Oath of Allegiance of James Hicks

Southern land owners who had sided with the Confederacy during the Civil War had to prove their loyalty to the Union in order to have their abandoned or confiscated property returned to them. This oath was James Hicks's first step to reclaiming his land that was held by the Freedmen's Bureau.

The Federal Government had established the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands – better known as the Freedmen's Bureau – after the war to aid formerly enslaved people. One of the major activities of the Bureau was the leasing of abandoned and confiscated property. Although their numbers were small, freedmen who had the means were allowed to lease land ranging from 10 to 100 acres.