Civil War Washington

To the Commissioners under the Act of Congress approved April 16th 1862, entitled "An act for the release of certain persons held to service or labor in the District of Columbia:"

Your petitioner William Peters of Georgetown D.C. 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 and labor against a female person of African descent of the name of Louisa Carter, for and during the life of said Louisa Carter, and that by said Act of Congress said Louisa Carter 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 Louisa Carter was of the age of sixteen years and of the personal description following namely: said Louisa Carter is sixteen years of age, about five feet high, of a dark brown color, not black although a real African, and quite sound and healthy in every respect: that your petitioner acquired his claim to the service or labor aforesaid of said Louisa Carter, by purchasing her of Leonard Boarman of Charles County Maryland in the year Eighteen Hundred and Fifty four, when she was about Eight years, at and for the price of three hundred and fifty-dollars,—that he has mislaid the bill of sale, but will obtain a duplicate thereof and file it hereafter with this Board—that your petitioner's claim to the service of labor of said Louisa Carter was at the time of said discharge therefrom of the value of One thousand dollars in money, she having always been sound and healthy, and an excellent house-servant, and that he has no knowledge of any moral, mental or physical infirmity or defect in her:

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, 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 also, that he has not brought said Louisa Carter into the said District of Columbia since the passage of said Act of Congress: and that at the time of the passage thereof said Louisa Carter had been, and 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 Louisa Carter does not originate in or by virtue of any transfer heretofore made by any person, who has in any manner aided or sustained the present rebellion against the Government of the United States.

Your petitioner   Your Petitioner prays the said Commissioners to investigate and determine the validity of his said claim to the service or labor of said Louisa Carter, herein before set forth, and if the same be found to be valid—that they appraise and apportion the value thereof 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