Letter from Lt. Col. V. Sheliha in Mobile, Alabama, to Thomas H. Watts in Montgomery, Alabama
Item
Identifier
Q0000142606_Q0000142607
Title
Letter from Lt. Col. V. Sheliha in Mobile, Alabama, to Thomas H. Watts in Montgomery, Alabama
Rights
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Type
Text
Creator
Lt. Col. V. Sheliha
Date
Jan. 18, 1864
Description
Lt. Col. Sheliha of the Engineer Department requests immediate increase of enslaved laborers for defense works of Mobile; if the governors doesn't send them, Sheliha predicts "another calamity."
Format
.pdf
Language
eng
Place
Mobile, AL
Publisher
Alabama Department of Archives and History. (electronic version)
Contributor
Jenny McClain, Caleb Hydrick
Rights Holder
Alabama Department of Archives and History. (electronic version)
transcription
Engineer Office Mobile, Jan 18, 1864
Governor: It is my imperative duty to call your Excellency's attention again to the imminent danger which is threatening this point, and unless the working- force in the employ of the Engineer Department, be increased without delay, the consequences will be such as I have predicted in my former letters. Although too much time has already been lost we might even now be able to strengthen our defenses considerably; but we must have laborers, and must have them immediately: 266 negroes - the force at work at present, - are not sufficient to com= plete a single one of our works, how then is it possible for the Engineer Department, under such circumstances, even to think of the construction of new works, necessary as they are for the successful defense of this point. The work is going on day and night: Sundays and holidays not excepted - and I am justified in making the assertion that it is not want of judgement, action or energy, on the part of the Engineer Dept. that shall have suffered another calamity to befall us, which could have easily been avoided. I have the honor to be, Governor, Very respectfully Your obt. s'v't V. Scheliha Lt. Col. & Chf. Eng Dept. of the Gulf
Gov. T.H. Watts Montgomery, Ala.
Lt. Col V. Sheliha Jany 18/64. Ans. by Gov 21st and entered
Governor: It is my imperative duty to call your Excellency's attention again to the imminent danger which is threatening this point, and unless the working- force in the employ of the Engineer Department, be increased without delay, the consequences will be such as I have predicted in my former letters. Although too much time has already been lost we might even now be able to strengthen our defenses considerably; but we must have laborers, and must have them immediately: 266 negroes - the force at work at present, - are not sufficient to com= plete a single one of our works, how then is it possible for the Engineer Department, under such circumstances, even to think of the construction of new works, necessary as they are for the successful defense of this point. The work is going on day and night: Sundays and holidays not excepted - and I am justified in making the assertion that it is not want of judgement, action or energy, on the part of the Engineer Dept. that shall have suffered another calamity to befall us, which could have easily been avoided. I have the honor to be, Governor, Very respectfully Your obt. s'v't V. Scheliha Lt. Col. & Chf. Eng Dept. of the Gulf
Gov. T.H. Watts Montgomery, Ala.
Lt. Col V. Sheliha Jany 18/64. Ans. by Gov 21st and entered