It appears that he settled in McNaire County, Tennessee following
release from prison rather than return to his home in Mississippi.
"Know all Men by these Presents, That we __William J. Beard____
of ________Ft Gibson____ in the County of ___Claiborne_____
and State of Missouri [stricken out and replaced with Mississippi]
as principal and ________________________ as sureties are held
and firmly bound unto the United States of America, in the some of
__...............one thousand _______ Dollars, for the payment of which,
well and truly to be made, we herby bind ourselves, our heirs, and
assigns, firmly by these Presents, sealed with our seals, and dated
the ___ twelfth____ day of ___March____ A. D., 1863.
The condition of the above obligation is such that wheras the above
bounden [?] ___William J. Beard___ has been arrested on the charge
of ___rebelling against the Government of the United States of
America_____ and has been discharged from imprisonment upon his
__Oath____ and the Bond.
NOW, if the said ___William J. Beard___ shall carefully and truly observe
all the terms and conditions of said ___oath and ____ abstain from all
words or deeds tending to aid, encourage or promote the existing
rebellion against the authority of the United States, or to disturb the
existing Government of the State of Missouri, and shall not, directly of
indirectly furnish information, arms, money, provisions or any other
commodity whatever so, or hold communication with, any person or
persons engaged in hostilities against the Government of the United
States or the State of Missouri, then this obligation is said to be void.
It is else to be in full force. And it is hereby understood and agreed that
in the case said ___William J. Beard______ shall be found guilty of
violating the condition of this obligation or said _ oath______ by any
military commission or tribunal appointed under orders of the Commanding
General to try such offenses, then any officer in the military service acting
under orders from the Department Headquarters may size and sell, or
otherwise dispose of any property of the above named obligation, to an
amount sufficient to satisfy the amount named above.
/s/ William J. Beard SEAL
SEAL"
[Of interest there are no witnesses stated or signees]
...............
William J. Beard, Conscript unassigned, subscribed to an Oath of
Allegiance to the United States, at Chattanooga, resident of McNaire
County, Tenn., light complexion, brown hair, blue eyes, height 5 ft 8 in.
May 15, 1864
M347: Unfiled Papers and Slips Belonging to Confederate Compiled Service Records