[Joseph E. Brown (1821-1894.
Courtesy of Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, University of Georgia Libraries]
In the earliest one he described himself as a "humble minister"* and called on Brown to proclaim a day of prayer to thank God for the "great and glorious victory" at Chickamauga (September 18-20) which turned out to be the last major victory for the Confederate Army.
Macon Sept 26th 1863
His Excellency
Joseph E Brown
Dear Brother**
You will
pardon a private individual & an humble
Minister of Jesus Christ for a making a
suggestion to the Governor of Georgia.
"Through riches of grace in Christ
Jesus" from God the Father who is the
bestower of every good & perfect gift
we have received a great & glorious
victory on the North West border
of our State, which saves us from
untold sufferings, & our people from
unwanted discouragement.
I feel anxious for all our people
to give all honor & praise to Him
whose "right arm has gotten us the
victory." You I know share in this
desire. If the Chief Magistrate of our
Common Wealth would put his
proclamation, calling on our Christian
people to assemble at some early day
in their houses of worship for this purpose
I am persuaded it would meet with
the most cordial approbations of the
people generally, & the effect would
be well pleasing to our Divine Redeemer.
I mearly make the suggestion, hoping
you will excuse the apparent presum-
ption, & if it should meet your views,
that at a proper time you will call
on us to render thanksgiving and
praise to the Lord God Omnippotent
who reigneth.
In christian affection
E. W Warren
E.W. Warren
Macon
Ga
Say that his letter[?] has
been forwarded to
this filair[?] & I am
gone to Canton[?]
Four months later Epps was writing again to his "Dear Brother, " this time to recommend someone for a government post as surgeon.
Macon Jan 5th 1864
His ExcellencyJos. E Brown
Dear Brother
Having
understood that you are
appointing surgeons for each
senatorial district in Ga.
I take pleasure in suggesting
Dr. J.W. Janes of Cuthbert as
a suitable man in every
respect for
somewhere in S. W. Ga. if
they are not all filled, if they
are he would gratefully
accept one any where in the
State. He is a very competent
man, & would do his work
faithfully. He is the son in
law of S.G Hillyer
He served in the war
as aid of Genl Patton Anderson
until his health failed, & he
was forced to retire. He is
now doing service here in
a subaltern position in the
hospital as a surgeon.
If necessary, he will
make a personal application
accompanied by such
recommendations as may
be required.
Most Truly
Your obt Servt.
E.W. Warren
E.W. Warren
Macon
Ga
5 Jan 64
Recommend Dr
J W Janes for
surgeon for 11th Sen Distr.
answrd 20 Jany
64
From the above transcribed note on the back of the last page, it appears that Epps Warren's letter got the results he (and Dr. Janes) were hoping for.
And a third letter addressed to Major General Smith*** to learn if one of his sons could substitute for one of his daughters' teacher was in the same file.
[Gustavus Woodson Smith, photo taken during the Civil War 1861–65
Source: Library of Congress]
Macon June 4th 1864
Maj Genl Smith
Dear Sir
I write to ascertain
if my son who will not be seventeen
till the last of Octo, but who is well-
grown, strong & healthy, who desires
to enter the army, can be used
as a substitute, in the event
he comes, for Prof. R. D. Mallory,****
whose health is too feeble to do
field service, & who cannot
be spared from our city without
serious hinderance to the
education of our daughters.
I refer you to Col F.L. Holt
of your command, who is from
this city, & can give you particu
[Ancestry.com. Georgia, Civil War Correspondence, 1847-1865 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: Governor's Incoming Correspondence, Civil War— Governor Joseph E. Brown of Georgia. Morrow, Georgia:
Georgia State Archives.]
good duty, his teacher is
now in your command,
(Lieut Poehill), & he is anxious
to join the army, while Prof
Mallory would not I think
be able to serve his country
there, but is of indispensable
service at home.
Very Respecty
E.W. Warren
P.S. I have also written
to Gov. Brown on this
From this last letter we're led to believe that Epps was so dedicated to his daughters' education that he was willing to send an underage son off to war in place of the girls' teacher? There's a problem with his story--a son who would have turned 17 in October 1864 would have been born in 1848. Now as you can see from my first post about Epps, neither the 1850 nor the 1860 enumerations of his household list a male child born in that year.*****
So who was being offered in exchange here?
NOTE: I've added "Overseer" to Epps W. Warren's occupations in the title.
*Since he's buried in a United Methodist cemetery, I assume he belonged to that denomination.
**I know of no family connection that would allow Epps to address Governor Brown as "Dear Brother." Perhaps he believed being "an humble minister" gave him the right to do so?
***Almost certainly Gustavus Woodson (G.W.) Smith (1821-1896) who by this time was serving as a Major General in the Georgia Militia. He was appointed to his post by Governor Brown.
****This is the man Epps is offering a substitute for (from Ancestry.com - 1864 Census for Re-Organizing the Georgia Militia).
***** There's a daughter [Sarah] Olivia Warren who would have been born that year but no boy.
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