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1862, when he left home for the purpose of locating temporarily his family out of the track of war to ensure their safety, but with the intention of returning himself, (he not being connected with the confederate army, nor in any manner engaged in the rebellion), and was prevented from doing so, by the retreat of the confederate army. As soon as the opportunity was afforded him, to wit: in April last, he returned to take possession of said farms, and found the first, or rather a part of it, occupied by negroes, and the other in the possession of a white man (Wilkins) who rented it from the United States Government. Your petitioner deems it important to state that he left the latter farm in the possession of Mr Scarburgh who was his overseer and mannager, and always a loyal citizen of the United States, who has since died. And that the said Wilkins, the present occupant of the farm is the son in law of said Scarburgh, and that the said farms have not been confiscated, as fully appears by the certificate of the clerk of the United States district court at Norfolk, also filed herewith as a part of this petition, marked C. Your