411

Lot 411: 1861 Confederate Civil War Letter

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Militaria Start Price:180.00 USD Estimated At:300.00 - 400.00 USD
Lot  411: 1861 Confederate Civil War Letter
<b>Civil War Confederate Letters</b><hr><b>Confederate General Appoints Agent to Collect Citizens’ Guns in Pro-Union Eastern Tennessee!</b>

<b>December 17, 1861, Confederate Officer of the Tennessee Provisional Army Appoints Militia Agent to Collect Guns in Pro-Union Eastern Tennessee, Very Fine.
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Autograph Letter Signed, Assistant Adjutant General Washington Curran Whitthorne, 1 page of blue paper, 7.25” x 10,” Executive Headquarters, Nashville, TN; to Major John H. Bills in Bolivar. A tiny spot of internal paper loss at fold, not affecting text. An excellent letter illustrating the fractional nature of the secession crisis in Tennessee. In full: “The appointment of agent to collect and receive guns, is intended to have one clothed with authority, to gather those not received by the Militia Officers - in hands of citizens not of the militia - or of those who obstinately refuse to deliver them up. Under the amended militia agents have the right to use such force as may be necessary - no other person has this power. In view of all which the Governor hopes that you will aid him as far as you can.”

Eastern Tennessee voted 69% against secession, which still did not stop the state from becoming, on July 22, 1861, the last state to secede from the Union. Most eastern Tennesseans refused to acquiesce, however, even after the June 8, 1861 referendum. Governor Harris initially adopted a conciliatory policy, hoping to win them over, but when that failed, tightened the screws; the stiff-necked resistance continued, however, resulting in Harris adopting a policy of martial law for the region, including mass arrests, forced loyalty oaths, and confiscation of Unionist property - and as this letter documents, the disarmament of the local population.