Warrant ordering a slave patrol in Loudon County, Virginia

A warrant handwritten in brown ink on a single sheet of folded off-white paper calling for the creation of a slave patrol in Loudon County, Virginia. The warrant is addressed to a group of men and the main text reads "Whereas information has been given to me as Justice of the Peace for the County assd that unlawful assembly of slaves & other parties are frequently held in this neighborhood contrary to the act of assembly in such case made & provided these are therefore to require you to Patrol the said Neighborhood & to search for & apprehend all disorderly persons & bring them before us or some other Justice of the Peace to be dealt with as the Law directs & further to report your proceedings to the next Court to be held for this County." Warrant ends "Given under my hand this 2d day of Sept 1826" but is unsigned. Individuals named in the warrant include Thomas Moss, Captain Joseph Vanpelt, Nelson Wilson, Hezekiah Ellis, William Hoskinson, Henry Witten, David Allen, Matthew Lee, and Levi Green. There are numerous smudges, particularly around the end of the sheet. There is a stain along the top right edge and a number of stains on the back of the sheet. There are small tears in the creases at the top edge and the creased corners in the center of the paper have loss.

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This page was imported from Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Released by the Smithsonian Institution under CC0 through Smithsonian Open Access.

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