Today in History:

793 Series I Volume XV- Serial 21 - Baton Rouge-Natchez

Page 793 Chapter XXVII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-CONFEDERATE.

out by here native and adopted sons, and they are ready and anxious to do it. Lend your countenance the to this movement, and in one month every footprint of a Federal will be obliterated in their own blood.

If relief be not afforded to her misery by some such act the people of the State will take matters into their own hands, leave the Confederacy, and proclaim New Orleans a free city, and form treaties with the North and West nd Europe. Her interests are supposed by many to have been shamefully neglected by the Confederate Government. It boots not now to determine whether falsely of truthfully; this obtains, and it can only be allayed by immediate to her sufferings and a show of sympathy in her humiliation and writings inthe grasp of her beastly tyrants. Her manacles were placed upon her not with her own consent, by on act of her own children, but by those who may have done all that their natures would admit of, but who fell far short of what may and should have been done by such as were to the manor born or have drawn their first breath under a Southern sun; these would have gloried in martyrdom before they would have surrendered. This opinion comes not of narrowness of feeling, but from acknowledge of the innate principles of human nature.

Let me implore you to move in this affair. Express a willingness to take part with us and the battle will be more than half won. I will not speak of the glory of such a deed, for of that you have no doubt had enough already; but what would be your satisfaction in being able to say to your native city, "You are free; be so forcer; I make you so." You can do it; we will be humble but willing agents in causing you to do it.

"Arise now or be forever fallen" is the dreadful alternative left to your home and your birth-place; will hesitate to throw your weight in her favor? Surely not. Let us strike like men for those we love. You may rest assured that enough brave hearts and strong arms, tried warriors on the battle-field, will come forth at your rally-call ready to prove that New Orleans has sons who can fight her and who would glory in dying for her liberty and her rights.

You must not say your rank forbids participation in such movement. There is more true honor to be thus won if you had led the men of Shiloh in triumph to the waters of the Great Lakes.

I shall await your answer with some impatience, but cannot admit to myself a doubt a doubt of what it will be. Means of transportation to Bladen have been taken by the Government, else I would be with you in person. If you respond astoundingly or even hopefully I will be with you in the shortest possible delay.

With distinguished regard,

JNO. M. HUGER,

Colonel and Aide-de-Camp.

BLADEN., ALA., August 2, 1862.

Col. J. M. HUGER,

Aide-de-Camp, Mobile, Ala.:

DEAR COLONEL: Your letter of the 1st instant has just been received, and I hasten to answer it in a few lines to be in time for the mail; otherwise I should have to wait several days for another opportunity to send you an answer.

I feel highly flattered by your proposition; for there is no position, how


Page 793 Chapter XXVII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-CONFEDERATE.