Item description: Letter, 16 March 1863, concerning La. sheriffs impressing slaves into Confederate service at Fort Beauregard, La.
More about George W. Logan:
George William Logan (1828-1896) was born in Charleston, S.C., to George William Logan and Anna d’Oyley Glover Logan. In 1849, he moved to New Orleans, La., and, in 1853, he married Marie Telide Soniat du Fossat. Logan, a businessman before and after the Civil War, had interests in the cotton brokerage and exporting firm Logan, Smith, and Claiborne. During the war, he served as a lieutenant colonel in the Confederate Army, commanding a battalion of heavy artillery in Louisiana from 1862 to 1865. The greater part of his service was in the District of Western Louisiana in defense of Fort Beauregard at Harrisonburg on the Ouachita River, near the point where the Ouachita joins the Black River. In September 1863, Logan was ordered to Vienna, La., and, in April 1864, he joined General Kirby Smith in the defense of Shreveport. In March 1865, Logan assumed command at Fort Gallagher near Natchitoches in March 1865 and was paroled in May 1865.
Item citation: From folder 5 in the George William Logan Papers #1560, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Item transcription:
Columbia La. March 16th 1863
To lient Col G.W. Logan
Dear Sir I have shipped on board stemer Celiea eleven slaves to be delivered at Louisburg(?) and also two slaves that had (?) from the fortifications without having the sail fees paid. Please let me know how they are to be paid and there (?) several of the citizens of my parish have hired out some of these slaves since the act of the Legislature pass to press into the service one half of the mail slaves between the ages of 18 to 50 years. Please write whether that would exempt them or not and whether slaves with a trade is exempt or not please write by the eleven mail
Yours truly
C. N. Maither
Sherriff
