The following letter was written by Augustus Marcellus Foute (1819-1894) who served as an A. A. D. C. to Brig. General Daniel Ruggles from 20 June 1862 to 1 September 1862 at which time he was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel. He was then assigned to command the city of Jackson, Mississippi, which is where he was posted when he wrote this letter. Following that, in 1863, he was assigned to duty as acting inspector-general on the staff of Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton.

Foute was born in Tennessee, was educated at Yale College, and practiced law with his father at Jackson, Mississippi, many years. At the outbreak of the Civil War he was President of the Gayoso Savings Bank in Memphis, Tennessee. After the war, Foute engaged in the banking business in New York.

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Headquarters Post
Jackson [Mississippi]
September 22nd 1862

Brig. General Ruggles
Commanding District of Mississippi

Sir, I have the honor to make known to you the following facts. The two companies stationed at this place as Post Guards have been so constantly on duty—frequently as long as 48 hours without being relieved—that sickness is increasing among them to an alarming extent. Furthermore, the large number of disorganized soldiers at this place and the constant arrival of prisoners arriving to be forwarded for exchange and other purposes renders it imperatively necessary that the Post Guard be strengthened.

Upon inquiry, I have been led to believe that did the request come from you, Maj. General [Tullius Cicero] Tupper would order a Battalion of Militia to this point. Hoping General that a sufficient guard of at least one hundred & fifty men may at once be ordered to this Post, I have the honor to be respectfully, — August M. Foute, Lt. Col. Commanding Post