In answer to the 2nd

I was residing on my farm in Fauquier County Virginia, when the war broke out and remained there until the spring of 1862. When General Geary came there he brought me and my family to Washington where my husband H. T. Dixon was my husband was a Pay Master in the U.S. Army with the rank of a major. I remained in Washington some two or three months, and then left all my family except three youngest children, and took them and returned to my farm in Fauquier. I left six children with my husband in Washington, when I returned this time the union troops had possession of that part of the Country my husband thought ti advisable for me to go up to the farm to protect it. I continued to make the farm my residence, until after the battle of Gettysburg when I returned to Washington D.C. where I continued to reside with my husband until after June 1865. In October 1862 when the Union troops were advancing, I was summoned to Washington DC because of the sickness of my oldest daughter. I was absent until the first of December. It was while I was gone this time my property was taken. My farm contained 570 acres 120 acres in timber, and the balance under cultivation. It is situated on the Parrs road to Reetertown, about two miles west of Reetertown, in Fauquier County Virginia. I had the farm cultivated as well as I could, the last crop was made in 1862.

 

In answer to the 3^rd 4^th 5^th 6^th 7^th 8^th 9^th 10^th 11^th 12^th 13^th 14^th 15^th 16^th 17^th 18^th 19^th and 20^th the deponent says No.

 

In answer to the 21^st the deponent says No.

 

In answer to the 22^nd

            I left my farm and went to Washington City, as I have stated. I went there for protection and my husband rented a house in Georgetown, and part of our family was living there and when my husband was not away paying troops he was at home in Georgetown.

 

In answer to the 23^rd the deponent says No.

 

In answer to the 24^th

            In February 1863, I went to visit my daughter who had married and was living in Essex  County Va. I met her at Ashland near Richmond, she had recently married without my knowledge, and I felt anxious to learn who she had married and what they were doing. I had no difficulty in going to see her. On my return, I was arrested at Gordonsville by major Boyle the rebel Provost Marshal at that place. He sent for me, and stated that forty two reports had been lodged against me by my neighbors and told me I must report next morning at 5 o’clock at the cars to go to Richmond. I asked him where I must go to stay all night, he said he did not care where I stayed, that I must report next morning. He acted very rudely towards me, and said Madam we know who you are and we intend to take care of you. He asked me what rank my husband had in the Union Army Yankee Army. I told him he held the same rank that he did, that he was a major. He told me he had been watching for me. When I was arrested I was just about to change cars for the Orange Road. I stopped overnight at a small hotel nearby and the next morning I reported at the cars as I was ordered to do. There had been a deep snow and it was just breaking up, and was a kind of slush, in coming to the cars my clothing got very wet I was wet to the knees. They put me in a box car without any fire, and it was cold and my clothing froze to me. I complained of the cold, and they then put me in a car where there was some sick soldiers and a fire. I had been in the car without fire for two hours. Before the train left Gordonsville, I got Major Boyle to allow me to stop at Ashland, to see my daughter.

            When we reached Ashland, I went to see my daughter. My daughter was an intimate acquaintance of Lieut. Governor Montague’s wife. Through the influence of my daughter whose husband was a great rebel I was allowed to stay at Ashland while she went to Richmond to see Governor Montague. My daughter returned to Ashland, with a pass for me signed by Jeff Davis the rebel President. I took this pass and returned to my home. I was in arrest about 24 hours. I took no oath of any kind to the Confederate Government. Sometime in June 1863, when the armies were going towards Maryland I was arrested by Lieutenants Buckner and Fisher by the orders of Gen J. E. B. Stuart. I had just packed the wagon to leave for Washington with my three children. I was reported to Genl Stuart, and he sent and arrested me and took me and my children one of them an infant in my armies and carried me to Reetertown, and put a guard over me, I was arrested on Tuesday, and the following Sunday the cavalry fight commenced at Aldie, and the Union cavalry pursued the rebels upon to Upperville, my guard fled to make his escape, alarm being given that the Yankees were coming. I hired a conveyance of Mr Reeter, and I got a man by the name of Milton to drive me to Fairfax Court House. I gave him a hundred Dollars to drive me. At Fairfax Court House I hired a man by the name of Sweney to drive me to Washington and I gave him $30 in gold. I then left the Confederacy for good. I never was arrested by the United States Government, nor by any one acting for it. I was stopped once at Fairfax Court House by the Union Troops, but was allowed to proceed when they learned who I was . I was going to my home in Fauquier.

 

In answer to the 25^th

            The rebels took in horse and two colts. They took six or eight cows and a yoke of oxen. I had 600 bushels of wheat in the Milan mill, they took this wheat, and a large amount of bacon. I presume they took this property for the use of the army. They paid me in confederate money they compelled me to take it I was told if I did not take the money I would be imprisoned. I got no pay for the wheat. The horses were taken in August or September 1862 I think the cattle were taken about the same time. I did not use the money when the war closed I had ten thousand Dollars in confederate money which was given to me for stock and property taken from me by the rebels during the war.

 

In answer to the 26^th

            We were threatened a number of times. My husband voted for Mr Lincoln for President. He voted at Markham Precinct and the only one who voted for Mr Lincoln in the county. From that time forward he was a marked man, and we were persecuted. I think he went to Washington the last of March or the first of April 1861 I know it was before they voted on the ordinance of Cecession He went to Washington on business to sell wheat, I think, while he was absent, I received a note from I think a Mr. Chunn telling me not to let Mr. Dixon come home, that the secessionists were lying in wait for him and would assassinnate him I immediately wrote to Mr Dixon not to come home as his life was in danger. He never returned to the farm until after the war.

 

In answer to the 27^th

            I would arrested as I have stated and was finally compelled to leave my home. After the close of the war and after the death of my husband they tried to burn my house. They set fire to my house I was so much alarmed that I determined to leave the place General Grant sent teams and a gard, and moved me to Washington. The paper filed marked exhibit A is a copy of a letter written by Genl Grant. The original is on file in the Post Office Department. The paper filed marked Exhibit B is a letter of General John W. Geary given to my husband short time prior to his death.

 

In answer to the 28^th

            No except I have fed Union Soldiers cheerfully and never took a cent of money from them in my life.

 

In answer to the 29

            I have given information to the Union Offices.

 

In answer to the 30^th

            I had a Son a brother and a nephew in the confederate army. My Son’s name Collins Dixon living now in New Mexico. My brothers name is James Brown he now lives at Orange Court House Virginia. My nephew is Charles Brown he is now in the United States Army. My Son belonged to Ashby’s Cavalry before the war commenced and when the war commenced he remained in that company. He was a union man in sentiment and was badly and shamefully treated because of his father and family. I did not furnish either of them with any military equipment any clothing or any money I did not contribute in any way to to aid or support either of them while in the Confederate service. When my Son would come home of course I would give him something to eat.

 

In answer to the 30^th 31^st 32^nd 33^rd 34^th 35^th 36^th 37^th the deponent says No.

 

In answer to the 38^th

            I don’t recollect receiving any pass except the one I got to come hoe from Ashland when I went to see my daughter. The pass was signed by Jeff. Davis My daughter got the pass for me and was only for the purpose of going to my home in Fauquier. I did not sign or swear to any promise or obligation in order to get it or swear or promise to bear true faith or yield obedience to the Confederate States I used the pass to return to my house.

 

In answer to the 39^th

            I am not under the disabilities imposed by the 14^th article of the amendments to the Constitution of the United States. I was appointed a clerk in the Post Office department in 1866. I took the Ironclad Oath. I remained in the Post Office Department until the first of this month when I resigned and had my daughter appointed in my place.

 

In answer to the 40^th

            I sympathized with the Union cause, I was grieved at the attempt to brake up the Government. My husband and myself were bitterly opposed to the rebellion from the start, and used all our influence on the side of the union. I always adhered to the union cause, and suffered great persecution on account of it.

 

In answer to the 41^st

            I do

 

In answer to the 42^nd

            I am a widow, and never have married after the death of my husband H T Dixon. My husband was loyal to the cause and Government of the United States throughout the war. My husband was shot and killed, in Alexandria Va by one Dr. Maddox, an Ex-Rebel Officer, in November 1865. I have ten living children. We had eleven children when my husband died. One of them our youngest was run over and killed by a wagon.

            There names and ages are as follows—Laura-age 38 intermarried with Capt Thomas Shoemaker late of the Unino army. Collins age 35. Richardetta age 31 intermarried with Peter Saunders. Sue age 28 intermarried with Dr. R J Thomas late Surgeon in the U.S. Army. Anne age 27 intermarried with H C Kingsley, Henry age 25, Alice age 19 intermarried with George B Read, Clandea age 17, Frank age 16, Pratt age 14. Six girls and four boys. Collins was a short time in the rebel service. He left the rebel army in the fall 1862, and was on his way to Washington when he was captured by the Union forces and brought to Washington. When he came to Washington, he took the oath of allegiance to the United States, and was released. He has since the war been a clerk in the Interior Department, and allso United States assistant assessor in Virginia for the Warrenton District. My husband conveyed the property in 1857 to Robert F. Scott in trust for my sole and separate use with the power to dispose of it as I choose. The original deed is here filed, and also a plat of the farm from which the property was taken. My husband Henry T Dixon left no other children him surviving other than those above named, and the little girl who was killed after his death.

 

Item 1. Corn

            In the spring of 1862, when Genl Geary advanced to Reetertown he took from the corn house on the Milan Far, what we estimate to be 50 barrels of corn. I was living at the time on the upper farm, called Tip Top, about two miles from the Milan farm. Genl Geary told me he sent his wagons to get this corn, and would have given me a receipt for it but he was oblige to leave in a hurry on account of the rebels. He had got corn from me from the upper place for which he paid me. When his men took the corn from the lower place they did not know it was my corn. When I heard the corn had been taken from the Milan farm, I sent to Reetertown, but before I could get a receipt for the corn Genl Geary was obliged to leave. I went down to the Milan farm the very day I heard it was taken, I found the corn had been taken from the corn House, except about a half a barrel. There was certainly more than 50 barrels taken, the corn House would hold 125 barrels and it was about half full, I had seen the corn a week or two before it was taken, and there was none sold after I saw it. There was a white woman a Mrs. Brown, and two old black women when the corn was taken.

            These women told me that the Union Soldiers came there with 7 or 8 wagons and take the corn Mrs. Brown and the two old black women or now dead. I understand that a Mr. Slack saw them take the corn and drive away with it, but I have written to him several times, and he declines to answer I don’t recollect how many acres of corn we raised that year but I know we had a large crop.

 

Items 2 3 4 and 5 corn wheat hay and rails

            In the fall of 1862 I had 40 acres of corn standing in the field. This corn field was the North West corner of the farm, and on the plat here filed, will appear as that portion

Of the farm noth east of the Reetertown Road, and bounded by the lines 1 2 M and S this field contains 40 Acres and it was all in corn. It was blue grass sod 20 years standing and had been broken up that spring and was estimated to have produced 12 barrels to the acre I have heard persons estimate it at that. This corn had matured and was ripe, and was ready to be harvested, and would have been harvested but for the scarcity of labor. I had put up two stacks of wheat, medium size. I have persons estimate that there was at least a hundred bushels in each stack. I had put up two stacks of hay I have heard persons estimate it at $30 per stack. This corn wheat and hay was on the Milan farm where I was living at the time. The farm was fenced in mostly by worm fence I mean the Milan farm. On the north side of Gap Run and Goose creek there was 578 acres. And I owned 60 acres of wood land in the south side of the Gap Run. The Milan farm was divided off in eight fields separated by worm fencing. We had a fence running around the farm along Goose creek and Gap Run, part of this fence was post and rail that part along Goose Creek. All the rest of the fence in the farm was worm fence. The Reetertown Road run through the farm, and was fenced on both sides. I do not know whether all the fencing dividing my farm from Herfort and Fletcher belonged to me or not, it may be that part of these lines belonged to them. I know I had to repair this fence and I am positive one half belonged to me. All the inside fencing the road fencing and the fencing along Goose Creek and Gap Run belong to me. The rails were principally oak some chestnut. The fencing was the usual height nine rails with stakes and rides. The fields run from 40 acres up to 90 in a field. In October I was called to Washington to see a daughter who was sick. When I left the farm the corn wheat and hay that I have mentioned were on the farm, and the farm was fenced as I have described. I returned to the farm in December, and I found the greater portion of the corn had been taken. I found the wheat and hay all had been taken. I found all he fencing had been swept off the farm except a portion a long the Gap Run. I left my children when I went to Washington in the care of a Mrs. Lewis, a widow lady. I hired a man whose name I cant now recollect to take charge of the farm while I was gone. He was from Georgetown D.C. and afterwards married the widow Welch, a neighbor of mine but I cant think of his name. He died about 18 months ago. I learned from Mrs. Lewis and this man that the union army came there and encamped on my farm for over a week as well as I recollect. I learned from them that the Union Army took the corn wheat and hay and burned the fencing. I suppose I got about a hundred barrels of corn from the field. When I returned I tried to find out what portion of the army had encamped there and learned they belonged to the 2^nd corps third division and among the Regiments were the 96^th and 106^th Penna. I have never received any pay for any of the property charged in [illegible] It never has been paid for. I have no idea how many rails there were This farm was valued at $60 per acre. It has been sold by a decree to pay off the debts mentioned in the Deed here filed. I have never taken the benefit of the Bankrupt Act. I was born in Berkley County now West Virginia. And further this deponent saith not.

Annie E. Dixon

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 8^th day of August 1873

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