Major General Davidson brought his Union troops to Columbia, Mississippi about the 4th of December 1864. The following claims were later filed with the Southern Claims Commission for livestock and food that was taken by the troops from the farms and households in Marion County. The Union troops were described as being a group of several thousand, of both black and white soldiers.

Catherine Willoughby testified:

In relationship to the property the claimant states:

"in the month of December 1864 General Davidson with several thousand men came to Columbia. They arrived on a Sunday about an hour before sundown and left the next day Monday. They came from Baton Rouge and were headed in the direction of Mobile, and upon Monday as they were passing out I had my mare tied to the poling. An officer spied her, and said to a black soldier to go and get that animal. The soldier jumped off a mule he was riding and took a rope and made a halter out of it and put it over her head and lead her out of the barns and into the road and got on her back and galloped after the crowd. My cow was caught up right in the road near the corner of the yard and driven off with a great gang of cattle. I swore no complaint about the mare. I did not have a chance. I did complain to an officer about the cow and he said “Madam it is my orders to take all beef cattle”, and then went on without saying anything more. This taking of the mare was about midday and the cow was taken early in the evening. The mare was common size in good order. I had owned her for six years. She was worth $90 or $100 and was about ten years old. The cow was a large cow as far as she could be, young and fine. I would not have taken $50 for her. She would have made excellent beef. She was not giving milk at the time she was taken. I asked for no receipt for any of the property taken. I am the actual owner of it. I never received one cent of pay for any of it.  No other person is interested in the claim. I am a citizen of the United States and have never been bankrupt. I have never made a claim before any other department of the government for the property and it is the only property taken from me by the U. S. troops. General Davidson’s command was composed of U. S. cavalry, both black and white."