USA > Mississippi > Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. I > Part 15
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109
Army of Mississippi (State). A. G. Brown, speaking in Con- gress March 30, 1852, in reply to his colleague, John D. Freeman,
144
MISSISSIPPI
said: "The gentleman speaks of a standing army, projected by Governor Quitman, and recommended by him to the legislature. And this, he says, was a part of the secession scheme. I have heard of this standing army before, and I will exhibit the monster in all its proportions. Some years back, when the gentleman was attorney-general and I was governor of Mississippi, the subject of reorganizing the militia was discussed. . We concurred in the opinion that the militia system of the state was a nuisance. Accordingly, in preparing the executive message, I brought the subject to the attention of the legislature; but nothing was done. My successor, Governor Matthews, took up the subject but with no better success. When Governor Quitman came into power, he took it up where Governor Matthews and myself had left it, and like ourselves, he failed in getting the favorable action of the legislature. I always regarded this standing army as one of the humbugs of the campaign (of 1851)." For reasons to be inferred from the above, the army project was quiescent during the administrations of Foote and McRae.
Governor McWillie urged "a thorough arming and organiza- tion" in his inaugural address, 1857. The legislature of 1858 pro- vided for payment of $125 to volunteer infantry companies and $150 to cavalry, on the performance of certain duties, but only four companies qualified. There was little done until after the John Brown raid at Harpers Ferry in the fall of 1859. In Decem- ber following the legislature appropriated $150,000, from future revenues, for arming volunteer companies, and created a volun- teer military organization of four regiments. The captains of the companies constituted the "military board." At the meeting of the board in May, 1860, Capt. Thomas W. Harris was elected division commander, and Capts. J. R. Chalmers and H. H. Miller, brigade commanders.
In the year 1860, beginning January 1, sixty-five companies were formed. It was endeavored to obtain rifles for these com- panies, the same as those known as "Mississippi Rifles" in the Mexican war, but they could not be found with the saber bayonet as desired. On June 6, 1860, the adjutant-general, W. L. Sykes, assisted by Senator Davis, made a contract with Eli Whitney, of Connecticut, for fifteen hundred rifles with bayonets, but when some of these were received in October as samples, they were found to be "old guns fixed up," and the contract, after consid- erable negotiation by Mr. Davis, was finally abandoned by Whit- ney. A contract with the Ames manufacturing company for 1700
145
MISSISSIPPI
accoutrements, also failed. In December, 1860, 5,000 altered per- cussion muskets were bought at the Baton Rouge arsenal from United States officers.
General Sykes' report, January, 1861, was "The number of arms in the hands of the troops amounts to 2,127 stand; of rifles 1,256; of percussion muskets 391; of flint about 60; of pistols 462; of sabres 360. The State's quota of arms from the United States government for the year 1860, amounting to 315 muskets, or their equivalent in other arms, was drawn in field artillery ยท the quota of 1861 was advanced by the secretary of war in May, 1860, and was taken in U. S. long range rifles with Maynard primer and saber bayonets, and amounted to 212." The artillery, six 6-pounder bronze guns and two 12-pounder howitzers, were mounted at the penitentiary. There was not a caisson, battery wagon or forge in the State.
January 18, 1861, General Sykes reported 81 volunteer com- panics organized, each of 32 to 50 members. Among the captains were members of the Convention and men afterward distinguished as colonels and generals in the Confederate service.
The militia also had its usual official organization, with five major-generals and ten brigadiers, but was not depended upon for actual service. The State had 40,000 men subject to military duty, according to the report of General Sykes. As soon as the Baton Rouge arsenal was taken, Col. C. G. Armstead was sent there for arms, and he procured for Mississippi 8,000 muskets, 1,000 rifles, six 24-pounder guns, and ammunition. In aid of these operations, Hal C. Chambers, Miles McGehee and Charles Clark each donated 100 bales of cotton, A. G. Brown gave $500, John M. Graves $200, Burwell Scott $1,000, R. S. Rayburn, 100 kegs of powder. "Col. Jeff Davis and Hon. Jacob Thompson have guar- anteed the payment, in May or June, of $24,000 for a purchase of arms." The Mobile & Ohio railroad company tendered the free use of the road to transport troops and munitions of war, and the Mississippi Central offered the services of all its men to repel invasion, and reduced rates of transportation. Madison Mc- Afee became responsible for the purchase of a considerable amount of ammunition. The governor drew an army appropriation, but it was mainly an expectancy. (Governor's message, January 18th.)
Governor Pettus reported July 25th, that in all 16,000 stand of arms for infantry and cavalry had been brought into the State, and this being insufficient, officers were collecting the rifles and double barrelled shot guns in the State.
10-1
C
146
MISSISSIPPI
While Jefferson Davis was yet a member of the board, the gov- ernor was instructed to purchase machinery and establish an armory factory unless satisfactory arrangements could be made with Alabama or Louisiana ; also, to arrange for ten field batteries, ordnance, and accoutrements for 5,000 infantry, 700 cavalry and 700 artillery.
Subsequently the Board contracted with the Belgium Direct Trade company for 7,000 Belgian rifles for $137,000, to be deliv- . ered in July, but when the cargo arrived off the mouth of the Mississippi the United States blocade was established, and the ship sailed for Havana. Thence, after much delay, and danger, the guns were brought over in small lots. (See French's Two Wars, 136.)
Colonel French found it very difficult to procure arms. "Pis- tols ordered were seized near Philadelphia, artillery harness was blockaded in St. Louis." On the other side, sabres and powder, shells, ordered from Richmond, "have been taken by the authori- ties for the defense of Virginia." The 20 companies sent to Pen- sacola took arms with them, and besides, 700 percussion lock muskets and 200 Maynard rifles were ordered there, and a small part of this was returned to the State. "After the contract made by the Military board proved a failure, I endeavored to induce capitalists to embark in the manufacture of arms for the State, yet in but one instance with a fair prospect of success. In June last I made a contract with Messrs. Jones, McIlwain & Co., of Holly Springs, for the manufacture of 5,000 rifles, to correspond in quality and pattern with the Belgian rifle." (French's report, July 8.) Colonel Barksdale expended as quartermaster-general of the Army, $113,761. His successor, Madison McAfee, expended in June and July, $209,695.
January 23, 1861, the Convention adopted an ordinance to reg- ulate the military system of the State, providing for a division of volunteers, of four brigades of two regiments each, to be mustered into the service of the State. Jefferson Davis was elected major- general; Earl VanDorn, Charles Clark, James L. Alcorn and Christopher H. Mott, brigadier-generals. They were commis- sioned January 23, and these, with the governor, constituted the Military Board to have entire control of the volunteer army and the military property of the State. Richard Griffith was ap- pointed adjutant-general about the same time; William Barks- dale, quartermaster general, and Samuel G. French, chief of ord- nance, February 12. After General Davis was elected president, in
147
MISSISSIPPI
February, VanDorn was promoted to major-general, Griffith to brigadier, and to his place Beverley Matthews, who was suc- ceeded by Wm. H. Brown in March. VanDorn soon took a com- mission in the Confederate States army, and Clark became major- general and William Barksdale one of the brigadiers. Absalom W. West was made a brigadier May 25th, and Madison McAfee quartermaster-general. After Clark went into the regular army, Reuben Davis was commissioned major-general July 1, 1861: He appointed two brigadiers to fill vacancies-John W. O'Ferrall and Charles G. Dahlgren. The other brigadiers then on duty were Alcorn and West; Mott, Griffith and Barksdale having gone to the field as colonels.
The uniform adopted by the board in January was gray frock coat and trousers; red trimmings for infantry, yellow for cavalry, orange for artillery; hat of black felt, looped up on three sides with horse-hair pompon for men, and plumes for officers.
It has been noted that seven volunteer companies were sent to Mobile and Pensacola in January, and stationed at Warrington. After the election of General Davis to the presidency, on his requisition, twenty companies were sent. Gen. Charles Clark was with these troops, as commander, and he issued, April 14, 1861, from "Headquarters Army of Mississippi, near Pensacola," orders transferring the Ninth regiment, Col. J. R. Chalmers, and Tenth regiment, Col. S. M. Phillips, to the command of General Bragg, C. S. A. These regiments had been organized from the companies sent from Mississippi. After this General Clark also went into the Confederate army. The Ninth and Tenth, though the first to leave the State and enter the Confederate service, were numbered as they were, to make allowance for the eight regiments of the Army of Mississippi, which were not completely organ- ized until September, long after regiments of higher numbers had gone to the front. (See Army, C. S.) In July Governor Pettus reported, "an agreement has been entered into with the governors of Louisiana and Alabama by which Mississippi bears an equal portion of the expense of manning and arming small steamers to keep the enemy's gunboats from our shores. I have also ordered one company of field artillery and four companies of Mississippi Volunteers to the coast, to act in conjunction with the Confed- erate troops commanded by General Twiggs."
In addition to the infantry regiments contributed to the Con- federate service, ten companies of cavalry and ten of artillery had
148
MISSISSIPPI
been organized and would soon be armed and equipped for the field.
The artillery companies and captains were: Quitman light ar- tillery, W. S. Lovell; Quitman light artillery, J. Frank Kerr; Vicksburg light artillery, F. S. Tull; Confederate Guards, J. O. Grishom; Pettus Flying artillery, Alfred Hudson; Jefferson Fly- ing artillery, W. L. Harper; Warren artillery, Charles Swett; Brookhaven flying artillery, James A. Hoskins; Seven Stars ar- tillery, H. G. D. Brown; Stanford artillery, T. J. Stanford.
Cavalry companies and captains: Chickasaw Rangers, James Gordon; Southern Guards, R. O. Perrin; Salem cavalry, J. G. Hamer; Tombigbee rangers, S. F. Butler; Pontotoc dragoons, J. H. Miller ; Copiah horse guards, T. A. Graves; Bolivar troop, F. A. Montgomery; Noxubee cavalry, H. W. Foote; Bolivar Grays, M. D. Shelby ; Adams troop, W. T. Martin; Thompson cavalry, A. J. Bowles; Carroll rangers, C. S. Hudson.
In the latter part of August the Board authorized the governor to respond to the call of General Polk for troops, to hold the Mis- sissippi river, by sending any companies of artillery and cavalry in the Army, and any infantry not needed on the coast; where the United States naval blockade was begun in June.
Before this, in August, the eight regiments provided for by the ordinance of January 23, were completed. By this time about twice as many other regiments had gone directly into the Confed- erate service. Believing the regiments of the State army would soon be needed, Governor Pettus ordered them into camps of in- struction at Corinth, Meridian, Enterprise and Grenada. This preparation was ridiculed and even bitterly denounced as useless. The subject became an issue in the campaign for governor. But the government soon asked for more regiments. The First bri- gade, under General Alcorn, left the State for Kentucky Septem- ber 19, and the men were mustered into the Confederate service October 28, forming Gen. Lloyd Tilghman's brigade.
"Having these troops in camp," said the governor in his mes- sage of November 5th, "I was enabled to respond to the urgent calls of Generals Johnston and Polk for help in Kentucky, where four of the regiments have been sent, and to meet the demand for more troops on the seashore, although many of my fellow citizens have differed with me in opinion, in regard to the neces- sity or propriety of this measure. Now when the plans of the enemy are more fully developed my only regret in the matter is, that Mississippi did not have more troops better drilled and bet-
149
MISSISSIPPI
ter equipped ready to meet the hosts of enemies now threatening her on the north and on the south."
September 28, 1861, Governor Pettus called for 10,000 volun- teers, to enlist for service under the orders of Gen. A. S. Johnston, in Kentucky. They were to rendezvous at Natchez, Vicksburg and Grenada, and bring such guns as they could find at home. No troops were sent under this call, but three or four thousand guns, including some most remarkable curiosities, and ancestral relics, were secured, which were put into repair at Jackson and Aberdeen. November 20, 1861, the governor received another ap- peal for help from Columbus, Ky. He sent General Pillow 20 kegs of powder and some ammunition, and asked the legislature to take action. He was at once authorized to call out 10,000 men for 60 days' service, the men to provide themselves with shotguns or hunting rifles, clothing, blankets and cooking utensils. The board ordered the troops to rendezvous at Corinth, under Gen. Reuben Davis, and at Grenada, under General Alcorn. Miles H. McGehee was appointed quartermaster-general and John W. Ward commissary, at Grenada, and William W. Bell and C. C. Scott to the same offices at Corinth. Before half the levy had been col- lected the volunteers were ordered up to Kentucky, Davis and his command reporting to Johnston at Bowling Green, and Alcorn being stationed at Union City, under Polk. The record shows three regiments of these sixty-days' men, under Cols. W. A. Percy, A. W. Bartlett and B. S. Rozell, who were commissioned December 5 to 13. The winter was very severe, and snow lay on the ground for weeks. The men, unaccustomed to such a climate, and poorly clothed and shod, suffered intensely. Most of them came down with measles, and many died of this dangerous camp disease and pneumonia. During their sixty days of misery there was no collision of the opposing armies, which were unable to move. By act of legislature, approved January 29, 1862, the vol- unteer and militia systems were consolidated, the major-general and four brigadiers to be elected by the people in March. Ac- cordingly, March 10, 1862, T. C. Tupper was commissioned major- general, and M. F. Berry, C. E. Smedes, R. Winter and Benj. M. Bradford, brigadiers. French had been succeeded by Edward Fontaine in November, 1861. Under the new organization Jones S. Hamilton was adjutant-general; Pierre S. Layton, chief of ord- nance; A. M. West, quartermaster-general.
After the spring of 1862 the conscript laws prevented the main- tenance of a State army. (See Army, C. S.)
150
MISSISSIPPI
The militia law of the State, adopted January 3, 1863, was se- vere, ordering into camp all persons between the ages of 18 and 40. At the close of 1863 another militia law was enacted, that all persons between the ages of 17 and 50, including those exempted or discharged from the Confederate service, as well as those who had substitutes, should be organized for the militia service as the governor might direct. A bounty of $50 was offered and care for families was pledged. The governor was authorized to estab- lish courts-martial to try deserters.
June 6, 1863, the governor was called on by the president to or- ganize 7,000 men in regiments for local defense, to serve six months. Under the governor's call there were reported seventy companies of infantry and thirteen of cavalry, from which there were organized five regiments and four battalions of infantry and one battalion of cavalry. The remaining cavalry companies were unattached and operated in the north and northwest counties. Most of the infantry served out their term of enlistment as such, but many were permitted to change to cavalry, on condition of re- volunteering for twelve months. Thus two cavalry regiments were formed, and the battalion raised to a regiment. The roster of these troops is as follows (Adj .- Gen. Report, Nov., 1863.) :
Minute Men.
First regiment, Col. Benjamin King.
Second regiment, Col. D. H. Quinn.
Third regiment, Col. William J. Owens.
Fourth regiment, Col. W. C. Bromley.
Fifth regiment, Col. Henry Robinson.
First battalion, Maj. W. B. Harper. Second battalion, Maj. Henry F. Cook.
Third battalion, Lieut .- Col. Thos. A. Burgin.
Fourth battalion, Lieut .- Col. A. J. Postlethwait.
First battalion cavalry, Maj. G. L. Blythe.
Cavalry, Twelve Months.
First regiment, Col. G. L. Blythe.
Second regiment, Col. J. F. Smith.
Third regiment, Col. John McQuirk.
Sixteenth battalion, Maj. T. W. Ham.
Davenport's battalion, Maj. S. Davenport (afterward Sixth cav- alry).
Perrin's battalion, Lieut. Col. R. O. Perrin.
151
MISSISSIPPI
In November, 1863, the time of the minute men had expired, and the State troops were composed of the cavalry above named (three regiments and three battalions), and ten unattached com- panies, besides several unattached companies being organized in North Mississippi under General George, and 26 local defense com- panies.
McQuirk was authorized to complete his regiment of State troops, for muster-in as Confederate troops, in November. Per- rin at the same time reported a reorganization of his battalion, ready for transfer. Some other State troops had been ordered trans- ferred.
In August, 1864, the governor was authorized to order out every able-bodied man in the State to repel invasion, and he called on all those capable of bearing arms to assemble at Grenada, Okolona or Macon, hoping to collect 4,000 or 5,000 men. The legis- lature also, in August, authorized General Forrest to order on military duty for thirty days, boys and men between the ages of 16 and 55. The governor gave warning that those who did not obey would be arrested, court-martialed and forced to enlist for one year. The Jackson Clarion said that this would bring many artful dodgers to their duty. "Numerous individuals who have hitherto kept out of the service, as blacksmiths, etc., should be hunted up and ferreted out, together with those who are hiding in the woods."
In addition to the commands named in this article the follow- ing are given as State troops in the list published by the War Records office at Washington :
First Choctaw battalion cavalry, Maj. J. W. Pierce, disbanded May 9, 1863.
Second battalion State cavalry, Maj. Thomas W. Harris.
Second regiment State Partisan Rangers, Col. Green L. Blythe.
Third battalion State cavalry, Lieut .- Col. T. C. Ashcraft.
Twelfth battalion Partisan rangers, merged in 10th cavalry, C. S. A.
Montgomery's battalion cavalry, Maj. W. E. Montgomery.
Outlaw's battalion partisan rangers, Maj. Drew A. Outlaw.
Peyton's battalion cavalry, Maj. E. A. Peyton.
Stubbs' battalion cavalry, Maj. G. W. Stubbs.
Also various other battalions filled to regiments, in connection with which they are named (See Army, C. S.).
Army of the Mississippi. This Confederate States army was organized in the fall of 1861 under Gen. Leonidas Polk. The
152
MISSISSIPPI
troops from the State of Mississippi sent to Columbus, Ky., and Island No. 10, were: First battalion infantry, Maj. A. K. Blythe ; First cavalry battalion, Maj. John H. Miller, and the cavalry com- panies of Captains Hudson, Cole and Klein; Twenty-second regi- ment, Col. James D. Lester; Twenty-fifth regiment, Col. J. D. Martin ; Pettus Flying artillery, Capt. Alfred Hudson, and Capt. Melancthon Smith's battery.
November 7, 1861, General Grant attacked the camp across the river from Columbus, at Belmont, Mo. Montgomery's and Bowles' companies, of Miller's battalion, were in at the first of this first battle in the West, and Blythe's command, by that time raised to a regiment, Miller's battalion, and Smith's battery, were praised in the official report of Grant's repulse.
In December, the army was joined by a small brigade of State troops, under General Alcorn (See Army of Miss.). Part of the troops were transferred to the Army of Kentucky. (q. v.) Gen. Pierre G. T. Beauregard, of New Orleans, was given command of the Army of the Mississippi. He evacuated Columbus March 2, and proposed to hold Island No. 10 and New Madrid. Pensa- cola and other coast towns were abandoned and Gen. Daniel Rug- gles was called to Corinth, while General Braxton Bragg was given command of northern Mississippi. Depots of supplies were established at Columbus, and Grenada, where martial law was declared March 30, and subsistence was collected at Jackson, Corinth and Iuka, and Grand Junction, Tenn. (Confed. Mil. His- tory, Miss. 40.) Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston, March 29, 1862, took command of the armies of Kentucky and the Mississippi, united as the Army of the Mississippi. General Beauregard was second in command, General Bragg chief of staff; and there were three corps: First, the river garrisons, under General Polk; the Second, under General Bragg; the Third, under Gen. W. J. Hardee, and the Reserve, under Gen. John C. Breckinridge. Under these commanders was organized, at Corinth, the first great Confed- erate army outside of Virginia. It defended a line which was practiclly the north line of the State of Mississippi, between the Tennessee and Mississippi rivers.
Brig .- Gen. Charles Clark commanded a brigade of Polk's crops. In Cheatham's division were Blythe's regiment and Smith's bat- tery. Other commands were Capt. Thomas J. Stanford's bat- tery, First cavalry regiment (Col. A. J. Lindsay) and Brewer's battalion.
153
MISSISSIPPI
Braggs' corps: Brigade of Gen. J. R. Chalmers-Fifth, Sev- enth, Ninth and Tenth Infantry regiments.
Hardee's corps: Sixth infantry, Hardcastle's battalion, Capt. W. L. Harper's battery, Capt. Charles Sweet's battery.
Reserve corps (Breckinridge) : Brigade of Col. W. S. Statham -Fifteenth and Twenty-second regiments; Second Confederate regiment (25th Miss.), Hudson's battery, Adam's cavalry regi- ment.
April 6-7, 1862, these troops took part in the battle of Shiloh (q. v), where General Johnston was killed. Beauregard took command. The Federal pursuit lasted only five or six miles. . The reserve corps, commanded by Breckinridge, covered the retreat, and was not in the Corinth lines again until April 11. Then be- gan a reorganization, and the concentration at Corinth, under Beauregard, and near there, under Halleck, of the two greatest armies ever on Mississippi soil. The Confederate battle loss of 10,000 was rapidly repaired by new regiments and recruits, rais- ing the aggregate enrolled to 64,500. A month later the aggregate was 112,000, but the army suffered terribly from sickness, and the number reported effective was only 52,706. The army remained at Corinth on account of its strategic importance as a railroad cen- ter. Mississippi commands added were the 24th, 29th, 33d, 36th, 37th infantry regiments. Blythe's regiment was put in Chalmers' brigade.
Under the reorganization the Army of the Mississippi, under General Bragg, was a part of the combined armies under Beau- regard, after May 6. The Western army, 110,000 strong, cau- tiously advanced on Corinth from the Tennessee river. General Earl VanDorn, who, with Gen. Sterling Price, had brought re- inforcements from Arkansas (called the Army of the West) made an attack on the Federal lines May 8 (the battle of Farmington), in which the 36th infantry, Col. D. J. Brown, and 37th, Colonel Benton, were actively engaged and honorably mentioned.
A general battle was intended on the 21st, and there was a brisk engagement at the Widow Serratt's house, but it depended on a flank movement by VanDorn, which that officer found impossible to carry out on time. The Federal line was elaborately in- trenched. Beauregard decided to evacuate Corinth, and moved his stores and munitions to Tupelo. Preliminary to the retreat, Chalmers' brigade made a gallant fight on the Monterey road, May 28. Corinth was evacuated on the night of the 29th. On the retreat Federal raiders, among them Col. P. H. Sheridan, did
/
154
MISSISSIPPI
some damage at Booneville. At Cypress Creek, where the Con- federates themselves had burned the bridge, it was necessary to destroy seven trains, loaded with provisions, to keep them from the enemy.
The Federals occupied Corinth and Booneville, and made no further advance. Beauregard turned over the command to Bragg and went to Mobile. On June 20 General Bragg was given com- mand of Department No. 2, including the State of Mississippi, and the work of reorganizing the great army at Tupelo was com- pleted under his direction. July 2 the immediate command of the Army of the Mississippi was given to General Hardee. June 10 General Chalmers was assigned to command of all the cavalry in front of the Army of Mississippi. While making a feint on Rienzi, to cover a movement of the Reserve corps toward Ripley, to destroy the railroad west of Corinth, he encountered Sheri- dan's cavalry at Booneville, July 1, in an all day's fight. July 1 and 5 there were skirmishes at Holly Springs and Hatchie Bot- tom.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.