Davidson/Housewright Letter to Jefferson Davis, 1861 - Buckingham Co. VA

This letter is in THE PAPERS OF JEFFERSON DAVIS, An edition of Davis's 
documents, speeches, and correspondence, sponsored by Rice University and 
published by LSU Press, Houston, TX and it says:
    
Buckingham Court House, VA
May 8th, 1861
To his Excellency Jefferson Davis Pres'd Confederacy

Dear Sir:

Feeling great concern about the scarcity of arms in the South and 
particularly Virginia, I thought it would not be imprudent to to inform you 
of an offer made by an Englishman of Birth and Education who lives and has 
lived for years near our Village.  His whole soul is absorbed in the existing 
difficulties of this Country and he is as true to the South as any man who 
breathes its air.  His offer is (by your authority) to go to England and 
secure as many arms as you may name and land them at any port you may 
designate without any chargee on the government for his services----

He will bring them under a British flag and will defy the North to molest 
him.  He is entirely trustworthy---

If you think this communication worth of any notice inform me by letter at 
this place.    
                                                   Your friends and servants
                                                   Charles E. Davidson
                                                   Samuel L. Housewright

Submitted by TNchild@aol.com

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