777 Series I Volume XV- Serial 21 - Baton Rouge-Natchez
Page 777 | Chapter XXVII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-CONFEDERATE. |
The troops which arrived on Tuesday or Wednesday are reported as arriving from both ways, probably from new Orleans.
The enemy is evidently on the alert there.
DANIEL RUGGLES,
Brigadier-General.
TANGIPAHOA, LA., July 13, 1862.
General VAN DORN, Vicksburg, Miss.:
Recommend movement against New Orleans by railroad when the other movement takes place. Major Ranney will repair bridges. The enemy has 9,000 troops there; demoralized. Answer.
DANIEL RUGGLES,
Brigadier-General.
JACKSON, LA., July 13, 1862.
(Received July 15.)
Brigadier General DANIEL RUGGLES:
The undersigned would respectfully represent that East Baton Rouga and East West Feliciana Parishes (constituting the northwest portion of your district) are now seriously threatened by the enemy from the city of Baton Royge. The Federal forces almost daily visit the surrounding country, arrest citizens, and compel them to take the oath of allegiance, or carry them to prison, bunt residences, quarters, and sugar-houses, plunder planters of all stock, provisions, cotton, corn, sugar, and some of their servants, and subject the citizens, male and female, to all manner of indignities. The sphere of these depredations is constantly enlarging in consequence of the presence of no adequate opposing forces. There parishes are eminently loyal to the Confederate cause. For example, this parish, with a voting population of about 800, has sent about 600 volunteers to the Army, and the blood of her sons has stained nearly every battle-field. It has given by individual donations and of the police jury over $50,000 to our cause. Indeed, with few unimportant individual exceptions there has been manifested by our citizens a willingness to sacrifice all, even life itself, to advance the common cause. These parishes are populous, wealthy, and productive. According to the census for 1850 they had a population of 11,880 whites and 25,341 slaves. They raised 979,316 bushels of corn, 29,604 belay of cotton, and 12,946 hogsheads of sugar. This year there is planted about three times the ordinary amount of corn. All is at the mercy of an enemy greedy of destruction, unless they are met by an adequate force and shut up to the city of Baton Rouge or confined to the river. Those remaining able to bear arms will readily co-operate with troops sent for their relief, and our people will cheerfully submit to the sacrifices incident to such a movement. This aid we think is due to so loyal population, if it can be afforced consistently with the general interests of the service. But, further than this, you will permit us to suggest to your superior knowledge of what constitutes a favorable field for effective military movements that we consider theirs portion of your district especially so, not only for army movements, but for offensive operations against the enemy, to their serious discomfiture on the river, in Baton Rouge, and finally down the river, thus relieving its
Page 777 | Chapter XXVII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-CONFEDERATE. |