Letters to Alabama Gov. T. H. Watts

 

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The State of Alabama

Henry County

 

To His Excellency T. H. Watts, Governor of the State of Alabama.

 

At a meeting of the citizens of Henry County, held at the county house in Abbeville on the 23^rd of March inst. The following resolutions were unanimously adopted.

 

            Resolved, that his Excellency, T. H. Watts, Governor of the State of Alabama, be fully informed of the condition of affairs in this county an Dale, to arrest and bring to justice the bands of deserters, tories and outlaws who now infect large portions of said counties.

 

            Resolved.  That it is the solemn condition of this meeting that in order to destroy these organized bands authority should be given if possible to the commandants of reserves to seize and confiscate the property of said deserters, and to arrest all parties who are harboring and giving aid to them, and send them beyond our lines, or other summary ? granted as in his discretion may ?meet and may be effectual.

 

            The undersigned having be appointed a special committee to draft said memorandum ? discharge of their duty, should respectfully represent, that these bands of outlaws, traitors and deserters insignificant in the beginning, have recently grown to such magnitude as to seriously threaten the best interest of the county and state.

That these bands now number in both counties upwards of three hundred men, and are generally well armed and stand in bold defiance to all law and authority, and in fact becoming a terror to all peaceable men and women.

            They have murdered within the past twelve months four good and loyal citizens, they have stripped several plantations of mules and horses and burnt to the ground several cribs of corn.   They have plundered a great many houses and stole St?, guns, ammunitions, clothing provisions and other property, and appropriated the same to their own use. And they constantly lay in ambush on our public roads with the intentions of assassinating   all who may endeavor in the execution of the law to threat their plans or arrest them.

            The movement of the bands if not checked will seriously effect the agricultural interest of this section of Alabama and bring want and distress to hundreds who now have plenty.

            They therefore in consideration of the condition of affairs in this county and Dale respectfully your Excellency without delay to order out the 1^st Class Militia of said counties, to arrest and bring to justice these murderers, robbers and traitors and to ? such means in doing this as well prove effectual in ridding the county of this nest of cut-throats and thieves.

 

Respectfully

M. H. Bell

John E. Price

A C. Gordon

J. W. L. Daniel

 

Transcribed by Margie Glover Daniels

 

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