2024-01-29 Guide to the Affidavit of J. S. Shelton, J. C. Shelton, and W. G. Carr Documenting the Arrival of Enslaved ‘Jacques’ Aboard the USS Conestoga, 1861 SPEC.RARE.MMS.0380 Finding aid prepared by Casey Blackmore Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections

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This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2024-01-29T16:55-0500 English Describing Archives: A Content Standard Affidavit of J. S. Shelton, J. C. Shelton, and W. G. Carr Documenting the Arrival of Enslaved ‘Jacques’ Aboard the USS Conestoga SPEC.RARE.MMS.0380 Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections MMS 17 0.02 Cubic feet 1861 The Affidavit of J. S. Shelton, J. C. Shelton, and W. G. Carr Documenting the Arrival of Enslaved ‘Jacques’ Aboard the USS Conestoga contains one affidavit composed by three Union soldiers aboard the USS Conestoga of the Western Gunboat Flotilla noting their familiarity with an enslaved individual who fled to their ship, and identifying the enslaved individual's owner. The affidavit was written early in the American Civil War during the lead-up to the Battle of Fort Donelson (11-16 February 1862). (1) letter file folder English Carr, W. G. Shelton , J. S. Shelton, J. C. Acquisitions Information

Accession No. RARE.2024.0003: Purchased, 2023 July

Preferred Citation

[identification of item], Affidavit of J. S. Shelton, J. C. Shelton, and W. G. Carr Documenting the Arrival of Enslaved ‘Jacques’ Aboard the USS Conestoga, SPEC.RARE.MMS.0380, Rare Books and Manuscripts Library, Ohio State University

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Processing Information

Processed by: Casey Blackmore, 2024 January; Finding aid written by: Casey Blackmore, 2024 January

Historical Note

The USS Conestoga was acquired by the Union Army during the American Civil War in June 1861. The Conestoga was converted into a river gunboat as part of the Western Gunboat Flotilla, and provided refuge to escaped enslaved individuals from the Confederate States.

J. S. Shelton, J. C. Shelton, and W. G. Carr served as soldiers in the Union Army aboard the Conestoga.

Scope and Contents

The Affidavit of J. S. Shelton, J. C. Shelton, and W. G. Carr Documenting the Arrival of Enslaved ‘Jacques’ Aboard the USS Conestoga contains one affidavit composed by the soldiers noting their familiarity with an enslaved individual who fled to their ship and identifying the enslaved individual's owner. The affidavit states that the enslaved individual named "Jacques" fled to the gunboat from Trigg County, Kentucky after being persued. The affidavit was written early in the Civil War during the lead-up to the Battle of Fort Donelson (11-16 February 1862).

Carr, W. G. Conestoga (Steamer) Shelton , J. S. Shelton, J. C. United States. Army. Western Flotilla Affidavits Affidavits--Tennessee--Cumberland County--19th century African Americans--Social conditions--19th century Enslaved persons--Tennessee--Cumberland County--19th century Legal documents Slavery--Tennessee--Cumberland County Soldiers--Union--Tennessee--Cumberland County--1860-1870