The free South. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1863-1864, 1864-08-13
The Republic of Jones.
From the New Orleans Picayune, July 18th

From the New Orleans Picayune, July 1Ith.1
The County of Jones, in the State Of
Mississippi. through which Leaf River
and Taliahala run, without bringing much
fertility with them, is known for the pow
erty of it's soil and the independence OF
its people. In our younger days it was
called the "Free State of Jones'" from
the absence OF any human chattels' or
any other property restraints upon its
its people, They were wholly Indifferent
to the judgments of the courts, for they
had no JAIL except log pen, without d
lock to its door or roof npon it, and as Tor
pecuniary penalties, they defied them.
We heard last year, indeed, that Jones
had seeded from the Confederacy, and
that they had quite force guarding their
territory against all incursion. We had
supposed that by this time they had been
reduced to terms, but learn by the fol-
lowing correspondence in the <Natchez
Courier that the Republic still maintains
its independence. The editor of the
Courier, who year ago was at Jackson,
Miss, says:
"Paroled men were then frequently
reporting to the commanding officer at
that. post, and when asked where they
hailed from, thei- reply was that they had
been taken prisoners in Jones County and
paroled. As conclusive evidence of the
TACT, they generally exhibited l. parole,
written upon birch bark paper being
scarce in that county. They also repre-
scented an organized community in Jones,
determined to resist the Confederate con-
script act. An armed force was sent
against them, and we had all this time
supposed that the little Jones democracy
had been broken up, but our correspon-
dent writes differently. He represents the
people in the height of prosperity, and
their army and navy complete, seeking to
cultivate and enjoy the arts of peace. We
are not of those who believe the Republic
of Jones can long survive. What the
Confederates do not absorb, owing to its
interior location, will not be worth much
to any one.
|sThe correspondent says that the Con-
federacy has declared war against the
Republic, and sent an army under Col
Maury, from Mobile, to crush the rebel
LION The Republic, which has fegu-
lar government, both civil and military,
Immediately prepared to act on the de-
fensive-raising an army under the COM
mand of Major Robinson, Commander-in-
Chief of the Armies of the Republic of
Jones. The beligerents met; desper-
ate battle ensued, in which the armies of
the new Republic were victorious, having
killed, wounded, and captured many of
the Confederates the ,remainders under
their gallant commander, ingloriously
fled
''The following is copy of dispatch
sent by the Commander-in-C Chief of the
forces to his Honor the Secretary of War
for the Republic ofJones:
HEADQUARTERS FORCES OF THE
REPUBLIC, IN THE FIELD, Jan. 81, "a.
"'To the Hon. A. G. Williams, Secretary
of War:
"S1R We met the forces of the in
xader on the evening of the 26th inst, at
Cross Roads. After an engagement, of
eight hours duration We broke his center,
when he fled in confusion; on the field
we captured many prisoners and several
pieces of artillery. Our loss was slight.
81 have the honor to be, respectfully,
"'R. ROBINSON.
AFTER this hard-fought battle an AZ