Civil War and Reconstruction Governors of Alabama

Mrs. A. F. Hopkins Reports 1863 Shorter

Mobile Nov 21st 1863 To his Excellency J. G. Shorter Gov. of Ala. Dear Sir

The funds so generously donated through you by the Legislature to the Military Aid Society last fall are nearly exhausted. You are aware from the high prices of every staple article how impossible it is to procure the commonest necessities without untold sums, our sphere of usefulness is being constantly enlarged, the demands upon us are unlimited but with our reduced means we cannot effect the good we wish in our need then we turn to the friend who has aided us before and beg of your Excellency to use your influence with your successor in securing us the where withal to carry on our great work.

We are aware of the demands upon your time and the short limit to that time and though regretting to obtrude ourselves upon you, the Society earnestly hopes that your Excellency will commend it to the notice of Gov. Watts and will so interest him in its favor that he will continue the kindly notice and protection with which your Excellency has hitherto notice honored us.

I have the honor to be your Excellency.

Most obediently and respectfully yours M^rs Josh^a Kennedy Sec. of Mil. Aid Society Mrs. Percy Walker Mrs. A. Hunter Mrs. P. Chandron Mrs. M. C. Witherspoon Mrs. G. Brooks Mrs. L. Holt Mrs. Yuille[?] Mrs. Walkley Mrs. Sampson Mrs. Oliver Mrs. J Battle Mrs. Cherry Mrs. Weeks Mrs. Hamilton Mrs. Boone Mrs. Barnwell Mrs. Hellen Mrs. de Vendel

Mrs. Joshua Kennedy Nov 21st 1863 Secretary Mobile Military Aid Society

Ansd Nov 24th 1863

Executive Department, Montgomery, Nov. 18^th, 1863. Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Representatives:

I herewith communicate the interesting report of "The Military Aid Society of Mobile", showing the operations of the Society for the past year. The earnest labors of our patriotic countrywomen, who compose this benevolent organization, entitle them to the highest commendation. The sick and wounded soldiers who have shared their generous hospitalities, and the needy families who have been relieved by their timely provision, with grateful hearts will through life invoke God's blessing uponthe heads of this benefactors.

The entire appropriation made December 9, 1862, of $14,000 in aid of this society, has been drawn from the Treasury. I recommend that a further appropriation for be made for the next year, or that the Governor be authorized to advance from the military fund, chargeable to the Medical department, whatever reasonable amount he may deem needful to enable the Society to continue its work of usefulness and benevolence.

I submit, also, the report of Hon. A. F. Hopkins, State Agent for Alabama Hospitals in Virginia; also, the report of Mrs. Hopkins, Matron to the Hospitals, and the report of Dr. C. J. Clarke, Chief Surgeon. The entire appropriation for these hospitals has been exhausted, as will be seen by the accounts and vouchers duly approved and filed with the military auditor. To these several reports I invite your careful attention. They differ as to ^{the propriety of} further appropriations by the State in support of Hospitals in Richmond. If the General Assembly decline to make further appropriations, the furniture owned by the State should be sold, or removed to some other locality, where it might be supposed to be more needed.

The act of December 9, 1862, authorized the Governor to pay the Superintendent of the Hospitals such compensation as he might deem just, taking into consideration not only the services rendered, but also the increased or diminished expenses incidental to a residence in Richmond. judge Hopkins, the State Agent and Superintendent, declined all compensation, and would accept nothing from the appropriation made by the General Assembly, except the board and incidental expenses of himself and family, while attending to the duties of this humane mission. He and his most excellent lady have devoted over two years of unremitting labor, and with unabated zeal, to the care of the sick and wounded soldiers of Alabama, and they [certainly?] deserve the heartfelt think of the whole State. I submit that, now having withdrawn from this Agency, if the generous and grateful appreciation of their valuable services by the soldiers and people of Alabama, do not require that the General Assembly should should provide some suitable memorial exalted worth and Christian philanthropy.

Jno Gill Shorter,

[note] 23 Message of Governor Military Hospitals

Blue Spring Winston County Ala December 3rd 1862

His Excellency John Gill Shorter Gov of Alabama Montgomery

Sir

Please find enclosed the proceedings of a meeting held by a portion of the citizens of Winston county Alabama on the 30th day of November Ult.

We make these statements ⁱⁿ confidence not wishing our names made public unless it should become actually necessary for the good of the Confederacy not that we fear personal violence, but knowing these persons as will as we do, we fear private injury but if it should become necessary for the good of the State or Confederacy we are willing to shoulder the responsibility and risk the consequences.

Your Excellency can enquire of J. A. Hill our Senator and Judge Picket one of the Rep. from Lawrence, as to the character and standing of most of the persons whose names are embodied in the resolutions.

As to Sheets our Rep. he being elected by [Their?] votes and an avowed Unionist at home would not be a reliable man to enquire of, and I have no doubt if aware of these proceedings, would use them to our injury if in his power.

We had made an arrangement with Dr. P.C. Winn of Perry County to transmit these resolutions to him and he had promised to lay them before your Excellency and urge early attention to them; but recent developments in [unclear] Kent and the imminent danger of North Ala. renders speedy action necessary, therefore we transmit them to you.

With respect your your obt servt A Hauser

His Excellency John Gill Shorter Gov. of Alabama Montgomery

consequently we thought it best to send the proceding direct to the Gov. and request your cooperation and assistance to have the resolutions carried out, in fact we are of opinion it would be better to call out the whole malitia of the [?] and County for the safety of the loyal citizens, as our families would be in less danger if the unionists were removed than in any other portion of the State, and it will not do for the loyal citizens let their armies go to the [? unless a good portion of the unionists was removed, for I assure you until something is done we shall have to protect ourselves against them. They are already saying the Southern men are in danger, as Lincoln has promised them protection (the unionists) Yours with much esteem A Kaeiser P.S. If you cannot go to Montgomery Please write to the Gov. immediately AK

At a meeting of a portion of the citizenry of Winston County held this Saturday the 30th day of November 1861, Dr. A. Kaciser was called to the chair and J. M. Bibb Esq. was appointed Sec'y. The chairman explained the object of the meeting to be the necessity of taking into consideration some measures for suppressing and holding in check a widespread spirit of disloyalty and rebellion, which is found to exist to an alarming extent in the county of Winston, and which if not checked by the intervention of the proper authorities, must soon ripen into open hostility to the government of the Confederate States, & greatly endanger the safety of the loyal citizens of the county.

On motion of John York, Esq, the meeting resolved itself into a committee to set forth the facts & two memorialise His Excellency, the Governor of Alabama to interpose for the effectual suppression of the existing spirit of rebellion by all & whatever Constitutional & legal authority he may be invested with for such purpose; and to this end the following preamble and resolutions were unanimously adopted:

Whereas, according to the vote in the late election for Representatives, it appears that there are in this county only 128 secessionists & loyal voters, & that there are about 615 avowed Unionists, who declare themselves openly in favor of the Union; and whereas these Unionists have formed themselves into volunteer military companies, for the purpose of defending the Union, and have banded themselves together for ther

in armed Companies for the purpose of drilling & practising the use of ^{fire arms} in obedience to public notice a copy of which is hereto annex marked "A"; and whereas, the said Unionists having a large majority in the county, have invariably, whenever any vacancy occurred in any civil or military office, put forward their own man, which men, when elected have refused to take the oath of office, thus defeating the ends of justice & preventing the organization of the Military according to the requirements of the laws of ^the Confederacy & the Constitution of Alabama; and whereas every effort has been made by the good citizens both by personal and public appeals to win the said Unionists to loyalty to the State of Alabama & the Confederacy; and whereas, by the special request of his Excellency Gov. A. B. Moore, the Hon. George S. Houston lately visited the county of Winston and made the most fervent and eloquent appeals to the said disaffected citizens with the hope of exciting in them a spirit of fealty to the government; and whereas all these efforts have not only failed to produce any good effect, but on the contrary it appears, that the spirit of rebellion grows more open and violent every day; and whereas, out of the 128 loyal citizens of the County, 70 are in the service of the army, but not one single man of the 515 Unionists has volunteered, but on the contrary, whenever an effort is made to get volunteers, the said Unionists concert together to prevent it, and declare that they will fight for Abe Lincoln before they will fight for Jeff Davis; and