To His Excellency Tho^s E Bramlette
Governor of Kentucky

Your Petitioners James H. Munroe, Charles Foster, James M^cNutt and J. D. Skinner respectfully represent that some time in October last your petitioner Jas. H Munroe was drafted into the Military service of the United States from the County of Bullett Ky to serve for the term of one year, that at the time of being drafted he by the death of his Father and Mother and the enlistment of two Brothers in the Three years Service had been left in charge of a helpless family consisting of Five minor Brothers and sisters who were unable to support themselves and one of whom (a sister) had been a cripple and afflicted from her birth and upon his personal exertions these Brothers and sisters were dependent for protection and support, that while at the Rendezvous for drafted men at Louisville he procured One John Ayers to enter as a substitute for him in the army to serve for the term for which he had been drafted, that at the time of his entering as substitute for your petitioner Munroe Said Ayers was held to bail for his appearance in the Jefferson Circuit Court in the sum of Four Hundred Dollars for himself and Four Hundred Dollars for his securityies to answer a charge of

Larceny, That your Petitioners Charles Foster James M^cNutt and J D Skinner who are neighbors and friends of the petitioner Jas. H Munroe in order to enable said Ayers to go as a substitute for said Munroe entered as the Bail of said Ayers in a bond for the sum of $400 afsd and said Ayers did enter into and was accepted and received into the service of the United States in the place and stead of said Munroe. Your petitioners here refer to the certificate of the mustering Officer to show that he furnished a substitute as above stated. They also here file as part of this petition the affidavits of Wesley Phelps & others as proof that said Ayers did actually enter into and was accepted into the US Service in the stead of your petitioner Munroe.

Your petitioners farther state that when the time of the trial of Ayers in the Jefferson circuit court came round said Ayers had been sent into the U S Service out of the State of Kentucky and into the state of Tennessee and was unable to appear and stand his trial. His recognizance was therefore declared forfeited. judgment was rendered thereon against your petitioners Cha^s. Foster, James M^cNutt and J D Skinner for the sum of $400. afsd & the usual costs now amounting to the sum of $[...] and the sheriff of Bullett County Ky is now striving to compel your petitioners to pay the same.

Now your petitioners state that they are all poor men with very limited Estates and with large families depindent on them for support, and that if they are compelled to pay this amount it will be very oppressive and ruinous to them, they state that the petitioner James M^cNutt has removed to the state of Indiana and that your petitioners Foster & Skinner are alone left to pay the debt. Said M^cNutt having left no visible Estate in this State. that they are Farmers and hard laboring men and that this is a bona fide transaction designed to releive your petitioner Munroe and enable him to return to the protection & support of a helpless family and is not a speculation of a substitute Broker for purposes of gain.

Your petitioner Jas. H Munroe states that he was prompted to procure this substitute by the indespensible necessity of his presence & services at home and not from any want of patriotism or unwillingness to serve his country. Your petitioners have always from the first been unswerving union men & opposed to rebellion & Secession.

In consideration of the premises your petitioners pray that your Excellency will extend to them that clemency with which you are clothed by our benign form of Government and will remit the judgment and costs afsd So far as it may lawfully be done and they will ever pray &c

Ja^s. H. Monroe
Cha^s Foster
J. D. Skinner

State of Kentucky
Bullett County Sct

This day personally appeared before the undersigned James H Monroe of Bullett county Ky and made oath that the statements made in the foregoing petition are true to the best of his knowledge and belief. Given under my hand this 19 day of June 1865

L Hogland
P J B C C

The undersigned citizens of Bullett County Ky. beg leave to state that they are well acquainted with the petitioners, Munroe, Foster, M^cNutt & Skinner, that they are poor and hard working but worthy and honorable men with large families to support that they beleive the facts stated in their petition to be true and they would respectfully recommend that the forfeiture and judgment against them be remitted & they will ever pray &c

Jno. W. Tydings
J. W. Ridgway
Samuel Hillton
Mathias Welch
J. C. Skinner
R L Tydings
Jas D Chappell
Wick Fink