ON BOARD THE
Louisville, Cairo and Memphis U. S. Mail Line
STEAMER ST. PATRICK.
GEO. O. HART, Master.
BRUCE ALVORD,
J. CLEMENS, } CLERKS.

May 15. 1865
To His Excellency
Tho^s E. Bramblette
Gov —

As a loyal suffering citizen of Fulton Co. I take the liberty ^of writing^ you on the condition of our section of country — We are overrun by smal bands of guerillas — say from one dozen to forty in a band — they are eating up our substance & stealing our horses & mules, & what ever else they can lay their hands on & carry off — They come in from the adjacent counties of Tenn. At Columbus they have no cavalry- & Paducah is some sixty miles distant, & the small cavalry force there can give us but little protection — & the citizens have no arms to protect themselves. If you could send us a company of onehundred good cavalry with the right kind of officers — we could soon get rid of all those fellows, & have peace & quiet restored to us once more. I hope Govr

nor you will take this matter into serious consideration & do for us what you can — I have had the pleasure of meeting with Dr Scott late surgeon Genl of the state & also ^late^ Adujt. Gen^l Boyle — they both seem to realize our condition — And it is at their suggestion that I write to you upon the subject — As for myself I would refer you to my friend Gen^l Combs clerk of the Court of Appeal —

most respectfully
your obt, svt,
N. N. Cowgill