John M. Boicourt to Richard Yates

Golconda May 23d 1861

Hon Richard Yates

Sir once more allow me to intrude if such it be to give you a few statements as to our advancing to that stand whare Union & the Preservation of the Laws is placed when the election came of hear it was so concidered that if the South Should Secede that egypt must follow I with others thinking more of our country than party began to work but it seemed a mountain that we could not clime we had party feeling to work against and worse than that we had the kindred ties to subdue for a great portion of our People are from Tennessee & other slave states whar they left there Parents there Kindred and old friends this was a hard Rock to move but Let me tell you with Patince and hard talk it can be over come if Judge Sloan could be drawed over it would help but he has greatly Lost his hold upon the people his Son is a warm union boy about 18 every day I can see that the scale is balanceing heavyer upon the goverment sid and I think it will all come right

in a short time you well know that to stop Disunion you must put down men of influence who call themselves Union men but talk Disunion talk one of those men Lives in this district by the name of W. H. Green he has ben geting sick and I wish some more testamony to work upon him and I wish to have from the Records in the two Last sitings of the Legislature of what he has ben doin we understand that he asked for a portion of the arms of the State to be Passed over to the Border Counties hear if this is the case it would help me to work any thing you can furnish me without calling your name in the matter I will thank you for I will say hear that I do not expect you and others to answer my letter only whare they think it nessary so to do for the benefit of our common countys good to day a man from Randolph Camp Reports that the Solders in that camp are much dissatisfied he say a few days ago the Report came then that the United States forces ware comeing and that a great No of them straddled there horses and Started for

more Southern clime he also says that the troops from Arkanses are held by far Rather than a wish to stay when they started for Randolph from Memphis that they was forced to go aboard of the Boat he is a deserter and seems to know all about it Mr Robt Morris from New Orleans is hear and states that he saw a man that told him the same as above I know of no more at Present but if I should Learn anything I will inform you I think of my own opinion that the Davis Robers intend to take fort Pickens before they do any thing in Virginia I have thought that they would commence fireing the 6th or 7th of June So as to help Tennessee get out you know the excitement is all they live upon

Respectfully yours

J. M. Beicourt

PM

J. M. Beicourt.

Information in regard to secession in Egypt

No answer required.

B