Testimony of James Aaron Moore to the Southern Claims Commission
February 5, 1873
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In the matter of the claim of J Aaron Moore Colored — Testimony of the claimant
My name is James Aaron Moore. I am about forty four years old. I live in Jackson Miss, and am by occupation a minister of the M E Church. I am a colored man and was a Slave before the war. I belonged to Berry Moore of Lauderdale County Mississippi. I lived at Marion Station at the commencement of the War and continued to live there until the United States Army under General Sherman came to Meridian in which if I remember right was about the 8th or 9th of February 1864 — I at that time left my home in Marion Station, and went along with the Federal Army to Vicksburg Mississippi where I remained until the close of the war. I took my family with me when I went with the Army — I got my freedom at that time — Before the war I lived with and worked for my Master. In 1862 I hired my time from my Master and went to work for myself at my Trade. I was a Blacksmith by trade — when I hired my time I opened a Shop in Marion Station in Lauderdale
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County Mississippi —and there worked at my trade until Shermans Raid came to Meridian. I then as before stated took my family and went with them to Vicksburg, where I again went to work at my trade and continued to follow it to the close of the War — When I first hired my time Rice Carpenter a merchant in Marion Station went my security, and furnished me tools to carry on my trade. In the first Year I made enough to pay for my time and to have about four hundred Dollars in Confederate Money — I made the money to buy the property for which I claim in this way — As before stated I was a slave and could have nothing to do with Politics before the War. I never made any oath of allegiance to the Confederate Government. I never gave any aid, comfort or assistance to the Confederate cause or to its Army or Navy. I was never in any manner either directly or indirectly employed in the civil or military service of the so called Confederate States, or of any state or Territory subordinate thereto. I never furnished any supplies
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stores, Military Equipments for the so called Confederate States or for its Army or Navy or for any State or Territory subordinate thereto or the military organizations thereof — nor was I ever employed in any department of the Confederate Service. I never gave any information to any officer soldier or sailor of the Confederate Army or Navy or to any other person or persons acting in their behalf or for their benefit that might in any way aid any military or naval operation carried on against the United States — I had taken up an idea from the commencement of the War that if the North succeeded we would all be free and I was always anxious that the Union cause should triumph — and I do solemnly declare that from the beginning of hostilities against the United States to the End thereof I never of my own free will and accord did anything or sought or attempted to do anything either by word or deed that would injure said cause or retard its success, That I was always
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ready when called upon or if called to aid and assist the Union Cause or its supporters, as far as my means and power and the circumstances of the case permitted —
J. Aaron Moore
Sworn and subscribed to before me this 5th Feby 1873
M Campbell Special Comr
Testimony of the claimant as to the taking of the property —
I was present when the property was taken as charged in this petition —
I saw Two Oxen Taken, I saw one Wagon Taken, I saw about One Thousand pounds of Meat Taken —
This property was taken from my residence at Marion Station in Lauderdale county Mississippi, on or about the 16th of February 1864. Marion Station is about five miles from Meridian. It was taken by the soldiers and officers of the United States Army, under command of Genl Sherman at the time that Genl Sherman made his raid from Vicksburg to Meridian — This Army came to
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Marion Station as near as I remember about the 8th or ninth of February 1864 and remained in camp there about five or six days. My meat was taken when the Army first came to Marion, a part of the meat was hanging up by the Joists in my House and a part of it was packed away in Ashes in a back room, this was in Barrells, when the Army came up a large number of soldiers came to my house, they saw my meat and commenced helping themselves to it. There was an officer with them. This officer asked me whose meat it was I told him it was mine, he then told the soldiers to take it, he did not say anything more that I heard. He wore shoulder straps — The soldiers went to work and carried away in their hands to their camps, which were all around my House. I think there must have been Two or three thousand soldiers in the town — The meat was all taken on the same day — The Oxen and the wagon was taken as the Army moved away from Marion Station in their return to Vicksburg — They were taken by order of an officer
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whom the soldiers called Lieutenant — He came to my lot where the Oxen and wagon were kept, and said to me that he wanted those Oxen and the Wagon, & then called to some of the soldiers who were near and told them to yoke the Oxen to the Wagon and told them to drive it over to Colonel Howard’s Head quarters which was about a quarter of a mile from my House. They drove them away in that direction as the officer had ordered them to do. He did not say particularly what he wanted the Wagon and Oxen for only that he wanted to use them for the use of the Army. There was I think about one company of soldiers in the lot at the time the wagon and Oxen were taken — I knew the names of several of the officers in His Command. There was a Col ?, Col Rylander and Col Howard. I don’t know what Regiments either of them belonged to — I don’t know the names of any of the Quarter Masters in the Army, that took my property — I saw the soldiers cooking the meat which
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they took from me, in their camps — I went with the Army on its return to Vicksburg and I frequently saw My Wagon and Oxen while on the March. It was loaded with supplies for the Army — The last I saw of it, was on the Levee at Vicksburg — It was still in possession of the Army — I protested to the officers and soldiers against the taking of my meat, telling them that it was my meat and that I had bought and paid for it; They replied that they didn’t care whose it was that they wanted it and were going to have it. I also objected to the taking of My Oxen and Wagon, and the Officer said, They must have them and that I had better go too — I did not get any receipt for any of this property — It was all taken in the daytime — There was no Battle or skirmish there just before the taking of this property. There were a few shots sent after the rebels as they retreated —
Samuel Williams, Wm B Smith both colored were present when this property was taken —
The Oxen were Young, Large, fat and in good condition generally — They were
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fifty dollars per head — The Wagon was a no 1 Ox Wagon, new and in good order. It was worth One hundred and Thirty five Dollars. The Meat was partly dried and packed away in Ashes and part of it was hanging up drying. It was all Pork — It was worth about fifteen cents per pound — I know the quantity of meat that I lost or that was taken by having bought it from one to two months before the Army came and I know the quantity that I had on hand and it was all taken — All of this property was taken by the United States troops and was taken and used for the benefit of the Army. I have never got any of it back nor have I ever received any compensation either in whole or in part for it. No person has any interest in this claim but myself. I am not indebted to my former Master any account whatsoever, nor do I live on land purchased or rented from him.
J. Aaron Moore
Sworn and Subscribed to this 5th Feby 1873
M. Campbell
Special Comr