State of West Virginia
To Capt E. C. Harper
Commanding Co Vol Militia
Whereas it appears by affiant filed, that Michael [?] a loyal citizen of the county of Hardy [?] and State of West Virginia has been seized and carried out of said county and state by soldiers acting under authority of the so called Southern Confederacy and that the said Michael [?] is now held and confined by raid authority and that strength Cunningham Thomas Seymour Amo Felix B Welton are persons of known disloyal, sentinels and whereas, it appears to me that the seizure and holding of said straight Cunningham Thomas Seymour and Felix B. Welton as hostages is necessary to effect the release and safe rendition of said Michael [?]
You are hereby directed to seize the said Strenght Cunningham and Thomas Seymore and Felix B. Welton to be held as hostages for the release and safe rendition [?] of the said Michael Yokum and make return to me on this warrant here also the bodies of the said Streight Cunningham Thomas Seymore and Felix B. Welton.
This warrant is issued by virtue of an act of the General Assembly of Virginia passed Feb 4th 1863 entitled "An Act Authorizing the Governor to arrest disloyal persons as hostages"
Givin under my hand and seal on the Capitol in the City of Wheeling on the 28th day of November 1863
A. I. Boreman (seal)
Governor
Newcreek Va January 16th 1864
Gov. Boreman
Sir I went to excute the requirements of the order and Col. Thoburn objected to it from the fact that he said he had taken 2 men and returned to you and he did it [?] it necessary to take any more through he said if the order that he got had come out before my order he wouldn't objected to it att all
Very Respectfully
E. C. Harper, Capt
Commanding State [?]
[part not transcribed by Lynch]
H'd Q'rs U. S. Forces
Petersburg W. Va.
Jan 14 1864.
Wm Vanmetter and Jesse Fisher disloyal citizens of Hardy Co having already been arrested as hostages for Michael Yokum it is not deemed expedient that any more arrests be made and this order bearing date anterior to the one under which the above parties were arrested is answered by that
J. Thoburn
Col. Comd Brig
Transcription by Brittani Lynch, undergraduate student enrolled in Dr. Billy Joe Peyton's Fall 2010 "Introduction to Public History" at West Virginia State University