Hugh Knox represents that in 1781 "a party of General Sumter's Brigade of Militia then acting under General Sumters Orders, surprized and Captured several British Officers" and "in the possession of said Officers was a Negroe Boy which the Captors considered as a Lawfull Capture, and as such was Disposed of at publick Sale" and that "your Petitioner purchased said Negroe under the strongest belief that the sale was legal." The petitioner reveals, however, that he was sued "for detaining said Negroe, in which a Judgement hath been given against him for damages and cost of Suit." Knox complains that, by the Judges' construction of said law, the officers "are Justifiable in makeing such Sales, but that the purchasers are not Justifiable in holding the property so sold, By which construction of the Law your petitioner hath suffered great loss and damage." Knox therefore prays for relief for himself and others in "like circumstances likely to share the same fate."
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Repository: South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina
