Viewing page 136 of 251

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

To Capt O. Brown A.Q.M. &
Supt. Contraband Dept for State of Va

Your Petitioner W.W. Sylvester would respectfully represent that he is now and had been since before the war the owner of a farm, at Wood Mill Creek in the County of Norfolk and about Ten Miles from the City of Norfolk State of Virginia. That at the time of the Evacuation of Norfolk by the Confederate forces he was absent from the State of Virginia on private business. That he was never in the civil or military service (in a capacity) of the so called Confederate States or any state thereof - Except a period of about Eighteen months during which period he was in the military service of the Confederate states so called in the capacity of a private soldier, but that he did not voluntarily enlist therein but was conscripted, and forced into the service as above stated.  That he returned to the City of Norfolk as soon as he was able to do so and took the oath of allegiance to the U.S. Government on the first day of May A.D. 1866 - a copy of the certificate thereof being hereto annexed marked "A" and forms a part hereof.  That he took said oath in good faith with a firm and honest

Transcription Notes:
4 question marks remain ---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-04-15 11:34:28 the first transcriber wrote "he took the oath the first day of May 1865" but the oath wasn't ordered until May 29th 1865, so this must be 1866.