Peeples and Ridgway and others to Richard Yates

Shawneetown. Ills. Aug. 16. 1864,

To His Excellency,

Richd. Yates,

Governor,

In Union Co. Ky, there are at this time over One thousand guerillas, armed with muskets, minie rifles &c &c. All the people of that County are intensely disloyal, they are embittered against us on account of our loyalty, and because their negro's have come over here and not been returned:

Col. Adam Johnson is in Command of the Guerillas, they have a line of pickets from the Wabash to the Saline - twenty miles - ten above & ten below - their pickets are all the time in sight along the opposite shore, they have repeatedly come down on the beach and fired at the town: Yesterday, there was constant firing from both sides of the river, they at us, and we at them, until we drove them away with solid shot from our Cannon; (we have no shells.) Friday afternoon they Captured three steamers and one Barge (ladened with Govmt. store) eight miles below town

they prepared the night before to Capture them on the bar three miles above town, and had skiffs & boats all ready at the river, when our picket guard discovered their purpose and fired upon them, thus giving the alarm, the rebels retired for that night:

Saturday at dark, some 600 to 800 appeared at the bar eight miles below, and two hundred crossed over, our scout came in, and the alarm given by sending runners into the country, and our citizens put under arms, and without delay a party of mounted men going to the place of crossing, and firing on them, held them in check until about day light when we had mustered about 200 men there, whereupon the guerillas recrossed, our force there saved, or recaptured from them, 200 fat cattle & a barge load of sacked oats all U.S. Stores, Our force there Killed two, and wounded seven of them. They have repeatedly threatened to come over and rob and burn our town,. Col. Johnson the other day, sent us word that if we would not resist, he would only take our Cannon and any Government stores we had,

But if we resisted, he would plunder and destroy our town.- Well, we have determined to resist, though we cannot muster in our town but 150 reliable men, and we are [near?] about worn out with continued watching day & night, for weeks past.- The people in this and adjoining counties came in on Sunday to the number of 0800 800 to 1000 armed with rifles & shot guns- they are brave & willing to fight, but undisciplined, and only a mob, You Know the difficulty of making such an crowd effective,-

The Guerillas have sufficient force opposite Mt. Vernon & Evansville to Keep those cities in Constant alarm, they have Rail Roads & Telegraph and an organized State guard, and three to four Gun boats at their landing all the time,- While we are seventy five miles from R.R. or Telegraph, and the two worst bars on the Ohio near by, one three miles above & the other eight miles below,- We are thus cut off,- We want, and demand assistance, and we are entitled to it. We have turned out much of our men to fight at the

the front, we pay our taxes, and are loyal to the core, Yet we cannot lay down at night without constant fear of our lives and property being destroyed,

You of the central & northern part of the state are safe from such alarms, we do not think it fair for us to be left alone to protect ourselves.

Cannot you have the 29th, Ill. Veterans stationed here, until this river rises, so that the Gun boats can pass up & down: it is so low now, that the Guerilla's can cross above & below us in a few hours and our town be robbed and burnt down, and many of our best citizens butchered before the runs could reach any R.R. or Telegraph Office,- We have asked for help from the Gun boat's- We cannot get a gun boat stationed between these two bars, before mentioned, A Gunboat could thus protect the steam transports as it is at these [part?] the guerilla's Capture then,- quite a number of gunboats are stationed at Mound City, Cairo, Paducah &c, doing nothing, Hon. Governor- Can't you,

and will you not help us?

if you cannot send the 29th Regmt, send us some other soldiers to remain here until high water, if we had a force of soldiers with an Officer authorized to command, the citizens would act in concert and we could repulse the rebels even if they came three to our one,- If you do not help us now, and without delay, we fear that our town will be burnt & many of our citizens Killed,

So far the guerilla's have no artillery, they want ours, if they capture these they will blockade the river completely,-

If you cannot Send the Soldiers, by all means have Com. Porter, or the Cmd'g. Naval Officer at Cairo to despatch a light draught Gun boat well armed & equipped to lie between these two sand bars, and that immediately, it can thus be on hand to protect the Steamer's passing with Government cattle & supplies going down daily to the Tenn. river, for Genl Sherman's Army,

And also be here to assist us in defending our town-

Hoping that you will not fail to render us all necessary assistance without delay.

Peeples & Ridgway,

Aaron. R. Stout

Wm Edward

J. W. Redden.

James Docker.

Wm S Cautland.

John M Eddy Sheriff.

Geo. t Beck. Mayor

E. [T?] Nichlson

J. W. Powell

Henry Wakeford

F. L. Rhoads

M. . [Chanter?]

A. K. Lowe

H. G. Bouman

T. L. Heazen

George. A. Ridgway,

Jas B Barger LeClarks

John Olney,

Jacob Welte

Peoples, Ridway & others-

Shawneetown Ills.

Aug 16th 1864.

Give an account of the danger to which they are Exposed from Gurillas. Ask for assistance. Either in a force of soldiers- or a Gun boat.

Attended to