Today in History:

334 Series I Volume LIII- Serial 111 - Supplements

Page 334 S. C., S. GA., MID & E. FLA., & WEST. N. C. Chapter LXV.

follows: White, 15,493; negroes, 4,196; total,19,689. The district has furnished 3,500 soldiers to the army, twenty-five companies having been organized in the district. The remainder was sent forward as volunteers, recruits, enlisted, or conscripts. There are a larger portion of the slave-holders who own [copy not legible] slaves, mandy having but one hand for road duty, and half of the negroes are consequently free from duty on the coast fortifications. There are in the district but 119 persons owning slaves who were liable under the act to send their hands to work on the fortifications. One thousand persons are entirely dependent for their whole support on public charity. The district has been plundered by deserters and stragglers from the army pretending to be from Morgan's or Martin's cavalry command, and recently quite a number of horses have been stolen, mostly from men considered disloyal. Some of these horses are supposed to have been taken by persons belonging to Hampton's Legion, who have been sent home to mount themselves.

I am, very respectfully, your most obedient servant,

J. E. HAGOOD,

Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas and General Sessions, for Pickens District, S. C.

[Inclosure No. 2.]

ENROLLING OFFICE, Pickens Court-House, S. C., May 6, 1864.

Colonel J. L. BLACK,

First South Carolina Cavalry:

COLONEL: The number of persons in this district liable to conscription between the ages of seventeen and eighteen years is about 100, and between the ages of forty-five and fifty years about 225, making a total liable to conscription for State service of about 325. This number includes as well those who are physically unable for service as those whose detail must necessarily be made for the mechanical and other necessities of the country. The number of deserters and absentees without leave reported in this office who have not been sent and are not known to have gone forward is about 170. I had, until within three weeks, thirteen conscripts and a number of wounded soldiers detailed to my service, but all of the former and a number of the letter (the most efficient) have been sent to the field, and now robberies are committed daily in this district with impunity, owing to want of force to arrest and forward the deserters, who or upon whose credit the robberies are committed. A number of other persons are evading the conscription laws and rendezvous with deserters and join them in stealing and committing other depredations.

Respectfully,

JOS. J. NORTON,

Captain and Enrolling Officer, Pickens District, S. C.

[Inclosure No. 3.]

COLUMBIA, May 6, 1864.

Colonel J. L. BLACK:

COLONEL: In compliance with your request I herewith give you some facts in reference to our mountain districts of this State, but particularly of Pickens District, where I live. Walhalla is in Pickens District, and is the terminus of the Blue Ridge Railroad, about fifteen miles from the Georgia and North Carolina lines. The depot at this place for the last six months has been filled with Government corn and salt for the adjoining counties of North Carolina and Georgia.


Page 334 S. C., S. GA., MID & E. FLA., & WEST. N. C. Chapter LXV.