Southern Claims Commission: Windsor Stevens (1873)

[1] What is your name, age, residence, and occupation?
My name is Windsor Stephens. I was born in Liberty County. I was a slave & became free when Sherman’s army came through about Christmas. My master’s name was Thomas Mallard. I do not remember the year that the Army came here. I am 45 years old. I live at Dorchester in Liberty County. I am a farmer & I am the claimant in this case.

[2] Where did you reside from the 1st of April, 1861, to the 1st of June, 1865? If on your own land, what is the size of your farm? How much of your farm was cultivated, and how much was woodland? Where is it situated? What was your occupation during that time? Did you change your residence or business during that time? if so, where was your new residence, and what [was] your new business?

I resided at Dorchester, Liberty County, since April 1st 1861 to June 1st 1865. During that time I lived on my master’s land. I was waiting man about the yard & house. I did not change my residence or business during this time.

[3] Did you ever pass beyond the military or naval lines of the United States and enter the rebel lines? If so, how often, when, where, and for what purpose, and how long did you stay within the Confederate lines on each occasion?

[1 or 2 words illegible]

[4] Did you ever take any oath or affirmation to bear allegiance to the so-called Confederate States, or to aid or support them in any way, or to “bear true faith,” or “yield obedience” to them? If so, when and where? State fully in regard to the same.

[1 or 2 words illegible]

[5] Have you ever taken any amnesty oath? If so, when, where, and under what condition? Have you been pardoned by the President? If so, when and where, and upon what conditions?

I took an oath just before I voted which was all I took. This was at Riceboro in Liberty County.

[6-28] inclusive to each and every of these questions the claimant answered no!

[29] Did you ever do anything for the United States Government or its army, or for the Union cause, during the war? If so, state fully what you did.

I never had an opportunity to do any thing for them till after the Army came in here. I washed for the Union soldiers. I done all I had an opportunity to do for them. [Image #309]

[30-39] inclusive, to each & every question having been distinctly read claimant answered no!

[40] At the beginning of the rebellion did you sympathize with the Union cause, or with the rebellion? What were your feelings and what your language on the subject? On which side did you exert your influence and cast your vote? What did you do, and how did you vote? How did you vote on ratifying the ordinance of secession? After the ordinance of secession was adopted in your State
did you adhere to the Union cause, or did you “go with the State?”

When the war first broke out I did not know what the meaning of it was. When I got the sense of it I feel for the Yankee side certainly if they came to make us free. We were told they came to make us pull wagons & everything. I did not know whether to believe them or not. After I come to understand I was on the other side & brought them what I could influence. I call the Yankee the other side.

[41] [Original Question 34.] In conclusion, do you solemnly declare that, from the beginning of hostilities against the United States to the end thereof, your sympathies were constantly with the cause of the United States; that you never, of your own free will and accord, did anything, or offered, or sought, or attempted to do anything, by word or deed, to injure said cause or retard its success, and that you were at all times ready and willing, when called upon, or if called upon, to aid and assist the cause of the Union, or its supporters, so far as your means and power and the circumstances of the case permitted?

I did nothing against the Yankee side. I never was called on to do anything for them except what I told you. I did washing for them & they eat at my house; when I had an opportunity of doing it I was ready & willing to help them.

[42] If the claimant be a female, ask the following questions:
42. Are you single or married? [Question 42 apparently was not asked.]

[43] If the claimant be a colored person, ask the following questions: Were you a slave or free at the beginning of the war? When did you become free? What was your business after you became free? How and when did you come to own the property named in your petition? How did you get the means to pay for it? Who was your former master? Are you now in his employment? Do you live on his land? Do you live on land purchased of him? Are you indebted to your former master for land or property, and how much? Has anybody any interest in this claim besides yourself? State fully all the facts in your answers to these questions.

I was a slave at the beginning of the war & became free after the Army came here under Sherman. I went right to farming when I became free. My owner allowed me to raise anything of that kind[:] horses, cows, hogs & [1 or 2 words]. My master’s name was Thomas Mallard. He died time of the war. He was a very old [Image #310] man. He was not in the rebel service. He died in the July after Port Royal was taken. I know that because I was waiting on him. I owed him no cent. No Sir. My master allowed me to raise things. I begun with chickens & then hogs & then cows were not high & I got cows, & then horses. I kept working in this way by my master permission raising & selling for 20 years. He lived about 5 miles from Church & I wanted this horse to visit my family & for my wife & children to get to church. I drove my master’s carriage. My wife lived at one time about 18 miles from me. I am the only person interested in this account against the Gov. of the United States. This is the first & only claim I have made against the Gov.

Questions by Claimant’s attorney: I lived at Dorchester after Gen. Sherman’s army came through here. I was allowed to work for myself. If I was given morning work & I got thru before 12 o’clock I was allowed to go. I sometimes washed & ironed for my master; it was not my work. I did sometimes wash for others in [Image #311] Dorchester for pay. My master allowed me to raise as much stock as I could. My master allowed my stock to run in his pasture. The Yankee Army I think staid at Midway Church about a month. The soldiers were at my house almost every day. I did their washing when ever they wanted me to, or I had occasion to.

Interrogatories by Special Commissioner: I did not have to pay my master anything for pasturing my stock. My master allowed all his people to own stock if they were industrious & he had an industrious people. When the field hands were done their task they were allowed to work for themselves. I have known them to gain [a] day’s work by splitting rails, one hundred rails was a day’s work & I have known them to split 200 rails in a day & then the next day was their own. Sometimes I washed for nothing & sometimes they would bring their rations & I would wash them & they would offer some of their rations to me. This was all the pay I ever got for this work. They never gave me any money. I did not charge them anything. They offered it of their own free will.

[Image #312]

Revised Questions as the Taking or Furnishing of Property,
to be Answered by Claimants and Witnesses.

[1] Were you present when any of the articles of property specified in the claimant’s petition were taken?

I was present when this property was taken from me.

[2] Did you see any of them taken? If so, specify the articles you saw taken

I saw this property taken. I saw the horses & hogs taken.

[3] Begin with the first article (Item No. —) which you have specified that you saw taken, and give a full account of all you saw and heard in connection with the taking of that article? [The special commissioner should require the witness to state all the circumstances; for it is only by a knowledge of all of them that the commissioners of claims can judge whether the taking was such a one as the Government is bound to pay for. The common phrase, “I saw the property taken by United States soldiers,” is not enough, for there was much lawless taking. The witness should be required to detail the facts as to each item, when the items were taken at different times; but if all, or more than one, were taken at the same time, that fact should appear, and then a repetition of the circumstances is needless. The special commissioner must be careful to elicit all the facts, as well those against as for the claim, especially as to those articles of property which were the special objects of pillage and theft, such as horses, mules, cattle, hogs, &c. Claimants must bear in mind that a neglect to observe these directions works to the prejudice of the claimant, and may defeat the claim.]

They did not say anything when they came to take the property except they would have it. I said nothing to them because I had seen to[o] many of my neighbors theirs taken. I knew it was no use.

[4] Where were the articles taken? When were they taken? Give the day, month and year, if you can? By whom were they taken? Did you see more than one soldier engaged in the taking? How many soldiers were present? State the number as near as you can? How many helped take the property? How long were they engaged in taking the property?

This property was taken at Dorchester on my master’s place right in the village. He had a plantation 5 miles from the village where he worked about 40 hands & I think there were about 1000 acres. The place is sold by the heirs to col’d people since his death & it was from hearing them talk about selling & buying it that I judged of the size of the plantation. It was taken in December & when the Army passed through but I do not remember the year nor the day. The ??private?? soldiers took this property by [1 word] what ride the horses. These were on horses. I do not know whose command it was. There were not more than 8 or 9 taking but those that came were like rice birds on a hay stack. They didn’t [2 words] [Image #313] a week from one day to another in taking these things. They took the horses one day & about in two days they came back & took the bacon hogs & then in 2 or 3 days they came back & took the stock hogs.

[5] Who were present other than soldiers when you saw them taken? Give the names of all you know?

Mr. Philip Campbell, Joshua Cassels, Moses Quarterman were present when this property was taken.

[6] Was any United States officer, either commissioned or non-commissioned, present at the taking? If so, state his name, rank, regiment, and the command to which he belonged. Did he order the property to be taken? Did he say anything about the taking?

There were no officers present when this was taken. I would know them by their dress. There were none there when the property was taken. There was no one giving orders to take that property.

[7] Describe how the property was taken, and give a full account of all you saw done, or heard said, upon the occasion of the taking.

My horse they catch her they were both a mare. They just put the rope around their neck & led them off. The hogs they just killed in the pen cut their throats. The stock hogs they [several words]. The stock hogs were running out & shot in sight; the bacon hogs were in the pen. Sometimes they would take the whole hog & sometime just take one leg off & leave the rest.

[8] How was the property removed—by soldiers or in wagons, or in what manner? State fully as to each article taken and removed.

They moved the hogs on horseback and led the horses off.

[9] To what place was it removed? Did you follow it to such place, or see it, or any portion of it, at any such place, or on its way to such place? How do you know the place to which it was removed?

They moved this property to Midway Church. I did not go with it. I knew they went there for they were camping there. I knew they were [Image #314] camped there because I went by there & saw them there.

[10] Do you know the use for which the property was taken? What was the use, and how do you know it? Did you see the property so taken used by the United States army? Did you see any part of the property so used? State fully all you know as to the property or any of it having been used by the army; and distinguish between what you saw and know, and what you may have heard from others, or may think, or suppose, or infer to be true.

They had the horses to ride & the hogs they ate. I did not see them using the horses to ride. I did not see them cooking any of the hogs because I did not go to the camp with them. I think they [one word] these things but I did not see it.

[11] Was any complaint made to any officer on account of such taking? If so, state the name, rank, and regiment of the officer. What did he say about it? State fully all that he said.

I did not make any complaint.

[12] Was any voucher or receipt for the property asked for? If so, of whom asked? State name, rank, and regiment. Was any receipt or paper given? If so, produce it, or state where it is, and why it is not produced. If no voucher or receipt was given, state why none was given, and if refused, why it was refused; state all that was said about it. State fully all the conversation between any officer or other person taking the property, and the claimant, or any one acting for him.

I did not ask them to give me any voucher or receipt. I never thought of any such a thing as that, more excitement than anything else.

[13] Was the property, or any of it, taken in the night-time? At what hour of the day (as near as you can tell) was it taken? Was any of the property taken secretly, or so that you did not know of it when taken?

These things were taken in the morn about 9 o’clock. They never stay among us long. They had to get back to camp. It was not taken secretly. Everybody could see it taken that was in sight. They didn’t act as tho they were stealing.

[14] When the property was taken, was any part of the army encamped in that vicinity? If so, state how far from the place where the property was taken, and what was the company, regiment, or brigade there encamped? How long had it been encamped there? How long did it stay there, and when did it leave? Had there been any battle or skirmish near there, just before the property was taken? Did you know the quartermasters, or any of them, or any other officers of the army for whose use the property is supposed to have been taken?

The Army was encamped there about 5 miles from my master’s place where I lived, at Midway Church. I do not know except it was about Sherman’s Army [2 or 3 words]. They had not camped more than a day before they commenced taking things that way. They came one afternoon & the next day they commenced. They staid about [Image #315] a month. There had been no battles, no skirmishes that I know of thereabout. I did not know the Quartermaster or any of the other officers.

[15] Describe clearly the condition of the property when taken, and all that tends to show its value at the time and place of taking? Thus, if corn, was it green or ripe? Had it been harvested? Was it in the shock, or husked, or shelled? Where was it? If grain, was it standing; had it been cut; was it in shocks, or in the barn or in stacks; had it been threshed? If horses, mules, or cattle, state when they were taken, how taken, and fully their condition, age, and value. Have you talked with claimant about their value?

This property was in very good condition when taken. The horses were fat & the bacon hogs were fat & the stock hogs were just common stock. The bacon hogs were in the pen. The stock hogs were running out on the common.

[16] What means have you of knowing the quantity taken? State particularly how you estimate the quantity? Did you count or weigh the articles? Give us all your data. How much did you see taken and removed? What quantity was taken in your presence? As to quantity, distinguish carefully as to what you saw and know, and what you may think or believe from what you have heard from
others.

Item no. 1: I had two horses. I suppose the mother was about ?9? years old. I reckon the other one about 4 years old. We had been using her about a year. The first one, mother of the other, was of medium size but a remarkably good horse to ride or buggy, kind & gentle. They led these horses away, took the old mare from the stable, the younger one was out in the commons & they just rounded her up & took her. The young horse was about the same size of the mother but I think she would have grown larger. I owned the mother about 5 years before the Army came. I bought this horse myself, by raising & selling small things first & then larger ones & saving up my money till I had enough to buy a [Image #316] horse. I paid in money for the horse. When I bought her & gave $55 for her, horses were cheap here & she was young; when she was taken, horses were selling for $250, such money as we had here. That was when she was taken, they were using what was called Confederate money. I do not know how my horses compared in size. They had some large & some small ones. Mine were better than some of theirs because theirs were thin & mine fat. They were good sound horses.

Item No. 2: I had 7 bacon hogs. They were in the pen fat & would weigh about ?150? lbs. The soldiers killed them & took them away.

Item No. 3: I had 28 stock hogs. They were in good enough order to fry themselves without putting in lard to fry with. I think the 4 mothers would weigh about 130 lbs, because going in the winter they were in good order, the others about 70 lbs. They were of my own raising. I bought the sows & raised all the others from these.

[17] If you have testified as to the taking of wood, how do you know it was taken? How do you know the quantity? Was it measured? By whom? What was the kind, quality, and value of the wood? Was it taken in the tree, standing, or had it been cut? Where was it taken?

Passed.

[18] If rails were taken, did you see them taken; how taken: in wagons, or by soldiers? To what place taken? How do you know, and what do you know, as to the quantity taken? Were the rails new or old? Did officers try to prevent their being taken? Was any complaint made to officers on account of the taking?

Passed.

[19] I received no pay for any portion [Image #317] of this property. This property all belonged to me. No white man had any interest in it or ever owned it.
Windsor Stephens [his mark]

Witness
E. E Adlington

Sworn to and subscribed bef. Me
Virgil Hillyer
Special Commissioner