To his excellency Governor Bramlette, Governor of the State of Kentucky.

Your petitioner, John Hudson, would humbly represent to your excellency That he is now held in custody in the Franklin County jail under an indictment against him in the Mercer Circuit Court for the alleged offence of stealing a horse That he has been so in custody for now some eighteen months or two years and was sent to said jail from Mercer County about fifteen months ago because that, as is said, the Mercer County Jail is untenable and unsafe That at the time he took the Horse he was laboring under the effects of liquor and was perfectly unconscious of committing a crime, that while he was yet in this state of intoxication and but a few minutes after he rode away on said said horse he was taken off said horse and the owner took the horse into possession your petitioner was carried to Harrodsburg and there incarcerated That at the time he got the horse he was a soldier in the United States Army and had been so a soldier for two years That he enlisted in the State of Indiana where he then livedresided and was a soldier in the 9^th Ind Cav

when he took said horse That there were many Guerillas in Kentucky at the time he got said horse and was instigated to take possession of him forfrom fear of being captured, being then and there alone and away from his command That he hadwas a stranger in Kentucky and beleived he had the right to impress any horse he might find in order to save himself to his command That he ishad understood that Morgan and his men took horses wherever they found them and that he had the same right. In view of this belief the state of the country and his intoxication he thus acted, wholly unconscious of having committed a crime in so doing That he is a young man 30 years of age, a stranger in a strange land that he feels repentant for what he has done and wants to become a good and useful citizen. He feels that he can do so and that he has been punished severelyforindeed for this his first offense, if offense it be,

That he is a machinist by trade and intends to devote his energies to the good of the community should

your excellency release ^him^ from custody

Your Petitioner would further represent that he has never been tried under said indictment and separated thus from home ^&^ friends that he has been punished severly and humbly craves your excellency's interposition in his behalf and will ever pray

John Hudson

Sworn to before me this first day of August, 1865

Eugene P. Moore, Examiner

We the undersigned join in the foregoing petition:

W A Gaines
A HRennick
W^m Craik J, F, C,
W Faulkner

{Revenue Stamp}[...]

I think this a clear case for Pardon,
John L. Scott.
com. atty.

F
John Hudson
Pardon
has issued