COMMENT: This claim was unfortunately extremely faded. It is transcribed below as well as possible.
For detailed research on Daniel Bryant’s life, please see https://theyhadnames.net/2025/11/29/daniel-bryant/.
Claim transcribed by Stacy Ashmore Cole
About the Southern Claims Commission
The Southern Claims Commmission was set up by Congress in 1871 to adjudicate claims for property taken by U.S. federal troops during the Civil War. More than 140 Liberty County residents — both black and white — filed claims, mostly for property taken during December 1864 when a unit of Sherman’s Army commanded by General Kilpatrick camped at Midway Church and conducted foraging raids throughout Liberty County. Horses, cows, hogs, poultry, corn and rice were the most common items of property taken. In Liberty County, many slaveowners allowed their enslaved people to work on their own time and own small amounts of property, most of which was taken by the U.S. troops for use by the Army.
The claims files, which are held at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), have been digitized and are available at Ancestry.com or Fold3.com. For more information on these files, click here. A set of standard questions were used to take the testimony of claimants and witnesses. This set of questions was amended twice, in 1872 and 1874. The questions are not usually part of the digitized file, but we have included them to help make sense of the answers. The questions we used were provided online courtesy of the St. Louis County Library Special Collections, as taken from National Archives Microfilm Publication M87, Roll 1, Frames 104–105, Records of the Commissioners of Claims (Southern Claims Commission, 1871-1880), and can be found here.
About This Transcription
What you are seeing: The Southern Claims Commission files for each claimant included all forms filed for the claimant, including cover pages, standard forms with filled in information, a special agent’s report about the claim, remarks made by the Special Commissioner summarizing the case, testimony from the claimant and his or her witnesses based on a standard set of questions, and copies of other paperwork involved. Much of the information contained in the forms is repetitive. We have summarized that information into one block, and transcribed all testimony, the Special Commissioner’s remarks, the special agent’s report, and any other relevant text.
Methodology: The testimony of the claimant and the witnesses has been transcribed exactly as seen. Some of the files are faded and/or difficult to read. Any words that cannot be read are indicated by “[word]”, or, in the case of entire sections, “[section illegible]”. Alternative spellings of names are also indicated with brackets.
The Claim: Summary & Transcription
Find the digitized original of this claim file at this Ancestry.com link.
Summary
Claimant’s Name (Last Name, First Name): Bryant, Daniel
Listed as “Colored”? (Y/N): Y
Amount of Claim: $239.00
Total Amount Allowed: $190.00
Nature of Claim: Supplies
Claimant living in: near Riceboro Liberty Co. Ga.
Incident occurred in: Riceboro, Liberty County, Georgia
Claim #: 18547
Secondary Claim #: 36.603
Date Claim Submitted [YYYY-MM-DD]: 1872-03-26
Date Testimony taken [YYYY-MM-DD]: 1874-02-24
Claimant’s Attorney: J.C. Todd (Savannah), Raymond Cay
Property Removed to:
Special Commissioner: Virgil Hillyer
Date property removed: 1864-12-14 to 1864-12-20
Army unit involved: Sherman’s Army
Date Submitted to Congress [YYYY-MM-DD]: 1874-12
Post Office of Claimant: Riceboro, Liberty County, Georgia
Transcription
Items Claimed
Remarks: The claimant was a slave till the close of the War. His loyalty is established by his own testament and the testimony of his witnesses.
His property was taken by soldiers of Sherman’s Command in December 1864 on their March to the Sea. He got the mare when it was a colt and had owned her 4 years. The taking of the property is established by claimant’s own statement and the testimony of two witnesses.
We allow the sum of one hundred and ninety dollars.
[Transcriber’s Comments: There was a partially illegible statement from attorney Raymond Cay arguing that the testimony of Spencer Bryant, was necessary in the case. It appears that this argument was rejected, because Spencer Bryant did not testify. Usually witnesses had to testify that they were not related to the claimant. ]
Testimony of Claimant
Daniel Bryant (Col) vs. United States Before the Special Comm. at Riceboro, Ga
Testimony of Claimant on loyalty
1. What is your name, age, residence, and occupation?
I am about 67 years old. I was [faded] Sunberry [Sunbury], Liberty Co. Ga. [faded] 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?
From the 1st of April 1861 till the 1st of June 1865 I resided on my [master’s] plantation, Liberty Co, Ga. I was [faded]. I didn’t change my residence or work during that [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?
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.
3 & 4 [faded but presumably answered no]
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?
[faded]…when I registered to vote.
6 to 28 to each and every question being separately put the claimant answers 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 had no chance to help the soldiers before they came here. I helped them fill up…[faded]…place.
30-39 to each and every question the claimant answers 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?”
I was right with the [Union?] [faded]. I felt that I would [be] glad that the war would come [2-3 words faded] on the Union side so that I might [be] freed from the yoke of bondage. I exerted my influence [word] on the [Union] side until the Yankees came [word].
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 you means and power and the circumstances of the case permitted?
[repeated the oath]
If the claimant be a female, ask the following questions: 42. Are you single or married? If married, when were you married? Was your husband loyal to the cause and Government of the United States throughout the war? Where does he now reside, and why is he not joined with you in the petition? How many children have you? Given their names and ages. Were any of them in the Confederate service during the war? If you claim that the property named in your petition is your sole and separate property, state how you came to own it separately from your husband; how your title was derived; when your ownership of it began? Did it ever belong to your husband? If the property for which you ask pay is wood, timber, rails, or the products of a farm, how did you get title to the farm? If by deed, can you file copies of the deeds? If single, have you been married? If a widow, when did your husband die? Was he in the Confederate army? Was he in the civil service of the Confederacy? Was he loyal to the United States Government throughout the war? Did he leave any children? How many? Are any now living? Give their names and ages? Are they not interested in this claim? If they are not joined in this petition, why not? State fully how your title to the property specified in the petition was obtained?
If the claimant be a colored person, ask the following questions:
43. 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.
Slave at the beginning of the war & didn’t get my freedom until [section too faded] poultry & hogs [faded section] …Screven was [faded] master he is dead died [faded]. I live on his land. I work on [faded] now. I am on the same [?property?]. I give him, the man I rent of, 2 days out of that and he gives me all the land I can work. I am not indebted to my former master or any of his family. [rest of this section too faded].
[Signed by mark] Daniel Bryant
Witness Amey M. Adlington
Sworn to and subscribed before me
Virgil Hillyer
Special Comm.
Testimony of Moses Stevens (col.)
I was born in Liberty Co. Ga. [several faded words]. I was a slave & belonged to Capt. Screven. I became free when the army came through. I am ?42? years old. [I was born in] Sunberry Liberty Co. Ga. [faded section] I am no kin to him. I have no interest in this claim. I was [word] on the same plantation with him. I lived about 3 buildings from him. I saw him every day. [section too faded] …be a good union man. He [?could] not do anything for the Yankees[before] they came in here. I [words[ have helped them if he had had an opportunity. The colored people [faded] good Union people.
Witness
Amey M. Adlington
[Faded, but presumably signature by mark of Moses Stevens]
Sworn to and subscribed before me
Virgil Hillyer
Testimony of Smart Chip (col.)
I was born in Liberty Co. Ga. I was a slave & became free when the army came through. My master was [section too faded]….Daniel Bryant the claimant I am not related to him. I have [word] interest in this claim. [faded] grew up together. We didn’t [word] anything about the war [faded] they came [rest of section too faded].
Witness
Amey M. Adlington
[Signed by mark] Smart Chip
Sworn to and subscribed before me
Virgil Hillyer
Special Commissioner
Testimony of Claimant on Property
[Summary]
[mostly too faded to read] Said he was present when the property was taken and saw the soldiers take it. He said they didn’t say anything to him. He could not tell the officers from the other soldiers. He described the way they book the property and said they removed it to Sunberry where they were stationed. He referred to being on Mrs. Screven’s land when the property was taken.]
Testimony of Smart Chip on property
I was present when this property was taken.
I saw it taken [rest too faded].
[too faded]
The property was taken at ? Bryant’s ? house on Mrs. Screven’s plantation. ? It was December when they came through. The soldiers [rest too faded]
There were present Daniel Bryant, his brother Spencer Bryant & myself [rest too faded].
[This section was too faded to transcribe but normally contains details statements from the claimant and the witnesses about how the property was taken. ]
——————————————————
Claim No. 36.603
Sett No. 4839
Daniel Bryant, Ga.
$190–
Due him
Out of the appropriation for
“Claims of Loyal Citizens for Supplies
Furnished during the rebellion”
For amount allowed him
By the Southern Claims Commission
Reported: March 17, 1875
Returned:March 22, 1875
Requisition No. 4219 , dated
Apr 12, 187 , transmitted for
Warrant Apr 13, 1875..
[End of File]