Letter from William Kerr in Greensboro, Alabama, to Thomas H. Watts in Montgomery, Alabama.
Item
Identifier
Q0000142592_Q0000142599
Title
Letter from William Kerr in Greensboro, Alabama, to Thomas H. Watts in Montgomery, Alabama.
Rights
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Type
Text
Creator
William Kerr
Date
1864-01-13
Description
William Kerr is writing to Governor Thomas H. Watts regarding the matter of impressment. Kerr is having difficulty with impressment and is asking the governor for help.
Format
Correspondence
Language
English
Place
Greensboro (Ala.)
Publisher
Alabama Department of Archives and History. (electronic version)
Contributor
Daniel Wilson and Daniel Cooper
Rights Holder
Alabama Department of Archives and History.
transcription
(1)
Greensboro Jany 13" 1864
To His Excellency
Thos. H. Watts
Dear Sir
Your favor res
pecting the impressment of hands for
Mobile from this county is at hand
I have met with greater
dificulties in executing the last order
for hands, than I have ever met
with before This side of the river (East Greene) has been called up-
on to do more than her share of
the work, having furnished
nearly half of the numbers of
Slaves waggons & tools, that was
called for from the County with
about one third less population--
I have untill very recently
been acting as Impressing Agent
for East Green - but now for the
whole County - and will in future
(2)
endeavour to make it more equal
When th last order was received
there was not hands enough left on
this side of the river Subject to Im-
pressment to fill the order. Consequent-
ly, I postponed the call untill the first
day of Jany - on which day - (cold as
it was) I sent off forty eight hands
with provissions to last for Seventy days
One of the difficulties that I met
with in geting hands. Many of the
Planters are engaged in makeing
Nitre. & Barrels for the Government and
claim exemption upon this ground.
I have been instructed, by the department
at Mobile not exempt any such
unless they have been impressed by
Gen Johnston Polk or [Hooker?]
The law will have to be en-
forced against these men as they
have refused to send after having
been repeatedly called upon to do so.
Your Excellency will please
instruct me how to Execute the Con-
federate Act of Impressment upon
(3)
those who refuse to Send. If I am executing
a State law I would call upon the Sheriff
to appoint me. Which I did on only
one occasion.
I find that it is almost im-
possible for the owners to procure clothing
& Shoes for their Slaves - <u>are</u> <u>they</u> to be
forced off without Shoes. I have
very little doubt, but many of them
that I sent off on the 1 Jany. will be
made sick from Exposure. I could
not procure houses for them at Newbern
when they were required to remain all
night under a shelter with but
little fire as I could not procure it
for them on any terms-- I sent off
Sixteen more hands on last Monday
& will send the balonce from East
Greene on monday next. The
weather was so bad last Monday
that very few were willing to ex-
pose their hands out.
I mention the above facts that
your Excellency may Know why I
have been so tardy in the execution of
the last order
(5)
Your favor was very acceptible to
me at this present time as it may
enable me to procure the hands called
for ^without^ coertion. I have put it in the Beacon. That
it may be read by all who are in-
terested- our Citizens need some-
thing to stimulate them If your
excellency could spare the time a
visit from you at this place &
Eutaw would result in much
good. If you will send me
on appointment for each place
I will take great pleasure in
securing face an audience.
I Rc'd a letter from Judge
Goldthwaite respecting the payment
of State Troops who served at Gainesville covering a correspondance on the
subject.
It requires that if the mem-
bers of the different companies can-
not appear at the pay table. That Powers
of Attorneys <u>must</u> be presented to en
title the Captain or others to secure the
pay due -
Now this is impossible some
of the men are dead and nearly
all of the balance are in the army.
I therefore deem it impracticable
to make any appointment on
the Subject. The Captains have
presented their rolls to the Pay
Master once or twice - and
could not get the pay for the
men because they did not
have their power of attorney to
receive their pay- and the ^same^ diffi-
culty would be presented again.
The Officers drew their pay &
very few ar willing to incur
the Expense of a trip to Meridian
on an uncertainty. Your Excellency
may be able to obviate the difficulty
if so - and it may be necessary to
use me in any way you may command me.
I have about three hundred
double barrell Guns & Ammunition in
this
place belonging to the state. If your
Excellency has any orders respecting
it, I will be most happy to comply
with any that you may have.
I regret to inform Your Excellency, that our very worthy
Citizen Colonel James L. Crawford
has declined the Office of County
Commandant of the first Class
of County reserves. Your Excellency
will please direct how the Office
can be filled, by Election or appoint-
ment. I have made my return as Aide De Camp and I
Suppose that the power vested in
Me as Such departed with my
repost
I will be greatly obliged
to your Excellency, if you will
inform me what duties are
required, of the County Com-
mandant, if either class under
the law will the Second Class or
State Troops be called out by the State.
Respectfully,
Wm Kerr
Wm Kerr
Jany 13 / 64
Refer to Adt Genl
T.A.W.
Ans'd Jany 18 / 64
In case of resistance
apply to Genl. Maury
For Shoes apply to B
F Blount Chief Inspr of
[illegible] Let arms remain
vacancy Co Comdt
to be filled by elect-
ion ordered by Probate
Judge, Also wrote to
Blount same day as
to Clothes and shoes
Greensboro Jany 13" 1864
To His Excellency
Thos. H. Watts
Dear Sir
Your favor res
pecting the impressment of hands for
Mobile from this county is at hand
I have met with greater
dificulties in executing the last order
for hands, than I have ever met
with before This side of the river (East Greene) has been called up-
on to do more than her share of
the work, having furnished
nearly half of the numbers of
Slaves waggons & tools, that was
called for from the County with
about one third less population--
I have untill very recently
been acting as Impressing Agent
for East Green - but now for the
whole County - and will in future
(2)
endeavour to make it more equal
When th last order was received
there was not hands enough left on
this side of the river Subject to Im-
pressment to fill the order. Consequent-
ly, I postponed the call untill the first
day of Jany - on which day - (cold as
it was) I sent off forty eight hands
with provissions to last for Seventy days
One of the difficulties that I met
with in geting hands. Many of the
Planters are engaged in makeing
Nitre. & Barrels for the Government and
claim exemption upon this ground.
I have been instructed, by the department
at Mobile not exempt any such
unless they have been impressed by
Gen Johnston Polk or [Hooker?]
The law will have to be en-
forced against these men as they
have refused to send after having
been repeatedly called upon to do so.
Your Excellency will please
instruct me how to Execute the Con-
federate Act of Impressment upon
(3)
those who refuse to Send. If I am executing
a State law I would call upon the Sheriff
to appoint me. Which I did on only
one occasion.
I find that it is almost im-
possible for the owners to procure clothing
& Shoes for their Slaves - <u>are</u> <u>they</u> to be
forced off without Shoes. I have
very little doubt, but many of them
that I sent off on the 1 Jany. will be
made sick from Exposure. I could
not procure houses for them at Newbern
when they were required to remain all
night under a shelter with but
little fire as I could not procure it
for them on any terms-- I sent off
Sixteen more hands on last Monday
& will send the balonce from East
Greene on monday next. The
weather was so bad last Monday
that very few were willing to ex-
pose their hands out.
I mention the above facts that
your Excellency may Know why I
have been so tardy in the execution of
the last order
(5)
Your favor was very acceptible to
me at this present time as it may
enable me to procure the hands called
for ^without^ coertion. I have put it in the Beacon. That
it may be read by all who are in-
terested- our Citizens need some-
thing to stimulate them If your
excellency could spare the time a
visit from you at this place &
Eutaw would result in much
good. If you will send me
on appointment for each place
I will take great pleasure in
securing face an audience.
I Rc'd a letter from Judge
Goldthwaite respecting the payment
of State Troops who served at Gainesville covering a correspondance on the
subject.
It requires that if the mem-
bers of the different companies can-
not appear at the pay table. That Powers
of Attorneys <u>must</u> be presented to en
title the Captain or others to secure the
pay due -
Now this is impossible some
of the men are dead and nearly
all of the balance are in the army.
I therefore deem it impracticable
to make any appointment on
the Subject. The Captains have
presented their rolls to the Pay
Master once or twice - and
could not get the pay for the
men because they did not
have their power of attorney to
receive their pay- and the ^same^ diffi-
culty would be presented again.
The Officers drew their pay &
very few ar willing to incur
the Expense of a trip to Meridian
on an uncertainty. Your Excellency
may be able to obviate the difficulty
if so - and it may be necessary to
use me in any way you may command me.
I have about three hundred
double barrell Guns & Ammunition in
this
place belonging to the state. If your
Excellency has any orders respecting
it, I will be most happy to comply
with any that you may have.
I regret to inform Your Excellency, that our very worthy
Citizen Colonel James L. Crawford
has declined the Office of County
Commandant of the first Class
of County reserves. Your Excellency
will please direct how the Office
can be filled, by Election or appoint-
ment. I have made my return as Aide De Camp and I
Suppose that the power vested in
Me as Such departed with my
repost
I will be greatly obliged
to your Excellency, if you will
inform me what duties are
required, of the County Com-
mandant, if either class under
the law will the Second Class or
State Troops be called out by the State.
Respectfully,
Wm Kerr
Wm Kerr
Jany 13 / 64
Refer to Adt Genl
T.A.W.
Ans'd Jany 18 / 64
In case of resistance
apply to Genl. Maury
For Shoes apply to B
F Blount Chief Inspr of
[illegible] Let arms remain
vacancy Co Comdt
to be filled by elect-
ion ordered by Probate
Judge, Also wrote to
Blount same day as
to Clothes and shoes