http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=990DEFDF1539E43BBC4E51DFB266838E669FDE
The below article shows that Stephen A. Douglas' son won his claim and received $163,140 in claims on captured and abandoned cotton on the estate of his grandmother (Mary Martin?) in (Washington, County) Mississippi. She died in NC in 1860.
http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9902EEDF1F39EF34BC4F51DFBE66838E669FDE
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PETITION.
The petition of Robert Martin Douglas and Stephen A. Douglas, of Rockingham county, North Carolina, to the Congress of the United States, for compensation for their private cotton and other property, taken and used by a portion of the army of the United States.
Your petitioners respectfully represent, that Robert M. Douglas became of age on the 28th day of January, 1870, and Stephen A. Douglas on the 3d day of November, 1871; that they have only recently had the entire control of their own interests and estates ; that they alone are interested in this claim, and that, after having exhausted every possible source of testimony within their reach or control, they now present it, with a full conviction of its justice, and with entire confidence in the credibility of their witnesses.
Your petitioners, until now, have been unable to obtain all the evidence required, so that they could not heretofore have presented their claim; and the limitation of the " Captured and Abandoned Property Act," which contained no saving clause as to minors, having long since expired, their only remedy is an appeal to the justice of the Congress of the United States.
Your petitioners aver, that in the year 1857 they were the'sole owners of a large number of slaves, and a large amount of real and personal property, and that their father, the Hon. Stephen A. Douglas, a Senator from the State of Illinois, was then, and continued to be until his death, in 1861, their guardian and the executor of their grandfather's estate. That in the year 1857 their father, acting for their best interests, entered into an agreement with J. A. McHatton, esq., to transfer their slaves, one hundred and forty-two in number, from certain lands in the State of Mississippi to other lands in the same State, owned by the said J. A. McHatton,' situated in Washington county, Mississippi, and embracing two thousand acres, which were new lands, very rich, and, until then, uncultivated. He at the same time transferred stock and such other articles of property as were deemed suitable for the new plantation.
The conditions of said agreement were, that the slaves, stock, and other property of your petitioners should be valued at their cash value on the 1st day of December, 1857, by two appraisers, selected by mutual consent, and on account of the implicit contideuce of the contracting parties in their intelligence, impartiality, and integrity as citizens and planters, and that the land should at the same time be also valued by the same appraisers. The appraisers selected w*re Samuel Worthington and Edward P. Johnson, both planters of great wealth, and since deceased. The proportion of capital was by them duly fixed to be, on the part of your petitioners, one hundred and eighteen thousand dollars, ($118,000,) and on the part of said J. A. McHatton, eighty thousand dollars, ($80,000.)
This agreement contained full, detailed and positive conditions as to the care and humane treatment of the slaves, and the manner in which the plantation was to be conducted, and its monthly and annual accounts rendered.
It was furthered agreed that the profits of the said plantation should be shared in proportion to the amount of capital put in by each, and finally conditions were recited upon which the said partnership should terminate when the oldest of your petitioners became of age, or, if continued with his consent, then when the youngest became of age.
Your petitioners aver, that all of the terms and conditions of this agreement were faithfully carried out. The plantation thus established became one of the largest and most productive in the State of Mississippi, and it is certain that the interests of your petitioners therein, had it not been for the recent rebellion, so gloriously terminated, would have amounted to an enormous fortune.
Your petitioners are informed, and believe, that the said plantation continued to be worked successfully, and yielded very large crops, until the year 1863. After May, 1860, and during the war, they had no communication with the South, and their interests in said plantation remained in the care and keeping of Mr. McHatton, and the successive overseers and general managers.
Your petitioners aver, that said plantation remained undisturbed and in working order until broken up and destroyed by an expedition of United States troops, under the command of General T. E. G. Ransom, in March, 1863.
Your petitioners aver, that there was then a large amount of cotton accumulated on their plantation, aggregating sixteen hundred and eighty-five bales, which was all taken by the command of General Ransom, except several hundred bales destroyed by the same command, and that the said troops at the same time took, used, and carried away a large amount of other property. Your petitioners are unable to fix the exact number of bales taken and destroyed, and the precise amount of other property, but believe that the statement of their overseer can be safely relied upon. They offer in support of their petition the evidence of their then overseer, of neighboring planters and overseers, and of slaves who worked on the plantation. This evidence varies as to amounts, but in no essential particulars as to the facts.
Your petitioners believe, that under the evidence submitted, they may justly claim as their share, and as a minimum amount, the value of one thousand bales of cotton, and the value of the other items mentioned in the evidence of James S. Dodds, overseer.
Your petitioners aver, that much more than one thousand bales is clearly proven to have been taken, and they claim that amount, because Mr. McHatton, before his death, for reasons stated in his afBdavit, solemnly relinquished all claim to the cotton and other property, and pronounced the entire amount justly theirs.
Your petitioners aver, that their just claim, thus largely reduced and most moderately stated, may fairly and conscientiously be estimated at two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, ($250,000,) and for that amount they make this their prayer, application, and petition.
Your petitioners respectfully make reference to the accompanying affidavits, and 'Other original papers, and to the abstract of the evidence submitted.
Your petitioners being duly sworn, depose and say, that to the best of their knowledge, information and belief, the statements contained in the above petition are strictly correct and true, and they have signed the same in duplicate, one copy to be presented to the Senate of the United States, and the other to the House of Representatives.
ROBERT M. DOUGLAS. STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS.