QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED BY CLAIMANTS UNDER OATH

1. Where did you reside for six months prior to the 1st of April, 1861? Where were you in person during the said six months? What was your business or occupation during that period?

2. Where did you reside from the 1st of April, 1861, to the 1st of June, 1865? Where were you personally during that period? What was your business or occupation during that time? Did you change your residence during that time? If so, when, and where was your new residence?

3. Did you ever pass beyond the military or naval lines of the United States and enter the rebel lines? If so, how often, when, where, and for what purpose, and how long did you stay within the Confederate lines on each occasion?

4. Did you ever take any oath or affirmation to bear allegiance to the so-called Confederate States, or to aid or support them in any way, or to "bear true faith", or "yield obedience" to them? If so, when and where? State fully in regard to the same.

5. Have you ever taken any amnesty oath? If so, when, where, and under what condition? Have you been pardoned by the President? If so, when and where, and upon what conditions?

6. Were you ever directly or indirectly, or in any manner, connected with the civil service of the so-called Confederate States? If so, how, when, and where, in what capacity and for what periods? Was any oath required of you for such service; and if so, what?

7. Did you ever hold any office or place of trust, honor, or profit under the Confederate Government, or under any of the States or territories subordinate thereto? If so, state the nature and character of the office, the place at which and the period for which you held it?

8. Did you hold any clerkship, or have any agency or employment of any kind, for, or under, or for the benefit of the so-called Confederate States? If so, state fully in regard to the same.

9. Were you ever, in any capacity, in the military or naval service of the so-called Confederate States, or of any State or territory subordinate thereto?

10. Were you ever an officer or soldier, sailor or marine of the Confederate army or navy, or did you ever furnish a substitute for the Confederate army or navy, or were you, directly or indirectly, in any way connected with, or employed by or under, or for either the commissary department, quartermaster's department, the medical department, the engineer's department, the ordnance department, the impressment service, the provost marshal's department, or any other bureau, branch, or department of the Confederate service?Did you at any time have charge of any stores or supplies for the use of the Confederate army, navy, or government, or the charge or care of trains, team or teams, wagon or wagons, vessels, boats, or other craft, or munitions of war for the use of the Confederate army or navy? If so, state fully in regard to the same.

11. Were you ever in any service, employment or business of any kind whatsoever for the Confederate Government, or its army or navy? Did you ever furnish any aid, or any supplies or stores, or property of any kind to or for the so-called Confederate States, or any State in rebellion, or to the army, navy, militia, home-guards, armed forces, or military organizations thereof, or for any officer, soldier, or sailor thereof? If so, state fully in regard to the same.Did you ever give any information to any officer, soldier, or sailor of the Confederate army or navy, or to any person employed by, or for the so-called Confederate States, or acting on their behalf, or for their benefit, which might aid in any way any military or naval operations carried on against the United States? State fully in regard to the same.

12. Were you in any manner employed in the manufacture of munitions of war, of clothing, of boots, shoes, saddles, harness, or leather, of equipment for soldiers, or of any stores or supplies for the use of the Confederate army or navy, or were you in any way employed by, or did you aid or assist others engaged in such manufacture? If so, state when and where, and by or for whom you were so employed, and for what period of time.

13. Were you ever, directly or indirectly, employed in the collection, impressment, or purchase, or the sale of stores, supplies, or any property for the use or benefit of the Confederate Government, or any State in rebellion, or the army, navy, or other forces thereof? Did you have any interest or share in contracts with, or purchases for, the Confederate Government, or its army or navy, or any State in rebellion, or its forces? If so, state fully all particulars.

14. Were you ever engaged in blockade running or illicit traffic, or intercourse between the lines, or were you ever in any way interested therein? Did you ever have any interest or share in any goods, wares, merchandise, stores, or supplies brought into or exported from the so-called Confederate States during the war? If so, state fully all particulars.

15. Did you leave the so-called Confederate States between 19th of April, 1861, and 19th of April, 1865? If so, when and how did you leave; where did you go; for what purpose; how long were you absent; in what business were you engaged while absent, and when and to what place did you return in the so-called Confederate States?

16. Were you the owner, or part owner, or in any way interested in any vessel used in navigating the ocean to or from any port in the Confederacy, or upon any waters in the Confederacy; if so, what vessels, when and where employed, and in what business.

17. Were you ever arrested by the Confederate Government, or by any officer, soldier, or other person professing to act therefor, or for any State in rebellion; if so, when, where, by whom, and how long were you kept under arrest; how did you get released?Did you, for the sake of being released, or upon release, take any oath of any kind to the Confederate Government; if so, what?[Put the same questions as to arrest by the United States Government, etc.]

18. Was any of your property ever taken by the Confederate authorities, or by any officer, soldier, or other person acting or assuming to act on their behalf, or in behalf of any State in rebellion; if so, what property, when and for what use, and have you received pay therefor?

19. Were you ever threatened with damage, or injury to your person, family, or property on account of your Union sentiments; if so, state when, by whom, and what the threats were?

20. Were you ever molested or in any way injured on account of your Union sentiments? If so, state fully all the particulars.

21. Did you ever contribute anything - any money or property - in aid of the United States Government, or in aid of the Union army or cause? If so, state fully as to the same.

22. Did you ever do anything for the United States Government or its army, or for the Union cause during the war? If so, state fully what you did?

23. Had you any near relatives in either the Union or Confederate armies; if so, state who and how related to you. Did you contribute anything to supply them with military equipments, or with money? State fully as to the same.

24. Have you owned any Confederate bonds, or any interest or share therein; or had any share or interest in any loans to the Confederate Government; or did you in any way contribute to support the credit of the so-called Confederate States during the late rebellion?

25. Have you ever given aid and comfort to the rebellion? If so, state fully all the circumstances.

26. Were you ever engaged in making raids into the United States from Canada, or engaged in destroying the commerce of the United States in the lakes and rivers adjoining Canada?

27. Were you ever engaged in holding in custody, directly or indirectly, any persons taken by the rebel Government as prisoners of war, or any persons imprisoned or confined by the Confederate Government, or the authorities of any State in rebellion, for political causes; if so, when, where, and under what circumstances; in what capacity were you engaged, and what was the name, rank, and command of your principal?

28. Were you ever a member of any society or association for the imprisonment, expulsion, execution, or other persecution of any persons on account of their loyalty to the United States, or did you ever assist in such acts?

29. Were you ever a paroled prisoner of the United States; if so, when and where, and by whom paroled?

30. Have you ever held any office in the Army or Navy of the United States? Were you educated by the United States at the Military Academy at West Point, or at the United States Naval Academy?

31. Did you ever receive any pass from any officer of the Confederate Government, or from any person having or assuming to have authority to issue the same; if so, who gave you the pass; for what purpose; for what period of time; did you sign or swear to any promise or obligation in order to get it, or swear or promise to "bear true faith and yield obedience to the Confederate States;" did you use the pass, and for what purpose?

32. Are you or were you under the disabilities imposed by the Fourteenth Article of the Amendments to the Constitution of the United States?Have you held any office under the United States Government since the war; if so, what office; and did you take the (so-called) "iron-clad" oath?

33. At the beginning of the rebellion did you sympathize with the Union cause, or with the rebellion? What were your feelings and what [was] your language on the subject? On which side did you exert your influence and cast your vote? What did you do, and how did you vote? How did you vote on ratifying the ordinance of secession?After the "ordinance" of secession was adopted in your State did you adhere to the Union cause, or did you " go with the State?"

34. In conclusion, do you solemnly declare that, from the beginning of hostilities against the United States to the end thereof, your sympathies were constantly with the cause of the United States; that you never, of your own free will and accord, did anything, or offered, or sought, or attempted to do anything, by word or deed, to injure said cause or retard its success, and that you were at all times ready and willing, when called upon, or if called upon, to aid and assist the cause of the Union, or its supporters, so far as your means and power, and the circumstances of the case permitted?

SCC Questionnaire 1 - 1871

Source Documents