October 1873
Jefferson County, Mississippi
Transcribed by Linda Durr Rudd
I was never arrested by either government. I never had any property taken by the Confederate authorities.
I had three brothers in the Confederate army - John - Calvin - and Allen - all three are now dead Calvin and Allen were killed in the war - I did not desire to see them go into the war I protested against it and done all that I could to try and keep them out - I helped them as far as getting clothes for them was concerned I did not believe in or support the cause in which they were engaged but they were my brothers and no matter to what place they were going I could not repress the natural affection that I had for them and see them uncomfortable when a little exertion on my side would make them comfortable.
I sympathized with the union cause always - and not with the rebellion - I done all that I could as a woman to try and keep the matters from going as far as it did - and would have been willing at any time to have given up the property I held in slaves to have ended it - and I have so expressed myself done so the 1st year of the war. In conclusion I do solemnly declare that from the beginning to the end of the war I desired to see the union restored- and I done all that I could to keep my husband and brothers out of the war - and I never injured the cause of the United States, never had the chance to and had the chance been afforded me I would not have done so - I would have done all I could to bring about peace, myself and mother had one way of thinking about these things we never believed that the war was right - and we never supported it to think so many of our relatives were into it.
I am now married. I was married in the year of 1854 to my present husband Robert Buie - my husband was in the Confederate army - he was conscripted during the 2nd year of the war and remained in the service about one year when he returned home and hired a substitute to go in his place he did not return to the service - he was a union man and voted against secession - but he had to go to the war he could not avoid it - he is now living with me. he is not joined with me in this petition because the property is my sole and separate property and inherited from my mother. I have seven children none of them were in the Confederate service - they are all now quite small the oldest is now in his 18th year. My mother died in the year 1870. I was an only child and all of her property came to me by direct descent.
I was at my own and husband’s place when the property was taken it was taken from my mother’s place situate one mile distant. Upon the death of my mother all of her real and personal property descended to me. I did not see the property taken and only know that it was taken from what others have told me. I know that there was several horses and mules upon the place and all were taken by General Grierson’s command in the month of April 1863. I went there shortly afterwards and my mother then told me that she was broke up and left without anything to work her crops and that much of her bacon was gone. She was much depressed - I know that none of the stock taken at the time was even returned - My mother in her life time never made any claim for the property for which I now claim. Nor never received a cent of pay for it and I now make claim as the heir at law - I could give a description of the animals that we had at the time there was but six horses and mules on the place and all were taken. Four of the animals were mules and two of them horses. I know that one of the mules was grey and I think that the other three were bay and horses were both sorrel color one a horse and the other a mare and both large animals - the mules were all large and in fair order - I do not know the ages or the value of any of the animals - I am a citizen of the United States and have never taken advantage of the bankrupt act nor have my husband, I now own property separate and apart from my husband. and I am the actual owner of the property claimed for and have never received any pay in whole or in part for any portion of the property taken at the time by the U. S. government or any other time. There was no stock as I am informed left in place of the animals taken.