Letter from Mississippi Governor Charles Clark to Captain W. E. Montgomery; February 12, 1864

[seal]

Macon Feby 12. 1864

Capt W E Montgomery—

The [position?] of your command & the uncertainty of future conversations regarding [it?] [is?] [prohibiting?] to give you any definate orders, & requires that you should be vested with a large [discretion?]—I therefore give you full power to act with your company as heretofore so long as you may deem as ad-visable—if necessary to march in to any other portion of the State and then to disband—

You are authorized to impress from persons having a supply all provisions &c necessary for your command, giving receipts stating the price & making report to me so that the receipts when presented may be compared with the report & promptly paid—

If any person gives intelligence of your military movements to the enemy let them be apprehended as spies—

If the attempts are made to [cultivate?] the abandoned plan-tations take effective & [secure?] means to prevent it by the destruction of buildings fences, &c

& capture all such persons & the negroes & if possible send the negroes]] to the persons from whom they have been captured—Be not in too great haste, but when you strike let the blow be effective—I shall not regret to hear that you have destroyed my property if about to be occupied by the enemy—The corn on the aban-doned plantations on the river should not be left for the enemy—It should be burned destroyed—

You are placed in such condition that great [circumspection?] should be used & on this account I do not restrain you by too exact orders—You have [nothing?] to do with the conscript service of the C. S. A. You are authorized to ap-prehened deserters from the C. S. A. & will do so when you can safely [search?] them out but not [concern?] yourself with those men unless they become troublesome or dangerous—

As to persons trading with the enemy you will give no such [?] & will [discourage?] it—[any?] [surrendered?] as [the?] [?] [?] & [?] I cannot say If in extreme necessity may [?] in some cases excuse it. Do also for supplies needed for your men—

3—

The prisoner still being a private citizen is returned to you to be discharged and paid, or retained as hostage if any necessity for the latter—

Paroles given to the enemy should be [observed?] altho the [timing?] might not be binding—I would advise their observance in all cases where there is [no?] [friend?] in collusion—Let there be no breach of faith, be as honorable as brave—

The property captured by you from the enemy (& in this there is included suspicious trading with their licenses & under their protection) will be delivered to your quartermaster, such as may be needed by the company can be delivered to them at federal cost price [ballance?] [?] [Q.M.?].

You can discharge the men you mentioned or retain them as you deem proper—

Hereafter no man must be paid for any time absent for duty never when on leave & your rolls must show & charge all time of leave—

Letter of Instruction to Cap^t W. E. Montgomery comdg— Herndon Rangers Feb 12, 1864