Farragut Protected Acklin Plantation

ON BOARD U.S. STEAMER BROOKLYN, NEAR NATCHEZ, Miss., May 18, 1862, published in the New York Times, June 22, 1862:

The destruction of cotton and sugar was tremendous at first. It was occasioned by the proclamation of Gov. Moore, threatening to punish severely those who did not burn their property. Several protested, and even resisted the Gubernatorial decree. Only lately a small body of planters, headed by a Mr. Edwards and his two nephews, refusing to burn their cotton, were set upon by a party of guerrilla ruffians -- the Governor's hirelings -- and shot down. Their plantations were destroyed, and the planter and his two nephews barely escaped with their lives to our gunboats for protection.

Farragut Statue in Farragut, TN

Flag-Officer Farragut, hearing of this, and fearing more loss of life, dispatched the Iroquois, Capt. Palmer, to protect the plantation of Col. JOHN (sic) ACKLIN, threatened at every moment to be attacked.

Acklin Plantations In Louisiana

This gentleman has long been a noted supporter of the bogus Confederacy, having raised several regiments at his own expense, one at Nashville, called the Acklin Rifles. His wife and children are on his plantation at Nashville. The Colonel now professes to be a true Union man, and speaks in very bitter terms against the South and its rulers, against the proclamation of the Governor, and swears he will protect his property... . There will soon be a great reaction here, in the South; one that will astonish the whole world. The people, citizens and planters, have become exasperated against the Governor and rulers, who threatened to put them to death if they do not furnish means and provisions to sustain the army of the South. True Union men are springing up from all quarters ready to join the ranks of the Union and fight against the destroyers of their soil.