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Descendants of William and George Phelps
Deposition of Columbia Claggett, wife of Thomas Claggett as to the taking of the Property
My name is Columbia Claggett I am 38 years old. I am a daughter in law of the claimant. I have no interest in the success of this claim.
During the war I lived with my husband on his mothers farm in Fauquier Co. I was there during the whole period of the war, and while the union army was there at diferent times I saw them use a large amount of her property.
Item 1 Wood
I saw the army of Gen Mcclellan, when camped on our place in the fall of 1862, cutting and hauling the timber away from day to day as long as they remained there; which was for a week or longer. The head quarters of one of the generals was in our house. Gen McClellan was superceeded and the parade (?) and transfer of the Army to Gen Burnside took place on our farm in front of our house.
There was two pieces of timber on the farm which was cut off by this army. One was quite a large piece. Both of them were cut off pretty clean.
Item 2 Barn
When the army of Gen McClellan came there the barn was filled with hay and was taken possession of by the troops; the boards were soon stripped off and its contents carried away and fed out from day to day while the army remained there. On the morning after the army left the barn was in ashes., We supposed it was set on fire by some thoughtless soldiers out of mischief. it was a large barn and a very good one.
Item 3 Wheat
I saw some wagons loaded with the wheat in sacks at the barn and driven away by the soldiers while this army was there. I think there was two wagons that came when the wheat was taken. My husband had recently threshed the grain and had it in the grainary. I don't know the exact quantity that there was but think there was 50 to 60 bushels of it. I don't know if any officers were along at the time.
Item 4 Hay
The hay was taken from the barn and from stacks also. We had a very large quantity of hay that year and the barn could not contain it all. There were two or three stacks outside which were used also. I saw the troops feeding out the hay every day they were there. There was a great many horses fed all around our barn, in the yards and fields. I dont know as it was all used from the barn before it was burnt but I think most of it was. Much of it was used in the camps for bedding by the men. There had been a large meadow of heavy grass on bottom land cut and secured that year.
The meadow contained about 50 acres I believe. It was secured by my husband and some other help.
Item 5 Harness
I saw the harness taken from our barn by some of the men who took the wheat. We had one double sett of very find silver plated carriage harness and four setts of heavy farm wagon harness. All nearly new. These were all carried off by these troops.
Item 6 Oats
The oats were fed out to horses on our place around the barn and yard. They had recently been threshed and were in the grainary. I did not see them measured, but understood there was 100 bushels of them used by the army.
Item 7 Horses
I saw two of our horses taken and put in the artillery service by some of the first of this army that passed through going towards Warrenton, before the party who camped on our place came there. They were heavy work hoses; some the claimant had purchased.
The other 4 horses were taken by some union cavalry who several times camped near our place while passing to and fro later in the war. I think they were Kilpatricks Cavalry.
Item 8 Hogs
I don't remember the number of hogs that was taken. I saw the troops of McClellans army kill a good many we were fattening in a pen, and after those running out. There was a large number of these when the army came there, which all soon disappeared.
Item 9 Cattle
I saw six of our steers and three of our milk cows killed for beef by the same army; and I saw them drive away seven cows and a good many other cattle when they moved away. I dont know many cattle were taken in all. They were all in good order.
Item 10 Hay
The hay named in this item was taken from some stacks by some passing cavalry later in the war; they took most of three stacks.
Item 11 Bacon
The bacon was taken by the same troops that took the hay. They sent a wagon to the house after it when they found out that we had some. I dont know the quantity nor the number of pieces. This was in the spring or summer of 1864 I think.
Item 12 Corn
There was a field of corn in the shock used by Gen McClellans army in the fall of 1862 and another field used by the army of Gen Meade in the fall of 1863 while in the wasting ear state by Gen Bartletts Brigade. I have no idea as to the quantity used. The army were camped on our place.
Item 13 Rails
The fences on the farm were burnt by both the armies of McClellan and Meade also; most of them were burnt by the army of McClellan. I saw the rails burning all about the place in the camps. They used a large quantity of stone fencing also, for building chimneys, repairing roads etc. I saw many of the rails hauled to the different camps in army wagons.
The farm was a large one and was well fenced, and divided by cross fences into many fields. And further deponent saith not.
Attest Columbia Claggett.
Isaac P. Baldwin.
Special Commis.
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