State of Missouri
County of Linn

I Amelia Thomas of lawful age after being duly sworn depose and say, that I am the wife of James Thomas Private in Company C, 3d Colored Regiment Infantry Vol. That on or about the –blank- day of –blank- I rented a certain house and garden in the village of Laclede in said county Situate on Lot 37 Block 9, for the term of six months, of the Tracys, that after I had so rented and paid my rent and before the said six months was out, at least two months before my time was out, one Amanda L. Tracy brought an action against me for the possession of said house , and on the trial I gained the suit, and before the six months was out, the said Amanda L. Tracy sold said house to one Stephan G--- that after the said G---- had purchased the house I went into a lawful agreement with him to have the said house for doing certain work for his family until after the war was out. I entered into the possession of said house and performed my part of said contract as long as was required of me. After this the said Amanda L. Tracy became again the owner of said house and immediately commenced another suit to gain possession of the Properties, they gained the suit before the Justice of the Peace, but on an appeal to the Circuit Court of this county I was successful and beat them. Then – a few days after the termination of the last suit, they came to the house and after night throwed rocks against the house breaking in the windows & otherwise disturbing me a lone woman. They then informed me that they would send me a lot of negros to abuse me and turn me out of doors and they did send some negros to insult me. That on or about the 1st day of March A.D. 1864 I went out into the county on a visit to my Sisters. That when I started I fastened down the windows and locked the doors, that after I was gone the said Amanda L. Tracy, with several others (her sisters) went to the house and by the means of false keys or by breaking open the window entered said house in my possession and took my house hold goods and cast them over the yard fence into the street breaking two --- and damaging all my things more or less, and afterwards they hired a team and hauled them around to my fathers house, and again put them into the Street and they remained there until I came home, that afterwards to wit on the 4th day of march A.D. 1864 I and 2 of my sisters went down to my house and as soon as we got into the house the said Amanda L. Tracy with several others, with one man Samuel Gaston. The present occupant made an assault upon us and did then, threaten and drive us out of said house, the said Samuel Gaston did shove me out of the door and lock the same against me, that they then brought an action for assault against us and by the means of Perjury and false testimony they had us fined five Dollars for going into my own house and since that time the said Samuel Gaston has lived in the house after I giving him notice to Leave. That the said Amanda L. Tracy is the wife of a soldier. That they hired a Negro woman to help them move my things and then paid her out of my goods and futher deposant saith not

Mrs. Amelia Thomas

Letter of Amelia Thomas, March 1, 1864; Union Provost Marshals file of papers relating to individual citizens (Missouri State Archives microfilm roll F1406, National Archives Microfilm Publication No. 345, roll 269 Too-Tre).