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To John R Henry Agent of the Freedmens Bureau Knoxville Tennessee. 

The Petition of William N Davis a citizen of Hawkins County in the state of Tennessee respectfully represents unto the Bureau that he is the lawful owner of a certain horse which was taken unlawfully from his possession during the late rebellion and which he found in the possession of Wm S Chambers of said county who was a rebel, - and on the 16th of August 1865 - Statesman read out a writ of replevin and recovered said horse from said Chambers, a copy of which judgement is here filed and made part of this petition The said Chambers afterwards procured a freedman who belonged to him before his emancipation to set up claim to the horse alledging that the Freedman had traded to said Chambers a horse branded U.S, and of course the property of the United States for [[?]] horse. Some rebel soldiers had given the Freedman the Hence horse as Chambers alledges and Chambers had given Petitioner's horse to the negro for the branded horse, both dealing with property which did not belong to them. This Freedman whose name is Isaac Chambers - had the case taken before Wm O Sizemore who is acting as an agent of the Bureau in Hawkins County, and said Sizemore compelled Your Petitioner to give up said horse to the negro.

The truth is the negro nor Chambers had any right to the horse. He belonged to Petitioner which he can as he did abundantly establish - and in view of the facts, and the exceeding wrong done in that case to petitioner and as he has no recourse but to ask redress at the hands of the military arm of the Government He prays that you will investigate the case, and if the facts appear as herein stated, you will return to Petitioner the only horse he has in the world. He is a very poor man, aged about Seventy three years, and has always been loyal to the United States. 

Wilson A. Davis
x his mark

Sworn to and subscribed before me and Acting Justice of the peace for Hawkins County Tennessee this 3 day of Febuary 1866
N... Campbell JP

Transcription Notes:
Changed Selectman to "Statesman".