Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 2.
Frank Moore, Ed.

Whereas, it is probable that Mississippi will be called upon to put forth her full military strength; and whereas, arms manufactured specially for war cannot be secured in sufficient numbers to arm all who are willing and anxious to take part in the present conflict, I have deemed it proper and necessary to the defence of the State, to call the attention of the people to the fact that they have in their possession arms which can be made efficient for war purposes, sufficient to arm twenty-five thousand men; and to invoke the aid of all State and county officers in collecting these arms and placing them in reach of the State authorities. Let the Boards of Police of each county forthwith assemble and send an agent into every police beat, and urge the citizens to send to the county seat all surplus firearms, shot-guns, or rifles, of every description, new or old, in order or out of order, and when collected, let them be valued by just and discreet men appointed by the Board of Police, and the State will become responsible for their value to people sending them. Let them be sent to Jackson where they can be repaired. Small rifles can be bored to the proper calibre, old guns repaired, [196] and broken ones mended. I further enjoin it on all officers of the State, and earnestly invoke the aid of all patriotic citizens, to use every effort to collect the scattered arms belonging to the State, and send them forward to Jackson. Let every company which is not in a position to receive arms from the State, arm themselves with double-barrelled shot-guns, (for they can be made as efficient as muskets or rifles,) and hold themselves in readiness to move at an hour's notice. If seconded in these measures, as I hope and believe I shall be, by the gallant men of Mississippi, we will then be able to send our insulted, invaded, and outraged friends of the Border States all the aid they may need, and have arms enough left to make Mississippi a land of fire to an invading foe.