The Oaths     Loyalty oaths were not standardized, and different text was used by different federal agencies in different states.  Most loyalty oaths required the undersigned to pledge before God to defend the Constitution of the United States and to offer no assistance to enemies who bore arms against the Union.  Some oaths were mass printed on blank forms, ready for completion; other oaths were handwritten testimonies. Most in Missouri included a provision that the person signing agreed to not take up arms against the United States. . On at least one occasion Quantrill reversed the Oath situation. He captured a small local unit of militia in Kansas, forced them to take an oath to not take up arms against he South, then paroled them. Later, they refused orders to fight, stating that they had taken an oath not to. The local commander sent a message to his superiors asking what to do. The reply was that Quantrill was a bandit and not a legal representative of the Confederacy, so he wasn't qualified to give an oath. That satisfied them. . Many political prisoners were released during the war upon taking the "Oath of Allegiance". The problem with this Oath was that it was a crime to break it. Many people were sent to prison simply because someone accused them of "breaking the Oath". The oath reads: . "I, .........., of .......... County, State of .........., do hereby  solemnly swear that I will bear true allegiance to the United States and support and sustain the Constitution and laws thereof; that I will maintain the national sovereignty paramount to that of all state, county or Confederate powers; that I will discourage and forever oppose secession, rebellion and the disintegration of the Federal union; that I disclaim and  denounce all faith and fellowship with the so-called Confederate armies, and pledge my honor, my property and my life to the sacred performance of this, my solemn oath of allegiance to the Government of the United States of America." ---- The Confederate Enlistment Oath was similar. The oath reads: . "I, ........., do solemnly swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Confederate States of America and that I will serve them honestly and faithfully against all their enemies or oppressors whomsoever; and that I will observe and obey the orders of the President of the Confederate States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to the rules and Articles of War." . Upn their surrender at the end of the War, Guerrillas were usually required to take the Amnesty Oath. An amnesty oath was a general pardon, for political and criminal offenses against the government.  Those individuals who took the oath secured citizenship in the government of the United States, with all privileges incident to such status. The oath reads: .              “I, ............., do solemnly swear, in the presence of almighty God, that I will henceforth faithfully support, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and the Union of the States thereunder, and that I will, in like manner, abide by and faithfully support all Acts of Congress passed during the existing rebellion with reference to slaves, so long and so far as not repealed, modified, or held void by Congress, or by the decision of the Supreme Court; and that I will, in like manner, abide by and faithfully support all proclamations of the President made during the existing rebellion having reference to slaves, so long and so far as not modified or declared void by decision of the Supreme Court, so help me God.”

A Typical Oath of Allegiance

James R. Baker Jr.