Item No. 6247478

In this June 1864 letter, Confederate Major General Samuel Jones writes to soothe the ruffled feathers of South Carolina Governor Milledge Bonham. Since P.G.T. Beauregard's transfer to Virginia in April, Samuel Jones had been in command of the vast Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Evidently Jones and General Roswell Ripley had inappropriately given direction to a state militia unit, possibly part of Colonel Peter Bonneau's 19th South Carolina Militia, which had been activated in May 1864. Jones's full letter reads:

Head Quarters
Department of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.
Charleston, S.C. June 9th 1864

Sir:
I received on the night of the 5th your letter of the 3rd inst. and referred it to Brig. Genl. Ripley for his explanation and remarks. He has returned it with an endorsement, a copy of which is herewith enclosed. It will, I am sure, satisfy you that Genl. Ripley had no intention whatever, of lightly regarding, or setting as naught, the laws of the land regarding the Militia or your authority as Governor of S. Ca. I need hardly assure your Excellency that I had no such intention. I supposed the man whose services Col. Bonneau offered had formed themselves into a voluntary local Organization for home defenses and, under the pressure then on me, I was very glad to avail myself of their services. The accompanying papers will acquaint you with all the facts of the case, and will show that Capt. Morrison's Company was relieved from the duty for which it had volunteered before the receipt of your letter of the 3rd inst.
With Great Respect
Your Obd't Servt.
Sam Jones
Maj. Genl. Comd'g

His Excellency M. L. Bonham
Gov. of So. Ca.
Columbia, So. Ca.

While the letter was written by a member of Jones's staff, the general signed on the second page. The enclosure Jones mentions is not included here. Worthy of additional research.

Born in Virginia, Samuel Jones was a West Point graduate (1841) and served in the Regular Army until his resignation in 1861. He served on Beauregard's staff at the Battle of First Manassas, then served in various department command roles throughout the south before being appointed commander of the Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida in April 1864, a post he held through the end of the war.

The letter was written on two sides of a nearly 8" x 10" letter sheet pre-printed with "Head Quarters, Department of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida." Light foxing and toning.