M. S. T.
[strikethrough] P.S. [strikethrough]
P.S. I forgot to mention the fact that the two companies from Adams were placed under command of Maj. Wails by special order from yourself. I got a letter from him to day in which he stated, that being unable to execute the order, he had tended his resignation
J.D. Fairly Maj &c
Page 4:
Major J D Fairley
22 June 1863
Answerd 25 June
by Dr Grafton
Report to Genl
[?] for orders