What was the purpose of having Southern civilians sign an Oath of Allegiance to the U.S. Government?

Kyle Kalasnik

First Sergeant
Joined
Aug 3, 2014
Location
Potter County, PA
Lupaglupa was kind of enough to hook me up with an Oath of Allegiance that one of my 3rd Great Grandfathers took in 1864. He was a civilian and did not serve.

What exactly is this, he lived in a very divided and contested area,

Was this to ensure that the civilian population who lived in these areas and maybe “on the fence” would not assist the CSA?

Thank you.

Respectfully,
Kyle Kalasnik
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This is the Oath of Allegiance that was generally given to a Confederate POW usually as a condition of release although I imagine it could have been given for other purposes. These were common during 1865 when the Union prisons and jails were emptying the facilities by releasing Confederate prisoners who took an allegiance oath. I noticed the actual date of the "Oath" is May 6th with the year "1864" having a number "5" written over the "4" although the date of the Provost's signature is May 6, 1864.
 
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These were also required of a number of civilians after the war in order for them to have voting rights, be able to hold office, and some other things. My gg grandfather had to sign one because he was worth more than $20,000 (one of the reasons for requiring the oath; the assumption being that one had got one's money by supporting the Confederacy which was, in fact, correct with grandpa; he'd been deeply involved in blockade running).
 
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It was a means of subjugating the civilian population after the Union had invaded and set up military occupation and marshal law. In reviewing the Missouri Sec. of State archives, I discovered documentation of many ancestors forced to take the oath. In addition, some were also forced to post a cash bond and some were ordered not to leave their County of residence without written permission of the Provost Marshal. Missouri was a border State populated predominately by southerners. Union authorities applied a heavy hand in their dealings with the population.
 
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It was a means of subjugating the civilian population after the Union had invaded and set up military occupation and marshal law. In reviewing the Missouri Sec. of State archives, I discovered documentation of many ancestors forced to take the oath. In addition, some were also forced to post a cash bond and some were ordered not to leave their County of residence without written permission of the Provost Marshal. Missouri was a border State populated predominately by southerners. Union authorities applied a heavy hand in their dealings with the population.
What do you mean that they were "forced to take the oath?" So they lied? What would have happened if they had refused to take the oath?
 
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What do you mean that they were "forced to take the oath?" So they lied? What would have happened if they had refused to take the oath?
Do you prefer coercion? Was the civilian population of the north forced to declare an oath of allegiance, post bonds, request the written permission of military authorities to travel outside their County? I haven't even touched on the practice of imprisonment without trial.
 
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This is the Oath of Allegiance that was generally given to a Confederate POW usually as a condition of release although I imagine it could have been given for other purposes. These were common during 1865 when the Union prisons and jails were emptying the facilities by releasing Confederate prisoners who took an allegiance oath. I noticed the actual date of the "Oath" is May 6th with the year "1864" having a number "5" written over the "4" although the date of the Provost's signature is May 6, 1864.
Great catch
 
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Do you prefer coercion? Was the civilian population of the north forced to declare an oath of allegiance, post bonds, request the written permission of military authorities to travel outside their County? I haven't even touched on the practice of imprisonment without trial.
That wasn't the point of my questions but now that you've asked questions as a response, I'll simply say that the Union states were not in rebellion to the Federal government.
 
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Do you prefer coercion? Was the civilian population of the north forced to...request the written permission of military authorities to travel outside their County?
Do you mean like all Blacks that lived in the Southern states and many Whites that lived in the Southern states that required Confederate passports to travel outside their immediate area?
 
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I don't know how it wouldn't be..........why would you have to take an oath of loyalty, that is not required of most Americans, when you had done nothing disloyal in the first place?

Why many considered it a personal insult, or worse a trick to imply you had been disloyal, when you in fact hadn't....also remember honor was a very real concept then, men were willing to die over insults. The code duello was still practiced.

Then there's the rather obvious abuse of political power, as you will find few Republicans being required to take the oath. Would think political witch hunt wouldn't all that inaccurate.
 
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That wasn't the point of my questions but now that you've asked questions as a response, I'll simply say that the Union states were not in rebellion to the Federal government.
Was Missouri in rebellion? Most historians refute the secession vote taken by State legislators at Neosho after the State Capitol at Jefferson City had been overrun and occupied by the Union. They claim it wasn't official, therefore Missouri was never in rebellion.
 
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Do you mean like all Blacks that lived in the Southern states and many Whites that lived in the Southern states that required Confederate passports to travel outside their immediate area?
No, that's not what I posted. However, after emancipation the slaves in Missouri were not free to travel without their owner's permission.
 
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