Letter from David Atkins in Jacksonville, Alabama, to Governor Thomas H. Watts in Montgomery, Alabama
Item
Identifier
Q0000142567_Q0000142569
Title
Letter from David Atkins in Jacksonville, Alabama, to Governor Thomas H. Watts in Montgomery, Alabama
Rights
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Type
text
Creator
David Atkins
Date
1864-01-22
Description
David Atkins is asking Governor Thomas Watts if he can pay a sum of money to the State rather than sending one of his enslaved workers to Mobile. One he sent before died of measles, and his enslaved workers refuse to go for fear to illness or death.
Format
Correspondence; Letter
Language
eng
Place
Calhoun County
Publisher
Alabama Department of Archives and History. (electronic version)
Contributor
Kaitlyn Seaux
transcription
Jacksonville Ala Jany 22nd/64
T. H. Watts Gov. of Ala
Dear Sir
I appeal to you for
help in a difficulty which perplexes & troubles me
verry much. It is about sending a negro to Mobile The
one that I sent last year took the measels & died there,
& now every negro I have firmly believes that the one that goes
this year will die in the same way. I have five men
one of them is too old & another has Rheumatisms & the
other three have not had the measels. & neither of the
other three are willing to go because they think they
would be sure to take the measels & die like their
fellow servant last year - Now I believe the last
one of them will run away & perhaps go to the
Yankees if I attempt to force them to go to
Mobile. And now I want to beg of you to allow
me to pay something and be relieved from sending
one - Does it not look very hard after I have
sacrificed so much for Mobile, in losing there
one of my best men, now to be made to lose
all, or at least run the risk of losing all, for
the same place, & be brought to the plow-
in my old age? And if I lose my negroes
T. H. Watts Gov. of Ala
Dear Sir
I appeal to you for
help in a difficulty which perplexes & troubles me
verry much. It is about sending a negro to Mobile The
one that I sent last year took the measels & died there,
& now every negro I have firmly believes that the one that goes
this year will die in the same way. I have five men
one of them is too old & another has Rheumatisms & the
other three have not had the measels. & neither of the
other three are willing to go because they think they
would be sure to take the measels & die like their
fellow servant last year - Now I believe the last
one of them will run away & perhaps go to the
Yankees if I attempt to force them to go to
Mobile. And now I want to beg of you to allow
me to pay something and be relieved from sending
one - Does it not look very hard after I have
sacrificed so much for Mobile, in losing there
one of my best men, now to be made to lose
all, or at least run the risk of losing all, for
the same place, & be brought to the plow-
in my old age? And if I lose my negroes
I believe it will be a misfortune not only
to myself but to my neighborhood, for by the
blessing of Providence upon my crops I have ben
enabled to suply a number of families with
corn In this portion of the State where
there are so many destitute women & Children
& comparitively so few negro laborers we
can but poorly afford to spare any of them
If I could hire a negro at any price to go to
Mobile or if one of mine were willing to go
I would not trouble you with this appeal -
Please be so kind as to write to ^me^ immediately
& let me know if I cannot be allowed to
pay an equivalent in money -
Yours Respectfully
David Atkins
Jacksonville Ala
Calhoun County
to myself but to my neighborhood, for by the
blessing of Providence upon my crops I have ben
enabled to suply a number of families with
corn In this portion of the State where
there are so many destitute women & Children
& comparitively so few negro laborers we
can but poorly afford to spare any of them
If I could hire a negro at any price to go to
Mobile or if one of mine were willing to go
I would not trouble you with this appeal -
Please be so kind as to write to ^me^ immediately
& let me know if I cannot be allowed to
pay an equivalent in money -
Yours Respectfully
David Atkins
Jacksonville Ala
Calhoun County
David Atkins
Jany 22/64
Ans 26th no copy
The State is making
no impressments.
In case they are
being made by Conf-
ederate
Authority the
Governor does not
interfere - He thinks
more hands are
needed in Mobile.
Inquire into the justice
of the call. See that
it is made according
to law, and refer
your greivances to Conf-
ederate
Authority.
Jany 22/64
Ans 26th no copy
The State is making
no impressments.
In case they are
being made by Conf-
ederate
Authority the
Governor does not
interfere - He thinks
more hands are
needed in Mobile.
Inquire into the justice
of the call. See that
it is made according
to law, and refer
your greivances to Conf-
ederate
Authority.