Important Mary Duncan Plantation Letter asking General Halleck for protection

This letter was purchased from the noted autograph dealer Walter Benjamin in the 1960's. The letter has an incredible content about the Plantation and home of Mary Duncan, who was a Northern woman and wife of Henry P. Duncan of Mississippi & daughter-in-law to Dr Stephen Duncan. She was devoted to the Unions fight. There plantations and homes where being taken over by the Unionist and she even wrote a published letter to President Lincoln for protection of all their homes. This letter dated in April is the first letter written by Mary, prior to the letter to the president asking General Halleck for protection.The content is some of the best I have seen regarding to what Southern Unionist where going through during the civil war. here is this incredible letter in full. It shows you the true plighht that the Unionist where dealing with.

 "order issued for my arrest by Miss Jefferson Davis!" 

Major General Halleck, My dear Sir I had intended leaving for Washington tomorrow but as circumstances will prevent said trip for a few days I now and close the letters of general Scott and Dr. Metcalf and must beg permission to state my case on paper my father-in-law Dr. Duncan of Mississippi a northerner by birth has always been a staunch and devoted unionist and to avoid unpleasant strife with his neighbors as he is now nearly 80 years old has remained on his own private country seat near Natches having been offset a state and only two occasions in nearly 2 years. None of his sons or son-in-law‘s are in the rebel army although they were all conscripted and my husband Mr. Henry Duncan would either served or obtain a substitute the Duncan family have had many thousand bales of cotton destroyed by the rebel authorities have been vilified even in the public journals threatened with the rest and confiscation and have suffered peculiarly for their well known unionism. Then when the union trips descended the Mississippi river on Wood Stream 90 miles above Vicksburg opposite Lake Providence there are nine plantations belonging to the United family we were horribly decorated on and lost very many Negroes and I nearly all the provisions taken away while my brother-in-law Steven Duncan Junior and his had his house stripped of everything including mantle pieces! Having obtained a permit from Washington I went South the last of January and returned here to my sister about three weeks since and one in plantation regions I applied at once to General Grant in the admiral found them both most kind and courteous and they on a full hearing or miserable unfortunate positions between gorillas in federal soldiers promised protection from other forging parties general McPherson was also very kind and I would like to visit to the fleet having met with nothing but civility from the officers in command. I have not heard from my for my for six months prior to my departure from my for six months prior to my departure from New York and had not been south for nearly 2 years so the terrible conditions of things below the line was a double shock to me although I will know that in war of the incident innocent must often times suffer for the guilty. Mr. Duncan insisted on my return north as the neighbors threatened us with the rest and the union troops especially the Kansas regiments were very troublesome despite protection papers, while gorilla bands were in unpleasant proximity. Therefore I left the unhappy country and as soon as Vicksburg Falls Mr. Duncan would join me here we have been compelled to hire our negroes even as it is have lost great numbers of them so that I think dear general or position doubly trying as we have been equally pillaged and mow treated by Friend and photo, and nothing but general grants justice and the kindness of the admiral for the Duncan loyalty was well known to the fleet saved us from entire room. As you perhaps know that foraging is extremely elastic term often times and on Mississippi river it seems to include anything that a soldier may fit to size. My object dear general, in these addressing you is to claim a request that which is long-suffering union as we have a right to ask viz. direct protection from headquarters for owing to the orders of General Grant that our property should should not the pillaged and that some fragments should be left from the rec various complaints have been made to the newspaper as a charge of destroying implies of course there are many officers who would gladly avail of the privilege of seizing our property if the opportunity were offered them and I know that some of the men who are under arrest for the violations of our protection papers would to gladly revenge them selves by circulating falsities concerning us. I can give every proof of a you deserve if you wish your other testimony in my own words as honor as a lady and I can refer you to anyone who knows us for further evidence on the subject will you kindly inform me dear general whether the negroes of loyalist (now hired laborers) can be forcibly seized & made to serve the soldiers! And will you not be so good as to give some special order for the protection of our property otherwise general Thomas news plans have a direct influence in completing our room. Or not union people to be protected exclamation even if they are on the Mississippi river exclamation and will you not put an end to our agonizing doubts on the matter by granting me orthodox protection such as cannot be violated‘ General Grant has been most kind but even his orders are violated by our troops and I do not understand clearly whether general Thomas will be authorized to counterman general Grant's protection of us! So pray be so kind Dear general has to take some speedy step in our favor otherwise we can hardly failed to meet the same time allotted to rebels, for of course many of our officers will be tempted by hope of game, as the Dunkin plantations should be worked to advantage by them to declare that we are not to have protection. I have no words we are with to express my heartfelt gratitude General Grant and McPherson and to the Admiral, for they were almost kind and great still I prefer to have your words in these ghastly crisis is in make my appeal to you as one who bears the highest character for auto and justice, the only assured that I have I shall not appeal in vain. If you will kindly promise me a few moments conversation my arrival in Washington I should be greatly indebted for I fully Expect to be there during present week but is it asking too much my dear Sir to beg one line response telling of your kind intentions in our behalf for you can imagine my painful anxiety in suspense as a northern woman’s I have great interest at stake in above states the best proof that I can offer perhaps my loyalty is in the order issued for my arrest by Miss Jefferson Davis! As someone informed her Royal highness that Miss Henry Duncan was going south as a union spy in the southern journals might be suggested the propriety of hanging poor old Mr. Duncan Dr. Duncan who you make per chance have known as a former vice president of the colonization Society. If you would like me to send you a score of letters bearing witness to our unionism I can do so by the return mail but you need only refer to any chance authority to learn that the Duncan family has never yet been disgraced by a trade or a Line to General Grant and another to General Thomas would be regarded as a great favors dear general for which your protection I could be in comparative piece for giving this long letter but I cannot can condense my matter and explain It’s satisfactory. I will promise however to be more brief conversation I should indeed be greatly indebted by one word and reply yours very sincerely Mary Duncan. I have attached a transcription of the letter.

Auction Notepad