Just Days After The Bombardment Of Fort Sumter, An Illinois Civilian Notes The People Of The County Have Pledged Their Lives Honor And Property To Prevent Shipments Of Products From The County To Any Of The Parts Of The Confederate Or Seceded States

(CIVIL WAR HOMEFRONT). ALS. 3pg. April 21, 1861. Wasella [Illinois]. An autograph letter signed J.F. Emery to J.C. Jacobs: The people of the county have pledged their lives honor and property to prevent shipments of products from the county to any of the parts of the Confederate or seceded States and have appointed a committee of thirty to stop and prevent all shipments of munitions of war or produce to seceded states. The committee eight in number waited on me this afternoon and requested me to get out all cars of grain and one car of potatoes that is on track here as it would not be allowed to go under any consideration whatever after the committee (truncated) has stated their wishes & respectfully declined to comply with their request and I told them that they had nothing to do with anything out of the county. Their business is to prevent the citizens of DeWitt county shipping their grain and other produce to seceded states and I further told them that I though they had not better start anything that was billed before that resolution was passed and they finally concluded to let all that is now in the yard go on without molestation but said all would be stayed hereafter. The letter has a mounting remnant on the blank fourth page and is in fine condition. (Inventory #: 6558)