Researching Your Civil War AncestryDo you have a distant relative who fought in the Civil War? Would you like to find out if you do? This is the discussion for you!
Finally received the Claims Commission papers of my Gr-Gr-Grandfather!
Just having perused a very few of the 444 pages, I've already found a bunch of interesting stuff:
(All copies of things of course)
- An order from U. S. Grant
- A letter concerning and commending my GGGF from W. T. Sherman
- An order from J. B. McPherson
- Testimony of Gen. S. A. Hurlbut in favor of the claim of my GGGF
- A Confederate lieutenant, under Beauregard, threatened to hang him if he did not lead the Lt. to his cottton (so the Rebs could burn it)
- He was arrested by Gen. Sooy Smith and held for some 10 days on suspicion of aiding a Confederate spy, and was acquitted
- he had 2 cousins who fought for the Union, and 2 others who fought for the Rebs, none of his immediate family saw action on either side.
- several orders permitting passage through Union lines
And, yes, turns out my GGGF owned 127 slaves!
All this just from about 10 minutes of looking here and there thru the document.
I'll need time and patience go thru it all, and some of the handwriting is pretty hard to decipher.
I'll report any interesting details as I may find them.
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"It was a very peculiar time." - Franklin D. Cossitt
Ancestors in USA Army: 6th IA Inf, 11th IL Cav, 1st AL Cav; 122nd NY Inf; 6th MI Cav; 35th MA Inf; 100th IL Inf; 1st CO Inf/Cav; 22nd IN Inf
This is to certify that F. D. Cossitt has shown himself a good Loyal man and has rendered important services to the Federal Cause. All officers and Soldiers of my Command, are directed to respect his property and not to take anything from his plantation without keeping an accurate account of it, that proper receipts may be given.
Nice piece of research, Sam. Please post some more.
Beware of what you ask for. I've got 444 pages of copies of handwritten documents of which I aim to transcribe much of which for the benefit of future generations.
here's a nugget from the testimony of Stephen A. Hurlbut:
"Q. In your judgment it would not have been safe for him to have remained? [if he had remained at Lagrange Tenn. after the Union army decamped from that place].
A. No sir. They would have executed him, sure. He was about my headquarters a good deal & was known to give me information - important information too, & that connected with his marked career before, would have made it absolutely unsafe for him to have remained there. I do not think his life would have been worth a straw outside of the range that was covered by the U.S. troops. There are not a great many people in the South that I can vouch for as being essentially Union people, but I can for Mr. Cossitt."
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"It was a very peculiar time." - Franklin D. Cossitt
Ancestors in USA Army: 6th IA Inf, 11th IL Cav, 1st AL Cav; 122nd NY Inf; 6th MI Cav; 35th MA Inf; 100th IL Inf; 1st CO Inf/Cav; 22nd IN Inf
Here is a sort of summary of the claim and the decision of the Commission on the issue of loyalty to the Union. I left off the part about the "taking of the property", because while it may be of some interest, it mostly consists of just how many mules and how much corn was taken and how it was determined.
No 20459
The Claim of …. Franklin D. Cossitt……Of … Fayette Co. … in the State of Tennessee…
42 items, 1862, Nov. & Dec.
Amount of claim as per statement in petition - hereto annexed in detail: 31,620.00
Amount allowed 14,102.17
Amount disallowed 17,517.83
Mr. Cossitt was a native of Connecticut. At the age of fifteen he went to Tenn. He there became a merchant and planter. He owned four plantations vis, “Myrick”, “Urqhart”, “Sykes”, and “Adams”, and 127 slaves. He never held any civil or military office in the Confederacy & it does not appear that he ever gave any aid or comfort to the Confederacy.
In the summer of 1862 he went to Bolivar where Generals Grant and McPherson were camped with their Army & told them that the confederate forces did not amount to much & that they would have no difficulty in coming into and taking possession of the country. They had supposed that the confederate force was large. The next day Genl. McPherson came to Lagrange and took possession of the country.
In Exhibit No. 2, Genl. McPherson under date of Nov. 13, 1862 says “Mr. Cossitt has rendered good service at different times & deserves compensation for the Articles taken from him.”
Genl. McPherson also under date of Nov. 5, ‘62 “certifies that Mr. Cossitt has shown himself a good loyal man & has rendered important services to the Federal Cause”, etc.
Genl. Hamilton, who for 6 weeks in Oct. & Nov. ‘62 had his headquarters at his house, says “I have known Mr. Cossitt since Nov. ‘62, - have at all times found him a reliable & thoroughly loyal Union man, from whom I have received much useful information at times & have always found his sympathies with the Union Govt. & Armies.”
Genl. Hurlbut, under date of Nov. 18,’62 says - “Mr. Cossitt has been known to me since June last as a reliable Union Man, - I became acquainted with him at Lagrange on the first occupation of that place by Union troops. I have reason to believe that he has always been loyal to the Govt. & have received from him valuable information.
Genl. Hurlbut was examined orally before us & his evidence is very full & satisfactory to prove claimant’s loyalty. We deem it sufficient to refer to it.
Many other papers are filed to show that other officers of our Army in 1862 regarded him as loyal.
He was threatened and molested by the rebels, & in April 1863 was obliged to leave. He went to Chicago where he has since resided. In regard to the necessity of his leaving Genl. Hurlbut says - “his life would not be worth a straw outside of the range covered by the U.S. troops.”
In June, 1862 he was entrusted by Genl. Sherman with the charge and repair of trestle work, which service he faithfully performed. See Genl. Sherman’s letter. Exhibits 6 & 7.
Loyalty fully proved.
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"It was a very peculiar time." - Franklin D. Cossitt
Ancestors in USA Army: 6th IA Inf, 11th IL Cav, 1st AL Cav; 122nd NY Inf; 6th MI Cav; 35th MA Inf; 100th IL Inf; 1st CO Inf/Cav; 22nd IN Inf
Comm. Aldis: Q. Please state your age and residence.
A. I am 53 years of age & reside at Lagrange, Cook Co. Illinois
Q. Where did you reside during the war?
A. At Lagrange, Fayette Co. Tenn. Until the spring of 1863. I then left & went to Chicago,
where I have since resided.
Q. What was your business while you lived in Tenn?
A. I was planting largely & also merchandising.
Q. Did you plant cotton as well as corn?
A. Yes sir.
Q. Did you own slaves?
A. Yes sir - 127 of them.
Q. Had you any children in the war?
A. No sir.
Q. Had you any relatives in the war?
A. I had 2 cousins that were in the Confederate service & 2 cousins that were in the Union army.
Q. Did you yourself enlist, or were you conscripted into either army?
A. No sir.
Q. What was your age when the war broke out?
A. Thirty-nine
Q. How did you contrive to keep clear of military duty when you lived in Tennessee?
A. I hardly know how to answer that question. There was very little conscription, really, about Lagrange. There was no systematic regular rule adopted there for enforcing it. I was urged & a great deal said & done about going into the army, but I had no idea of going into the army - I didn’t want to go into the army & was opposed to the war & did all I could to evade the thing & kept out of it just as I did.
Q. Did you resort to any expenditure of money, or did you furnish a substitute, or anything of that kind, in order to keep out of the army?
A. I did not.
Q. Did you ever contribute any money in any way, directly or indirectly for the aid of the Confederate cause?
A. Nothing willingly. I do not know that I ever did further than to give some of their soldiers something to eat, and that was a matter, you might say, of compulsion. They would frequently come and take what they wanted, or take anything, in fact.
Q. Did the Confederates ever threaten you?
A. Yes sir.
Q. State who threatened you, what the threats were, etc.
A. When Gen. Beauregard issued his order for the burning of cotton, I had cotton on hand, and opposed the burning of cotton. The Lieutenant in command - who was then in command, I think, of two companies, went through the country for the purpose of burning cotton in obedience to the command of Gen. Beauregard, claiming that the Yankees would get it if it was not burned. I opposed the burning of cotton & the Lieut. who had command of these companies took me by force & made me go with him & show him where my cotton was, & abused me & used very harsh language, threatening to hang me & said I was an enemy to the country & ought to leave, & so on, & a great deal of that kind of treatment.
Q. Did you ever have charge of any property for the Confederate authorities?
A. No sir.
Q. Did you have it in your possession to keep for them?
A. No sir.
Q. Were you ever engaged in the manufacture of anything for their use - either munitions of war, boots, shoes, clothing, or anything of the kind?
A. I was connected with a foundry in Lagrange - a little, small establishment where they were making plows: that was the legitimate business. A party named John W. Shipp was buying merchandize of me & had got into my debt, & to save myself I
bought a half interest in his business. That was right at the Commencement of the war - I don’t recollect the date. He had, (by force) taken some work in making shot & shell for the Confederate authorities at Memphis, under pressure, as he said. They would have confiscated what iron he had & everything he had if he hadn’t done it, & I in that way became interested in that business. As soon as I became interested there I was the cause of Mr. Shipp’s quitting making any shot or shell. I was opposed to it, & told him so, but I was very anxious to secure the indebtedness. When Gen. Sherman first came into our country I told him all about it - I made a plain statement of the facts to him in reference to that particular thing, & he very kindly said that he didn’t think it amounted to anything, so far as I was concerned.
Q. And you never were engaged in manufacturing anything in aid of the Confederacy except the shot & shell of this foundry as you have stated?
A. No sir, nothing. Then we had no material. It didn’t amount to anything anyway.
Q. How much pay did you receive for shot & shell as your share after you went into the foundry?
A. I didn’t receive any pay. I don’t know what amount was even collected. Mr. Shipp attended to that. I didn’t give any personal attention to the foundry at all. I was merchandizing & planting & really took no interest in this matter at all & no charge of the business at all - the debts, collections, or management of it.
Q. You have stated that you were, on a certain occasion, arrested for a short time, in reference to the cotton taken?
A. Well, I don’t whether you would hardly call it an arrest. I was taken by the Lieutenant & compelled to go along with him.
Q. Were you ever arrested by the United States?
A. Yes sir. In the fall of 1862 I was arrested by Gen. Wm. Sooy Smith, I was kept under arrest 10 days or 2 weeks - I don’t recollect the exact time.
Q. Where were you kept in custody?
A. At Lagrange - in a room there they selected for that purpose. Q. What was the charge they made against you?
A. Well, there was a spy arrested there, as they claimed, & in examining him, in giving in his evidence he stated he had come to my house & got something to eat, and in connection with that, that he had gone by one of my plantations and had got something to eat from the Negroes, that he had asked where he could get something to eat in town, and they told him their master was rich & that he never refused to give anybody something to eat. That was his statement, & they thought there was some complicity or something wrong in connection with myself, as coming to the plantation & then coming to my house to get something to eat. On that I was held about ten days & then I wrote to Gen. Hurlbut - no, I didn’t write, but I got an officer to write (I don’t recollect his name) to Genl. Hurlbut, & Gen. Hurlbut answered it & requested Gen. Smith to give me a fair trial, stating that he knew something of me & he didn’t think I had done anything wrong, & would say I was a Union man. That is the way I understood it. I may not have all the facts in connection with it. Anyway, I was tried & they brought up about everything they could against me. I think that Gen. Smith thought that possibly there was something wrong somewhere. And they brought up this shot & shell question & my connection with that foundry & the feeding of this soldier. Q. What was the verdict of the Commission?
A. I was acquitted & Gen. Smith sent for me & treated me very kindly afterwards, & I understood by his remarks, that he thought I had been treated wrong, & that the only ground they had for suspecting anything wrong was simply the statement of that spy that he had got something to eat at my plantation & that the Negroes had directed him to my house at Lagrange & that he had come there & got something to eat & they thought that looked suspicious, & Gen. Smith thought it was just ground for arresting me. After arresting me they summoned a good many witnesses. I think Dr. Henry Biggs was one, & George P. Shelton, I think was another. [Ed. Shelton was the mayor of Lagrange at that time.]
Q. Did you ever do anything for the Union cause while you lived in Tennessee?
A. Yes sir. I went to Bolivar 21 miles north of our place when Grant & McPherson were located there with troops, & they supposed the Confederates were in large force at Lagrange & between there & Holly Springs, & I went to McPherson’s headquarters & told him he would have no difficulty at all in coming into the country there and taking possession - that the Confederate forces didn’t amount to much. He thought I was pretty well posted & knew what I was talking about.
Q. Who did you tell this to?
A. To Gen. McPherson. I returned the same day that I went up there, & I think it was the next day that they came into our town - the troops came right down.
[Editor’s note: On November 2, 1862, McPherson sends to Grant the following, “it is reported that 1,500 are in camp 1 mile from La Grange. It is undeniably true that rebel cavalry are in camp there, but the number is probably exaggerated. I shall be ready to move to-morrow morning at sunrise.” Grant left Jackson, Tenn. on Nov. 3 and established headquarters at Lagrange by Nov. 4, 1862. Grant‘s army occupied Holly Springs, Miss. on Nov. 26, 1862.]
Q. Did you ever aid any soldiers in the hospitals?
A. I very often fed them, & I have a pass from Gen. McPherson to go to one of my places across at Balls Bridge, & when I got there they were having a fight - the Confederates & Federals & the federal officer stopped me and asked me where I was going. I told them I wanted to go to my farm. The officer in command said “well, you cannot go.” Finally he said “If you want to go (you see what is going on), you can go.” I told him I didn’t want to go. They were bringing over a good many soldiers then that had been wounded & some killed, & there was one brought over who was badly wounded, & I was in a buggy & the officer asked me if I would not take him to town, about 3 miles, and I did so. I forgot that until just now since you made the inquiry. Anything that people did at that time, on either side, was noted by the citizens as a matter of course, & they were to some extent held accountable - censured at least & abused. It was a very peculiar time.
Also filed letter from Gen W.T. Sherman dated June 16, 1862 (Exhibit No 6)
[Ed. Exhibit No 6:
“Headquarters 5th Division
June 16, 1862
Gen. McDowell
Comdg 2nd Regiment
Sir, The Bearer F D Cossitt will take charge of the two pieces of trestle work and will manage those Negroes and teams. He is interested in having the work well done and quickly. Please give him all the help possible in mechanics tools and teams. I commend him to your attention as a Gentleman of high reputation in this community.
I am
W. T. Sherman
Maj. Genl.”]
Q. What do you say about that?
A. I don’t know that I have anything special to say. I cannot say who I received it from. I had several interviews with Gen Sherman while he was at Lagrange.
Q. Who did you vote for in 1860?
A. Bell & Everett.
Q. Were they considered Union men or secessionists in that part of the country?
A. Union men.
Q. You say you were arrested by Gen. W. Sooy Smith, & kept sometime, & discharged?
A. Yes sir.
Q. That is the same General Smith who gave you permission to sell your property & go to Chicago.
A. Yes sir.
Q. Where is he living now?
A. Near Chicago. [Ed. Oak Park. ]
Q. The foundry question was involved in that trial, as well as the spy matter?
A. Yes sir. After I moved to Chicago Gen. Smith hailed me on the street. I was driving in a buggy & drove up to the sidewalk & he came & offered me his hand & I shook hands with him. He remarked it was Mr. Cossitt he believed. I told him yes, but I didn’t recollect him, however. He wanted to know if I didn’t recollect Gen. W. Sooy Smith. I told him then that I did - as soon as he mentioned his own name, & I told him I was glad to see him. He asked me “Are you glad to see me?” I told him I was. He said “I am very glad to know it.” We had some conversation & I invited him to come and see me at my office, & he did so afterwards. I suppose he thought possibly I had some unkind feeling towards him, from the remark he made.
Q. Were you acquainted with General Sherman & Gen McPherson, Gen. Hamilton & Gen. Hurlbut?
A. Yes sir.
Q. State whether, at different times, you gave these Generals any information in regard to the disposition of the Confederate forces, or anything that would be to the advantage of the federal army?
A. I had several interviews with each one of them & talked very freely with them as to the Confederacy & as to the troops, & being called upon, gave them all the information I could give them.
Q. Had you ever, any sympathy at all with secession in any shape or form?
A. No sir. I told many of them that if they could gain their independence & if there was a possible division, that it would be the worst thing for the South in the world.
Q. Your judgment & your actions were always against it. Was it considered dangerous there to express your opinions openly?
A. Yes sir, it was very dangerous after the war had really commenced.
Q. You spoke about burning your cotton. Did those agents of Beauregard burn your cotton?
A. Yes sir.
Q. How much did they burn for you?
A. Two-hundred and sixty odd bales.
Q. Did you protest against it all the time?
A. I did.
Q. Did they carry you by force to the different places where the cotton was?
A. Yes sir, they compelled me to go.
Q. Have you ever got anything from anybody for that cotton?
A. No sir, & I never expected anything.
Q. How did the Confederate authorities look upon Southern men who were opposed to the burning of cotton?
A. They thought they were Yankees or ought to go with the Yankees.
Q. When the army left did you visit your plantations afterwards?
A. Yes sir.
Q. What did you find with regard to your stock and produce - after the army left?
A. The army went to Memphis in June & I came back again in November. After they finally left there I found everything gone - it was a general cleaning up; it was stripped of everything. The people didn’t know what they were going to do to live.
Q. And your agents made reports to you of what was taken?
A. Yes sir.
Q. And upon those reports & what you saw yourself you have filed your claim here?
A. Yes sir.
Q. Is there anything else that you want to state here?
A. I do not think of anything.
[Ed. Testimony of Hon. Stephen A. Hurlbut follows]
U]
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"It was a very peculiar time." - Franklin D. Cossitt
Ancestors in USA Army: 6th IA Inf, 11th IL Cav, 1st AL Cav; 122nd NY Inf; 6th MI Cav; 35th MA Inf; 100th IL Inf; 1st CO Inf/Cav; 22nd IN Inf
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
Beginning March 3, 1871 Congress allowed Southerners to file claim for losses during the War Between the States if (1) that individual was a Union loyalist; or (2) property was seized by the Union Army.
"Between 3 March 1871 and 3 March 1873, Southerners filed 22,298 claims before the Southern Claims Commission (SCC) based on the fact they
were loyal to the Union during the Civil War
had quartermaster stores or supplies taken by or furnished to the Union Army during the rebellion
Southern Loyalists made 22,298 claims for property losses totaling $60,258,150.44. However, only 7,092 claims (32%) were approved for settlements totaling $4,636,920.69. Each claimant sought to prove their loyalty and loss through the testimony of others. The paper trail created by the claimants and the people who came forward to testify, for or against a claimant, provide a wealth of information about individuals living in the South during the Civil War."
Lincoln used a portion of the war Dept budget to recompense in this same manner, the border states refused to vote in compensation during the war for loss of slaves etc taken for war use and so on, and lincoln solved it by the above, the War Dept still had funds left over and post war extended the recompense to those who could prove loyalty during the conflict, when the funds run out so did the recompense.
The post war recomense was out of War Dept funds Lincoln set aside during the war, (the states had blocked any Constitional recompense legilation) after the war those funds were used up to those who applied.
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