the
June 11 63
Mr Vance
Sir I feel it my Duty
as a citizen of Randolph County
to inform you of the conduct of those
men that was Detailed to hunt Deserters
they are doing no good going from House
to House Disturbing the people all they
can Killing Dogs and Chickens and stealing
eggs and they say if they shoot a man
and he is not a Deserter or a soldier
they will Drag him to one side leave him
they took the only Dog I had in the
world off and Killed him and left my
farm exposed to any thing that sees cause
to interfere and they also threaten to take
the women and Children and putting
them under guard somewhere and then
lying round there Houses and they also
threaten Burning our houses and every
thing we have they threatened shooting
me and said it was all they could
do to keep from shooting me comeing
up from feeding my Horses Because I
have a son in the woods that is 23 years
[page 2]
of age I have no controle of him
he certainly is his oun man and will
follow his oun mind. I dont Say I am
a freind to the Deserters. I hav a
younger son in the army and has
Been going on two years and nevr
has Been at Home since he left Home
and he is there yet. I Supported you in
your election and this is the thanks
I get for it. and I think they Doing
more Damage than they are Doing good
we have the Best wheat crops ar as
good as we evr had and half or
one thrid will Be oblige to Be lost
on the account of Scarcity of hands to
cut some can save there crops where they
are small: ˗˗ ˗˗ thes men ses
they are not going to halt a man
they are going to Shoot him and then
halt halt for they told me so : and if
he was a Des or a soldier they
will report him and if he is a
private man they will say nothing about it
no more pleas give me a speedy Reply
Direct to Hills Store Randolph Co
yours Respectfuly
Mark Nelson