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Christiansburg, Va Sept 29th 1866

Maj. Genl. Schofield,
Sir,
   I am but an unpretending citizen, and not be conversant with the forms of address necessary to place one before you in an acceptable point of view.  Yet, the extremity of my circumstances, urges me to appeal to you, as the last hope of outraged loyalty.
   Encouraged by the Order recently, issued by Genl. Grant, requiring his subordinates in the North, to see that the rights of loyal subjects were not outraged by the civil authorities, and to arrest those who might attempt such wrongs against devotees to the Union.  I thought it not improbable that my case, as I thought it was such, as the order intended, might claim your favorable intervention in my behalf.
   My case is as follows.  During the war, I was by the order of Rob't Preston, a Conf't. Com'd. required to rept to  him for conscript duty.  On my appearance before him, he demanded if I had any plea to enter to justify exemption?  I replyed, that I had the common plea of all authorized Preachers of the Gospel.  He said, where are your credentials? I replyed, I left them at home, not knowing I should need them. I remarked, if necessary, I would bring them.  To which he replyed "Dam Your Credentials", and proceeded to write orders to the Officer in whose custody I  was placed.  Who immediately conveyed me to prison, where I was detained for 5 weeks.  Hopeless of release by the Military Authority, I applyed to J.C. Taylor (Lawyer) to release me by Habeas Corpus. that thus, procured my release, Yet now, upon a false report of my intention to remove, He, by a detachment took my horse out of the plough in my field, even before judgement had been obtained against me.
   The things I wish information about, are the following.
1st   Cannot I have redress against Preston for false imprisonment?