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Archiver > CHASTAIN > 1999-07 > 0931117871


From: "Robert H. Lloyd" <>
Subject: Re: [CHASTAIN-L] letter from E. W. Chstain to Gov. Brown
Date: Sun, 4 Jul 1999 12:51:11 -0700


This letter is probably written by Elijah Webb Chastain. See following
excerpt:

Biographical Directory of the American Congress, 1774-1949
Biographies, page 969
CHASTAIN, Elijah Webb, a Representative from Georgia; born near Pickens,
Pickens County, SC, September 25, 1813; moved with his parents to Habersham,
Ga., in 1821; attended the common schools; served as captain and colonel in
the Seminole Indian War; located on a farm in Union County, GA.; served in
the State senate 1840-1850; studied law; was admitted to the bar in 1849 and
practiced in Blairsville, Union County, Ga.; elected as a Union Democrat to
the Thirty-second and Thirty-third Congresses (March 4, 1851-March 3, 1855);
delegate to the secession convention at Milledgeville, Ga., in 1860; during
the Civil War served in the Confederate Army as lieutenant colonel of the
First Georgia Regiment; State's attorney for the Western & Atlantic Railroad
in 1860 and 1861; died near Dalton, Murray County, Ga., April 9, 1874;
interment in the family cemetery near Morganton, Fannin County, Ga.

This is fascinating stuff. For those interested there is an excellent book,
recently published, available through Amazon.com called "Rich Mans War." I
don't remember the author's name. It paints an interesting picture of
conditions in Georgia during the Civil War. A great many ordinary citizens
wanted no part of this "rich man's war" and openly defied authority, as is
shown by this plea for aid.

Bob Lloyd

----- Original Message -----
From: Debi <>
To: <>
Sent: Sunday, July 04, 1999 12:24 PM
Subject: [CHASTAIN-L] letter from E. W. Chstain to Gov. Brown

>
> Morgonton, Georgia
>
> August 11, 1863
>
> His Excellency, Joseph E. Brown
>
> Dear Sir,
> I wrote you a few days since, relation to the conduct of the deserters
> and bushwackers giving you the program of their actions up to that
> time. I called out my cavalry as far as they were armed. Capt. Kincade
> called out his infantry company and they are now stationed at the
> place. Both companies have actively engaged scouring the country but up
> to this time we have not been able to capture any of them.
> Last night one hundred and twenty five of these disperadoes were
> within five miles of this place swearing they would come to the town and
> burn it. They were met by the sheriff and persuaded to disband. The
> sheriff has several relatives in the crowd and he therefore went boldly
> to work, and finally prevailed with them to desist.
> We have no arms or any value, scarcely old rifles and a few single
> barreled shot guns and no ammunition, not two rounds a piece. We cannot
> muster more than fifty or sixty guns which I consider worthless. We
> must have arms and ammunition or this town will be burned and the
> country over run and perhaps many citizens massacred. They swear hat no
> man who is a Southerns man in sentiment and action, will be permitted to
> keep a gun or any other weapon of defense. They are bold and reckless.
> I repeat to you that we must have help, both in men and arms or our
> county will be over run. There are some of the Georgia deserters who
> have sent me word if I can obtain the consent of the War Department that
> they will join the company here for home defense, but they swear they
> will die before they return to the army. Can you procure the consent of
> the department. It would be better to quiet them in this way than to
> let them connect themselves with these North carolina desperadoes.
> Under an order of Gen. Buckner of a recent date, I am informed that the
> names of all the deserters under his command have been stricken from the
> company rolls. It strikes me therefore that the war department might
> willingly, if applied to, give permission for them to join the companies
> for home defense, I must confess I have little confidence in them but
> they can be better controlled in this way, they can be dispersed all
> over the country.
> If this meets with your approbation I trust you will immediately
> telegraph the war department and if they give their consent, write me
> immediately and I can quiet all the Georgians in this section.
> Since writing the foregoing, I learned that a large party of these
> scoundrels, after dispersing last night went back a few miles into the
> edge of Union County and took all the guns they could find in that
> section. They say they can muster eight hundred men. Every man in
> Cherokee, N. carolina who was enrolled for conscription have taken to
> the bush and if this is true, I doubt not that they can muster a large
> force. The Tennessee deserters and conscripts are also with them--many
> of them. And they are all sworn to defend one another, I am not scared
> but I confess that the times are any thing but pleasant to contemplate.
> I intend to hold this place if I can, but how it is to be done without
> arms or ammunition I must confess looks doubtful. The lives of all the
> prominent citizens are threatened and unless some relief is sent
> forthwith, they will doubtless execute their threat.
> Now my Dear Sir, as you see how things stand and it is for you to take
> such course as you think the emergency requires. If you can arm the
> battalion composed of the companies from Gilmer and this county, we can
> successfully defend this section and drive the marauders from this
> country. Without help however we are destined to suffer.
> I am as your friend and servant.
>
> E. W. Chastain
> P.S. I had omitted to say that the whole country is panic stricken.
> That I cannot get them to turn out for their own defense. They are
> afraid to move anyway. EWC.
>
> Again, I typed this exactly as it was printed in the book.
>
>
>
>
> ==== CHASTAIN Mailing List ====
> Genealogists are time unravelers.
> Today's tasks must be done while planning those for tomorrow.
>
>

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