April 7, 1863, The Charleston Mercury
FROM DIVISION No. 1.
I. IN PURSUANCE OF THE REQUISITION OF THE General Commanding, the orders of his Excellency Governor Bonham, and the terms of the Acts of the General Assembly in relation to this subject, I hereby call upon Division No. 1, comprising the Judicial Districts of Pickens, Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, Union, York, Chester, Laurens, Abbeville and Newberry, to supply its proportion of slaves labor under the present requisition.
II. The Commissioners of Roads of the several Districts, and the authorities of the incorporated towns and villages having jurisdiction of the road hands within their boundaries, will at once summon all persons in the possession of slaves within the limits of their authority to have their slaves subject to this call at the nearest Railroad Depot to the owner’s residence, on WEDNESDAY, the 6th day of May next, at 10 o’clock a.m., ready for transportation to Charleston.
III. All owners of slaves who have not hitherto furnished any labor in this connection will be required to furnish one-half their hands subject to road duty for thirty days, and those who have furnished less than one-half, will be required by the Commissioners and the town authorities as aforesaid to furnish enough to make up one-half. Persons owning single road hands or a number not divisible by one-half will be required to send such single negros, or two in such condition may unite and send one.
IV. The Act requires the attendance of one of the Commissioners at each Depot. He will be met by an Agent of the State and of the Confederate States, and the negros will be there receipted for.
V. Assessment of the negros are made in duplicate upon their arrival in Charleston and before they are put to work, one copy is kept by me for the owner, the other turned over to the Confederated authorities. I am authorized to say the negros will be discharged at the expiration of the thirty days.
VI. The owners of slaves are requested to furnish them with spades or shovels. The Confederate Authorities have undertaken to have such utensils returned. Owners will also furnish their hands with three days’ rations for which commutation will be allowed.
VII. Overseers, at the rate of one to every hundred slaves, may be selected by the owners. They will receive compensation from the Confederate States at the rate of fifty dollars per month.
VIII. There is no doubt that the Confederate Government will compensate for all loss of slaves while in their employ.
WM. M. SHANNON,
Agent for the State of South Carolina.
Camden, S.C., MARCH 26,1863.
March 31