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While looking through a relic dealers website I found this letter written by Gov. Pickens. I thought I would share it as it is pretty interesting!
State of South Carolina,
Head Quarters.
I sign with pleasure the request to issue the receivable paper authorized under the act for $200,000. I am surprised at what you wrote as to auditing accounts at Richmond. I feared it & know nothing but your presence will force the audits through.
I do hope you will go immediately and push as many through by the meeting of the Legislature as possible, for all we can get there will relieve us that much. You will be so good as to supply me a few days before the meeting of the Legislature with the whole amount audited up to that time, & then the balance already due but not audited, & then a general amount of what we may claim from 20th Dec. up to 9th Feby. I wrote Glover that of course the supplies are not to be furnished all at once nor is the money - $20,000 – at a time is enough - & the estimate I sent him were for a year.
Beside the soldiers have already run through half their supplies, & private contributions particularly of blankets & shirts & drawers are going on to a large extent so that you cannot tell what is needed until each Col. makes his proper requisition.
I agree with you as to a special agent in Richmond, & want when the Confederate Govt. have provided to account for all transportation. We must hold back on supplies and keep them a secret to ourselves until the hard fact of the winter, & when we can know where they may be needed most, & then we can tell with effect from our public sources. At present there is no suffering in fact.
Even all the shoes I sent on are not yet needed or used. I know this.
As to the 90 muskets to be paid for to Messrs Frazier & Co. – they are 90 that Col. Gist got for a company in DeSaussure’s Regt. – and he was to get them provided Frazier & Co. could but if in such a state that it would pass as a number against the Confederate Govt. and if this cannot be done then they are not to be paid for. Capt. Redcliff of the same Regt. got an account of the same kind of rifles from the same party, & it was approved of by Genl. Ripley & with Genl. Ripley’s approval Frazier & Co. looked directly to the Confederate Govt. and the rifles were returned. Let these ninety be paid for in the same way. The price they were offered to us at was $30 although they had sold to Confederate Govt. at $40.
The Secy. of War telegraphed me that it was in this way Col. Cunningham got 950 from the same parties & all I intend was that as these 90 guns went into the hands of a company already mustered into Confederate service. That you should be sure of receiving back the money immediately beyond all doubt. Write me & also telegraph from Richmond.
Yours very respectfully & truly,
F. W. Pickens
Here is the link to the website if anyone wishes to buy it for me. http://www.mqamericana.com/Arming_Eq...SC_Troops.html
State of South Carolina,
Head Quarters.
I sign with pleasure the request to issue the receivable paper authorized under the act for $200,000. I am surprised at what you wrote as to auditing accounts at Richmond. I feared it & know nothing but your presence will force the audits through.
I do hope you will go immediately and push as many through by the meeting of the Legislature as possible, for all we can get there will relieve us that much. You will be so good as to supply me a few days before the meeting of the Legislature with the whole amount audited up to that time, & then the balance already due but not audited, & then a general amount of what we may claim from 20th Dec. up to 9th Feby. I wrote Glover that of course the supplies are not to be furnished all at once nor is the money - $20,000 – at a time is enough - & the estimate I sent him were for a year.
Beside the soldiers have already run through half their supplies, & private contributions particularly of blankets & shirts & drawers are going on to a large extent so that you cannot tell what is needed until each Col. makes his proper requisition.
I agree with you as to a special agent in Richmond, & want when the Confederate Govt. have provided to account for all transportation. We must hold back on supplies and keep them a secret to ourselves until the hard fact of the winter, & when we can know where they may be needed most, & then we can tell with effect from our public sources. At present there is no suffering in fact.
Even all the shoes I sent on are not yet needed or used. I know this.
As to the 90 muskets to be paid for to Messrs Frazier & Co. – they are 90 that Col. Gist got for a company in DeSaussure’s Regt. – and he was to get them provided Frazier & Co. could but if in such a state that it would pass as a number against the Confederate Govt. and if this cannot be done then they are not to be paid for. Capt. Redcliff of the same Regt. got an account of the same kind of rifles from the same party, & it was approved of by Genl. Ripley & with Genl. Ripley’s approval Frazier & Co. looked directly to the Confederate Govt. and the rifles were returned. Let these ninety be paid for in the same way. The price they were offered to us at was $30 although they had sold to Confederate Govt. at $40.
The Secy. of War telegraphed me that it was in this way Col. Cunningham got 950 from the same parties & all I intend was that as these 90 guns went into the hands of a company already mustered into Confederate service. That you should be sure of receiving back the money immediately beyond all doubt. Write me & also telegraph from Richmond.
Yours very respectfully & truly,
F. W. Pickens
Here is the link to the website if anyone wishes to buy it for me. http://www.mqamericana.com/Arming_Eq...SC_Troops.html
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