William H. Clark to Richard Yates

His Excellency Gov Yates

May it please Your Excellency

I respectfully beg to present my case for your

consideration.

In the month of June last I was elected

by the unanimous vote of the Citizens of Mound

City as City Marshal

Tho' I did not solicit the position I was

induced to accept it principally, that I might

allay by Kind influence, the despotic Sway

and arbitrary robbery practiced in our city by two

worthies, draped in the proud regalia, of our

beloved country. One was a man named

"Charleston", and the other a "Mr Jayhawker"

they were acting in the capacity of first & sec

ond Chiefs of Military Police at this point.

It appears that they were the subordinates

of a Mr Frank Sherman, Chief of M. Police

for the district under the immediate com

mand of Capt. I. M. Talmadge Provost Marshal

Gen. of the District at Cairo. Lieut Smith of the 34th

New Jersey was Provost Marshal on temporary

service and supposed then by me to be in con

nection with those men in their unauthorized

acts. in this I was not correct they ruled him

and every body else, evidently basing their

acts on some power then unknown to me

for I did not know they were from Headquarters

Before Lieut Smith was detached to this [point?]

this Mr Charleston afsumed full jurisd

iction in civil cases. among the many I

was arrested and brought before him on

complaint of a White Boy "Huff" charged with

being indebted to him five dollars for two weeks

wages. He examined the Mother of the boy who

proved that the boy ran away from my employ

I was consequently discharged. I was again

arrested by Charleston Charged with being

indebt to a "Negro Boy" that had worked for

the Navy Dept repairing foundry under my

Superintendence - under the plea that he was

going in the Army & wanted his money - I found the truth to be

on inquiry, that this man "Charleston" & his

mate - "Jayhawker" had Sold this Colored man

and some two or three others - to one Adam

Wagner and some other persons whose names

I did not learn, from the State of Kentucky. This

man Wagner offered myself one hundred & fifteen

dollars if I would get him a young Colored man

living with me - I told the "Boy" what they said

and Sent him with a note to Admiral Porter to try

and Stop the other boys as he went out on the [illegible]

This Ocurred about two weeks before my

election, and also I believe before the Arrival

of Lieut. Smith to command. Things went on

in this [ratio?] much worse than I could describe

them, up to the time of my election - Having

always the Honor of an intimate acquaintance

with the Honorable Ills Officers and men of our

service at this and other places, I supposed

I could - by intercourse induce those men

to relax their unwarranted [rigour?] towar

ds our citizens being disgraceful on our Government and with such feeling I asked

and obtained a nominal appointment of local

detective from Lieut. Smith. I found their action

was paralyzing the best efforts of the friends

of the administration. (and every Man with

only a portion of Sense would know that our

Govt would at once condemn and punish

the Slightest impropriety - but yet it was held

up before us by our enemies) - It is true, that

Such was the fear cast over this county by those

men, that the farming community, would not

come to town with their produce.

I was disappointed in my efforts to reconcile

those men. Money Seemed to be all the desired

My second days aquaintance with them, I arrested

a horse thief for which $50 Reward was offered

he also proved to be a deserter from the 54th Ills Vol

for which I got $30. I had to pay them half -

On the first day of my acquaintance with them

as Marshal & local detective, Mr. Monan of Ky.

stated (they said) that $12000. in Gold & Silver

was at a Perkins House in Ky. and belonged to Rebel Gen

Faulkner. I told them I knew it was not so from

my acquantance with Perkins, that Mr. Monan,

tho. clever in some respects, was quite an Econ

omist of the truth. Mr. Charleston "allowed there

must be Something on it" I told him if he felt

So he had better send to Columbus and get a

Command and examine the matter. it belong

ed to our Govt if it was there, if Faulkner was the

owner - In the evening Lieut Smith Stated to

me as we went to Supper - That Charleston was

a desperate man and wanted to get the money

for himself and a few friends - but a man would

get his head shot off that would [reveal?] the

matter. I afsured him it was all 'Smoke' as I

was positive from my Knowledge of the people

that the Story was untrue - I heard no more of

the matter from (Smith) I felt insulted at the

proposition, as it invited me to join in. I met

the Sheriff of the County next day and told him

what they designed doing and asked his

advice. I told him - (and he will swear to it

at any time) that I done my duty faithfully to

our beloved gover't in every particular and

now those fellows wanted to make me a person

al robber - I was crazed at the time with the

Idea - and Stated to the Sheriff that I had a

great notion to '[illegible]" and hang both

of them. he Stated - "dont you do it" he could not

advise me he said, "they got after him for Say

ing some thing about taking his Horses" -

I told the matter to Lawyer Davis Mr Hamilton

[name?] and Several prominent men whose

testimony I will publish in my defence as

Soon as I hear from Your Excellency -

I waited Some two or three days, thinking the matter

would "blow over". but this Charleston Seemed

determined on getting it. he stated he could

make a nice thing of it for a few friends. I told

him if it was there he certainly could not get it

without Killing Perkins. He stated Significantly

he could fix that. I then afsured him that he

would find nothing for all his trouble

I did not know how to proceed to avoid

comeing in collision with them. I did not desire

from the respect I feel to our military depts to

expose them. tho at all risks I determined to

prevent the consumation of their crime. In this

mood and aggravated by their forcing a Boy

[illegible] for juvenile Sports - I wrote to Your

Excellency an anonymous letter - referring

you to [Mertz?] & Hamilton. the letter was writ

ten in a coarse hand rather rough I did not

want to be Known for it would have been death

if found out. I did not go near their office nor

did I walk on the Street, where it is located, for

Some Six days, after I wrote the letter to Your

Excellency, on the 6th day I was astonished to

See this Man Charleston hailing me from the

Office. (as I understood he had went to his Regt

and So wrote to your Excy in that anonymous

letter - ) I was hurried at the time, I told him &

could not go over, being one Square East of the

office

He stated that he wanted to go on that Scout

to Kentucky before he went to his Regt I told him

and with [Sacred?] Contempt that it was not

pofsible for him to go, as the country was full

of 'Guerrillas'. this I manufactured to Scare

him - I told him I would go over and See

how things appeared, and report to him. I

had no notion of doing any such thing however

I put him off for the time. I Stated this matter

publicly to other people, and told Mr. [name]

of Kentucky not to keep any money about his

house that those men have plundered us in

discriminately and designed going to Ken.

to plunder. I returned to the Office that

evening about ten O'clock and told them that

the country was full of Guerrillas, that I could

not reach the Kentucky Shore they were so thick

I found this man Charleston taking my

friends Pocket Book. He was an old ship

owner from Chicago then employed [in?] the

Navy. (here) I recognized him, by his Union

Belt that they took from him. The locked

him up for the night in the jail. I left the

Office I dont think in the best humor.

Some two days after this I was arrested

in the Marine Barracks by a Provost Guard

and marched to the office. I was there told

by Charleston that we had to go on that

Scout to Kentucky - I appeared quite

willing and asked what time they would

go. Said 6 Oclock P.M. then 3 Oclock P.M.

I said very well. I left the Office and Sought

Mr Fred. Hayden he had a pafs from Adm'l

Porter to crofs the River for [illegible]. I told him what

THE PREVIOUS TWO LINES APPEAR AT THE END OF THIS PAGE AND THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT

Mr Fred. Hayden he had a pafs from Adm'l

Porter to crofs the River for [illegible]. I told him what

had occurred. and that these fellows must

be frustrated in their design. I went with Mr

Hayden to his house and got a man in his

employ to crofs the River. I pafsed him through

the lines, and instructed him to State on his

return that there was 200 Guerrillas on the

bank heavily armed. also that these fellows

were going over to Rob. and if he saw Mr [name]

to tell him - all this was done. I so reported to

this Charleston that there were 200 Guerrillas

there that I sent a special mefsenger to examine

and he so reports. this had no effect - go he must.

I will here remark that Lieut Smith never said

anything of the matter to me from the first time

I reproved the Idea. He stated "he would like

to get it for the Govt" if there and on the evening in

question he designed arresting a man the

name of Hill on the Information of this Same Mr.

Monan who lived in Kentucky. If I have erred

it was in this particular in preventing Lieut

Smith from carrying out the legitimate duties

of his Office - But I did it in good faith preventing

as I believed these men Charleston & Jayhawker

from Robbing those people - I felt that it was

misrepresenting and casting a great reproach

on the Govt I love and for which I left my friends

and my all all to support on the first dawn of this

war, in Mifsouri

At 6 Oclock P.M. the Part Started consisting

of Lieut Smith. Mr Charleston, Jayhawker &

some others & myself. I begged of Lieut Smith

to report at the Gun Boats. I felt if he did so I

could stop them - but he would not do it. They

designed crofsing at the head of [Cash?] Island

some mile above town on Kentucky, as they

would not report at the Gun Boats, and as none

of them Knew the river I directed the course of

the Skiff along the Ills shore some 4 1/2 miles

above town, near a spring on the Shore and in

a deep "pocket" inside a Sand Bar. I Knew

if I could not Scare them out of it I could

borrow time to go to the Spring and leave

them. I also felt the men would be fatigued

and I would have time to reason with them

I told them the most exaggerated Stories

about Guerrillas on the other side of the River

with their Heavy armament. & Lieut Smith

concluded to put it off that night, I went home

cheerful - feeling I had accomplished good

I told the Matter next morning to Mr

Lawyer Wheeler, Dr [Vale?] & Mr Hamilton

in Wheelers Office and had quite a laugh

over it - also to many citizens through the day

I watched with anxiety for your answer

to my anonymous letter hoping that it would

cause their removal when verified by

Hambleton & [Mirtz?] but it did not come

In order to get clear of them, I applied that

day to Admiral Porter and got from him

position as Chief of Carpenters at Memphis Navy Yard

About two hours after appointment I was

arrested by Capt. I. M. Talmadge & Frank Sherman

one Provost Marshall Gen. & the other his chief of

Military Police. charged with "complicity in an

attempted Robbery by Lieut Smith. Provost Mars

hall "at this Place" I endeavored to offer testimony

to the contrary but I was dragged from home

and cast into a dungeon at Cairo. I told them

what I had done to prevent it but it caused them

to put Irons on me at 12 Oclock that night

In the evening I wrote a dispatch to Your Ex

cellency which Capt Talmadge said he would send

for a copy of the letter alluded to, not knowing then

that those were the acknowledged emmifsaries

and firmly sustained by Capt Talmadge I supp

osed from the grave manner in which he done

bufsinefs generally that he could not fail to do

me Justice when he knew the facts, in this I was

gravely disappointed. Sherman his chief told

me on my arrest that he got the matter up Spe

cially to hang Lieut Smith and my self on the

Kentucky Shore and was there with ropes and men

to do it. It occurred to me that this was the resu

lt of disappointment - that they must have heard

of my making the matter public

Judging from the honesty of their employees in

our Town, Lieut. Smith was tried by court

martial and acquitted the court I am told did

not believe one sentence of what Charleston swore

against him - I was released after Some two

week imprisonment, and about the Same length

of time on parole. By order of Brig. Gen [name]

no chrges being found against me - Capt

[Munn?] of Cairo who seemed to wield a controling

influence over Capt. Talmadge very kindly

told me that he would send me to my home

or in other words would pay me in advance

for any Service I could render him in his

election. If he did not get the Democratic

nomination he would run as a war Dem

ocrat. I supposed all the time that he was a

true Republican being in connection with

Talmadge but I was no little surprised

when he made this declaration. I would

have been most happy to Serve him had he

been on the Union Ticket for I liked his ability

but I most certainly could not follow him

beyond it. I have forsaken my all for this

Govt When I swore allegiance to this Govt

Some Twenty One years ago I swore it in my

Soul - and I Know I have always done my

duty tho' buffeted and tossed about and

maligned by men with only a slight Union

cover on them I have, and always shall

be true to this administration. I have

done as much as any other Man in this

war to aid the Govt not immediately in

the Army, and now after all my exertions

I am Broken up for doing my duty, my all

[pecuniarily?] gone, with my position in the Navy

Imprisoned and disgraced among my friends

that did not know the facts and now I am

before Your Excellency with a request that

you will send that anonyimous letter

that I may publish it with other Testimony

in my defence. I am not aware that any prov

ision offers for redrefs. Consequently will not

ask any or annoy Your Excellency. I enclose

a note from me to Mr [Munn?] and answered

on the back by Capt Talmadge - I have got the

testimony of good men, to sustain this Statement

which I will publish in defence of my action

Regretting to trespafs on Your Excellency

time I have the honor to remain with

truth a true Citizen of State and your

obedient & humble Servant

Wm H Clark

Mound City Ills

10th Oct. 1864

P.S. My imprefsions that this [nest?] from their

character are nothing more or lefs than a

[clicque?] of Peace & Democracy. There is one good

thing that they are [illegible] and the Excellent

Capt Scott in their stead