Scott County Arkansas Southern Claims Commission File Jeremiah J. Tate Contributed by Sandy Conant Email: Emryscon@aol.com USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. ===================================================================== Before the Commissioners of Claims Act of Congress, March 3, 1871 Case of Jeremiah J. Tate, No. 18.774 It is hereby certified, that on the 9th day of January 1873, at Waldron, in the county of Scott and the State of Arkansas, Personally came before me the following persons, viz.: Jeremiah J. Tate Claimant, W. L. Taylor Counsel, or Attorney, and Thomas J. Tate, Jacob Tate, Wm Hunt, A.G. Leming, Elijah Leming Claimants Witnesses, for the purposes of a hearing in the above entitled cause. Each and every deponent, previous to his or her examination, was properly and duly sworn or affirmed by me to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, concerning the matters under examination; and the testimony of each deponent was written out by me, or in my presence, and as given before me, and subsequently read over to said deponent, by whom it was also subscribed in my presence. Witnessed my hand and seal this 17th day of January, 1873 W.A. Harris, Special Commissioner of the Commissioners of Claims Deposition of Jeremiah J. Tate In answer to the First General Interrogatory, the Deponent says: My name is Jeremiah J. Tate, my age 33 years, my residence Scott County, in the State of Arkansas, and my occupation a farmer, I am the claimant, and have a beneficial interest in the claim. ==================================================================== 2-From the 1st of April 1861 until some time about the last of June 1862 I resided on my farm. At this time I was conscripted in the rebel army in which I served there about three months when I deserted and came home where I remained and laid out the mountains and woods until September 1863 when the Federals took possession of the county and went with them to Dardanelle, Ark and enlisted in the Federal Army in Dec 1865, serving as a soldier until after the close of the war. My farm consisted of 40 acres of land, 15 acres being under cultivation, the remainder woodland and situated in Scott County Ark , 20 miles east of Waldron, the county seat of Scott Co. 3-No 4-I took some oath when I was conscripted in the rebel service. 5-8 No 9-Only as rebel conscript 10-Only as a conscript 11-12 No 13-About the last of June 1862 there came to my house some 8 or ten rebel soldiers from Major Gibson's battalion. The commander of the party told me that I was his prisoner, that he had been sent there to arrest and bring me to Waldron, which he done and upon our arrival at Waldron several others that was brought in at the same time was kept under guard until morning when Major Gibson told us we had to go into the service or put into the guard house. When we was all sworn in the service by Gibson as rebel conscripts after which we were sent to Fort Smith Ark where I remained about 2 months in the garrison. When we were sent over to White River to take a battery to the rebel General Rains, upon our return we were stationed in the garrison again and that night, being about the last day of Sept, 1862 myself and eleven other Union men deserted. I went home and lay out in the mountains most of the time onto Sept 1863 when the Federal Army took possession of the county. 14-23 No 24-Only the time I was conscripted-I never was arrested by the U.S. Gov. 25-I had taken by the Confederate Army the following property, one mare, one yoke of oxen and a cow & a calf. They were taken for the use of the army. I never received any pay for any of the property taken. 26-I was frequently threatened with damage and injury to my person, family and property on account of my Union sentiments. The threats were made by Captain Geo. Featherstone. The threats were to the effect that he would hang me. I told him I would not go to the rebel army which gave rise to the threats. I told him if he wanted to hang me to go ahead, that it was as good a time as he would ever get to do it. This was sometime in the winter of 1862&3 at Waldron Ark. 27-Nothing more than the taking of my property and being compelled to lay out in the mountains to keep from being hung. 28-I never contributed any money, but frequently fed Union people and soldiers and done everything in my power to aid the U.S. Gov. Army and the Union cause. 29-I served as a soldier from the 1st of Dec 1863 to the last of July 1865 30-None that I know of. 31-39 No 40-At the beginning of the rebellion I sympathized with the Union cause and was opposed to the rebellion. My feeling on the subject was in favor of the Union and the United States Govt. I said that secession was wrong and that I hoped the North would whip the rebels as I believed they would do. I exerted my influence and cast my vote for Union candidates to the state convention. We had no vote in this state on the ratifying the ordinances of succession and after the state was declared out of the Union I still adhered to the Union cause and was opposed to succession & the rebellion from the beginning to the end thereof. 41-Yes in full. Part 2-Claimant being further questioned regarding property taken state as follows: I was present when items No 1&2 of my claim was taken and saw the property taken. I saw wheat and bacon taken. I was not present when items no. 3&4 of my claim was taken but saw them both after they were taken-one chestnut sorrel mare and one brown mare. Items no. 1&2 were taken at the same time and by the same Command. Some time about the 1st of January 1864, there came from the Post of Waldron Ark a Federal forager train of some 8 or ten wagons guarded by about 25 or 30 Federal soldiers commanded by Lieutenant Crossgrove to my house about the middle of the afternoon. They stopped in the road in front of my house driving a wagon up to the gate. When the officer in command of the detachment told the men to go to my wheat garum(?) that was at the back end of the house and take the wheat out and put it in the wagon which the done, carrying the wheat out in the half bushel measure and emptying it into the wagon. I was present and counted the bushels as they carried it out and know that there was 27 bushels by actual measurement. Said wheat was in good order and worth at the time of the taking $1.50 per bushels. The bacon was taken from the smoke house some 5 yards from my dwelling, carried out by the soldiers and loaded on to different wagons of the train, there was from 200# to 300# of item #2, it was in good order and worth at the time of the taking .15cts per pound, which together with item no. 1, the wheat, was hauled off in the direction of Waldron. Lieutenant Crossgrove told me at the time that he would have to take said items for the use of the army. That for me to go to Waldron and I would get a receipt for the property there and the govmt would pay for it. I came to Waldrom and got a receipt and some time in the month of March 1864, I was thrown from my horse near Fort Smith Ark while carrying a dispatch from Van Buren to Fort Smith and while I was lying in a senseless condition I was robbed of my pocket book which contained said receipt and I never rec'd any pay of any kind other than said receipt for said items no's 1&2. Item no 3, the chestnut sorrel mare was taken some time in April of 1864 from Fort Smith Ark and I suppose by the 14th Kansas USA Cavalry from the fact that about 6 or 8 weeks following I saw said mare in the command and being used by the soldiers of that regiment. Sometime about the 1st of June 1864, a detachment from my regiment and one from the 14th Kan. Cav were sent from Fort Smith Ark to Russellville Ark on a scout and while on this scout I discovered my mare being ridden by a soldier of the 14th Kansas Cav. I went to Lieutenant Woodsworth who was in command of the scouting party and told him about said mare asking him to get her for me, who advised me to let the soldier ride her to Fort Smith where he would give me a pass to go and get her upon our arrival at Fort Smith or the day following. I got a pass and went to the camp of the 14 Kan-Cav and told the Colonel that his command had my mare. He told me to go out and find her and prove that she was my property and I could have her, but upon looking I could find nothing of said mare and never saw her afterwards. I am satisfied that she was used for the benefit of the US Service. I never received any pay of any kind for said mare neither did I ever before this make any claim for said mare. Item No 3 was a chestnut sorrel mare 7 years old about 15 hands high in good order and worth at about the time of the taking $75.00. No 4, the brown mare was taken from Fort Smith Ark sometime during the month of February, 1864 by, I suppose the 4th Arkansas Infantry from the fact that I saw her a few hours after she was taken being ridden by a Sergeant of the 14th Kansas Cavalry who was at that time recruiting for the 4th Ark USV Infantry. He had at the time I saw him some forty men in his command all mounted and on the way out of Fort Smith. I could not get close enough to him to speak to him and never saw the Sergeant or the mare any more after that time but learned that the Sergeant returned to his regiment and did not go into the 4th Ark Inf. Said item No.4 was a dark brown mare about 14 hands high in good order and worth at the time of the taking $100.00. I never received any receipt, voucher or pay of any kind for said item #4 and never made any claim for said item before this and am satisfied that said mare was used for the benefit of the United States Service. Sworn & subscribed to before me this 9th day of January 1873 Jeremiah J. Tate, his mark ====================================================================== Deposition of Thomas J. Tate who being duly sworn to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth, testifies as follows. My age is 31 years, my residence Scott County, Ark, and my occupation a farmer. Claimant is my cousin. I have no beneficial interest in this claim. I was not present when any of the articles as specified in the several items of claimants petition were taken and did not see any of the property at the time of the taking, but I saw item No. 4 the brown mare after she was taken. Some 2 or 3 weeks after the taking of the mare I saw her in the possession and being ridden by a Mr. Sanders who was a Sergeant of the 14th Kansas Cav. who at the time was recruiting for the 4th Ark U.S.V. Infantry in Scott County Ark, 24 miles east of Waldron. After seeing said mare in Scott Co., I saw her again in Fort Smith Ark. being ridden by the same man Sanders. I knew at the time that said mare was the property of claimant. I am satisfied that claimant never sold said mare and that she was taken and used for the benefit of the U.S. Army and that claimant never received any pay of any kind for said mare. Said mare was a brown, about 14 hands high about 7 years old, in good order and worth at the time of the taking $100.00. Sworn and subscribed to before me this 9th day of January AD 1873 Thomas J. Tate Deposition of Jacob P. Tate, who being duly sworn to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth testifies as follows. My age is 36 years. My residence Scott County Arkansas and my occupation a farmer. Claimant is my cousin. I have no beneficial interest in this claim. I was present when the articles as specified in items no. 1&2 of claimants petition were taken, and saw the property taken. Also item no. 4. the brown mare after she was taken. I saw 27 bushels of wheat and some 200# or 300# of bacon taken-and one brown mare as specified in item no. 4 after she was taken being ridden by a sergeant of the 14th Kansas Cavalry who was recruiting for the 4th Arkansas U.S.V. Infantry. Items no. 1&2 were taken at the same time by the same command. Sometime in the month of January 1864 there came a federal forager train of some 8 or ten wagons guarded by some 25 or 30 federal soldiers commanded by Lieutenant Crossgrove of the 2nd Kansas U. S. V. Cavalry from the Post of Waldron Ark. to claimants house, where they arrived late in the evening and camped about one mile from claimants house overnight. When they passed claimants house in the evening, they stopped the train and took from a garum (?) close to the house on the back end of the house 27 bushels of wheat which they carried out to the gate in a half bushel measure and emptied it into the wagon the. The wheat garum was some ten or fifteen steps from the gate where they took the wheat out to the wagon. I estimate the quantity by actual measurement at the time. I saw it all measured at the time of the taking. Said wheat was in good order and worth at the time of the taking about $1.50 per bushel. Item no. 2, the 200# of bacon was taken from the smoke house some 5 yd's from the dwelling, and the soldiers carried from the smoke house and loaded on the wagon. I think the same wagon in which they had put the wheat. What I thought at the time was from 200# to 300# of bacon, the bacon was in good order and worth at the time of the taking $15.00 per 100#. I suppose they were engaged about an hour or at least they were there about an hour. Items no. 1&2 were hauled off in the direction of Waldron, Ark. There was present other than the soldiers at the time of the taking, claimants father and mother and my sister, there might have been others. Lieutenant Crossgrove ordered the taking of items no. 1&2 and stood in the yard nearby where the items were taken. The Lieutenant said that he had orders to take said property for the use of the army and told claimant to come up to Waldron and he would be receipted for the property. As to item no. 4, the brown mare. I did not see her at the time of the taking, but some 4 or 5 days after the taking of said mare, I saw her being used in a scout of some 25 soldiers who belonged to the 4th Ark. Inftry. The man who was riding the mare was a Sergeant of the 14th Kansas U.S.V. Cavalry, at the time recruiting for the 4th Ark Inftry, at least that is what he told me and tried to enlist me in his company. He came to my house and I knew said man and asked him how he came by her. He said he had either bought or borrowed her I don't remember which. I did not at the time know that claimant had lost said mare and thought perhaps claimant might have sold her. Said mare was a brown about 7 years old 14 or 15 hands high in good order and worth at the time of the taking $100.00. I learned from claimant at the time that he received receipt for items no's 1&2 and was afterwards robbed and lost them. As well as I can remember it was some time in March of 1864 that I saw items no. 4. I am satisfied that claimant never got any pay for any of the articles charged for the this claim. Sworn and subscribed to before me this 10th day of January AD 1873 Jacob P. Tate Deposition of Wm. Hunt who being duly sworn to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth testifies as follows. My age 36 years, my residence Scott County Ark. and my occupation a farmer. I am not related to claimant and have no interest in this claim. I was not present at the time of the taking of any of the property as charged in claimants petition and did not see any of the articles at the time of the taking, but sometime in the spring of 1864 I was stationed at Fort Smith, Ark. A detachment from my regiment and one from the 14th Kansas U. S. V. Cavalry went from Fort Smith Ark to Russellville Ark. on a scout and while in camp on our return to Fort Smith Ark. I saw in the detachment of the 14th Kansas U.S. V. Cav item no. 3, the sorrel mare, the property of claimant being used as a cavalry horse in said 14th Kansas Cavalry. I knew the horse or mare to be the property of claimant. I had seen claimant in possession of the mare frequently before she was taken. We were out on the scout some 5 or 6 days and I saw the mare nearly every day being rode by a soldier of the 14th Kansas Cav. Claimant was along at the time and went to Lieutenant Woodworth who was in command of the scout and asked him to get his mare for him. The Lieut. replied that it was best to let the soldier ride the mare back to Fort Smith and get here there. The same detachment had a horse of mine at the same time and upon our return to Fort Smith I went with claimant to the camp of the 14th Kansas to see about getting our horses. We went tot the colonel of the regt. and told him that his men had our horses, who told us that we could find our horses in the camp to bring them up, prove property, and we could have them. We hunted all over the camp but could find neither of our horses, and I never saw said mare afterwards. Said item no.3 was a chestnut sorrel mare 7 years old 15 hands high in good order and worth at the time of the taking $75.00. I am satisfied that said animal was used for the benefit of the US. Service and that claimant never received any pay of any kind for said item no. 3 of this claim. Sworn and subscribed to before me this 10th day of January AD 1873 William Hunt, his mark Deposition of A. G. Leming who being duly sworn to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth testifies as follows. My age is 23 years my residence is Scott County, Ark. and my occupation a mechanic. My acquaintance with claimant began about AD 1860-and was intimate throughout the war. I lived about twenty one miles from claimant at the MISSING PAGE property on account of his union sentiments, claimant had two brothers, a brother-in-law and father-in-law killed by the rebels on account of their Union sentiments. I don't think claimant ever contributed anything in any(way) to aid the confederate government or its officers or soldiers or ever owned any confederate bonds or did anything to sustain the credit of the Confederate States. I know that claimants acts and language were such as would have prevented him from establishing his loyalty to the confederacy if it had been maintained as a separate government. the fact of his serving in the U.S. Army for a long time would have been sufficient to so prevent him. And claimant and the whole family were always regarded as loyal persons. I was a soldier in "I" Co. 2nd Ark U.S.V. Infantry, claimant belonged to the same company and regiment. Sworn and subscribed to before me this 11th day of January AD 1873 A.G. Leming Deposition of Elijah Leming who being duly worn to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth testifies as follows. My age is 52 years, my residence Waldron, Scott County Ark. and my occupation a physician. My acquaintance with claimant began about AD 1859 and was intimate throughout the war. I lived about 21 miles from claimant and saw him as often as once a month sometimes more frequently. I conversed often with claimant about the war, it's cause and progress. I was an adherent of the Union cause and was so regarded by claimant. Claimant said he was opposed to the war and when conscripted said they could take a horse to the water but could not make him drink. In my conversations with claimant I always found him in sympathy with and in favor of the United States government and the Union cause. I know the sympathies and opinions of claimant by our frequent conversations which were both by ourselves and in the presence of other Union men. I know the public reputation of claimant as to loyalty, it was that of a loyal man and was always so regarded by his loyal neighbors. I don't know that claimant ever contributed any money or property to aid the Union Army or cause, but am satisfied that claimant did everything in his power to aid and assist the Union army and cause. I know that claimant was molested and threatened with injury to himself, his family and property on account of his Union sentiments. Claimant had two brothers, a brother-in-law and father-in-law all killed by the rebels. I know that claimant would have been served the same had he been captured. I don't think claimant ever contributed anything in any way to aid the Confederate government or its officers or soldiers, or ever owned any Confederate bonds or did anything to sustain the credit of the confederate government. I am satisfied that claimants acts and language were such as would have prevented him establishing his loyalty to the confederacy if it had been maintained as a separate government. The fact of claimants deserting the rebel army where he was serving as a conscript and joining the federal army would have so prevented him and the whole family of the Tates were always regarded as a loyal family and they were all truly loyal to the U.S. government. Claimant and myself served in the same regiment in the federal army during the war. Sworn and subscribed to before me this 11th day of January AD 1873 Elijah Leming =================================================================== No. 18799 The Claim of Jeremiah J. Tate Scott County, in the State of Arkansas Nature of Claim Amount Claimed Amount Allowed 27 bush wheat $40.50 $40.50 200 pounds bacon $30.00 $30.00 two mares $175.00 $175.00 Total $245.50 $245.50 Remarks. Claimants loyalty is satisfactorily established by his own statements and that of his witnesses. He proclaimed Union sentiments and voted for Union Candidates to the convention and bore the reputation of a loyal man at the beginning of the Rebellion-In June 1862 a guard of rebel soldiers arrested him, took him to camp and forced him into service, in September following he with a number of others deserted and enlisted in the Union Army and severed to the end of the war. The supplies charged were taken by different commands on different occasions in the year 1864-the prices charged seem reasonable under the circumstances and we allow the sum of two hundred and forty-five dollars. March 3, 1875.