Hank, don't forget that, in those days, when there were no such things as identity cards, or driving licenses, etc., it would have been quite hard to prove a person's citizenship, especially if they claimed to be a citizen of some other nation, such as the Confederate States. I guess that, if a person, so declared as being a citizen of the CSA, and showing such a document to prove his claim, were to defend himself in such manner, the court would have to accept such a claim. The main example in such a case, though not in court, was that of the CSS SHENANDOAH, at the end of her cruise, when each sailor claimed to be anything but an English subject, when questioned by the British authorities.