PETITION.
To the Commissioners under the act of Congress approved the 16th of April, 1862, entitled "An act for the
release of certain persons held to service or labor in the District
of Columbia."
Your Petitioner, James E.
Harrison of Washington
City by this his
petition in writing, represents and states, that he is a person loyal to the United States,
who, at the time of the passage of the said act of Congress, held a claim to
service or labor against a girl a person of
African descent of the name of Emily for and during the life of said Emily and that by said act of
Congress said Emily was
discharged and freed of and from all claim of your petitioner to such service or
labor; that at the time of said discharge said Emily was of the age of sixteen or thereabouts and of the personal
description following:Here
describe the person, so as to identify him or her; and if there be more than
one slave, describe each one separately.
A body servant. Height five feet, four
inches—Complexion medium dark
That your petitioner acquired his claim to the
aforesaid service or labor of said Emily in manner following:Here state how the claim was
acquired, when, from whom, and for what price or consideration; and, if held
under any written evidence of title, make exhibit thereof, or refer to the
public record where the same may be found.
by marriage—she the said
Emily being the property of his wife before said
marriage—
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said Emily was, at the time of said
discharge therefrom, of the value of $900,00
dollars in money.Here state
such facts, if any there be, touching the value of the petitioner's claim to
the service or labor of the person, as may enhance the same, and also such
facts, if any, touching the moral, mental, and bodily infirmities or defects
of said person, as impair the value of the petitioner's claim to such
service or labor, and conclude such statement with an averment that the
petitioner knows of no other infirmities or defects of said person which
impair the value of petitioner's claim to such service or labor, and that he
believes none other to exist. If the petitioner specify no such infirmity or
defect, then his statement touching the value of his claim should conclude
with an averment that he has no knowledge of any such infirmity or
defect.The said Emily
has no disease either bodily or mentally—a likely grown girl,
without marks—scars, or deformities whatever
Your petitioner hereby declares that he bears true
and faithful allegiance to the Government of the United
States, and that he has not borne
arms against the United States in the present rebellion,
nor in any way given aid or comfort thereto.
And your petitioner further states and alleges, that he has not brought said Emily into the District of
Columbia since the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at
the time of the passage thereof, said Emily was held to service or labor therein
under and by virtue of your petitioner's claim to such service or labor.
Your petitioner further states and alleges, that his said claim to the service or labor of said Emily does not originate in or
by virtue of any transfer heretofore
since the breaking out of the Rebellion made by
any person who has in any manner aided or sustained the present rebellion
against the Government of the United States.
And your petitioner prays the said Commissioners to investigate and determine the
validity of his said claim to the service or labor
of said Emily herein above
set forth; and if the same be found to be valid, that they appraise and
apportion the value of said claim in money, and report the same to the Secretary
of the Treasury of the United States, in conformity to
the provisions of said act of Congress.
(Signed by) J E
Harrison
Capt
Captain
5th
Cavl
Cavalry
U.S. Army