Civil War-Prisoners of War

Civil War-Prisoners of War

When researchers find an ancestor who served during the Civil War, they inevitably wonder "What important battles was he in?" or perhaps "Was he wounded in a major battle setting?" However, for more than 450,000 men on both sides of the conflict, prison was a part of that service. For many, prison life may have lasted between two, and sometimes as many as four years. Prison life was harsh and taxing. Studying the prison records makes evident the monotony, drudgery, and in some cases torture they had to endure. During this time, many were shipped like cattle to multiple prison camps. The mortality rate among prisoners of war on both sides was high.

Personal narratives are scarce, because many veterans refused to talk about their experiences after the war. However, over the years, some facts have emerged. When men arrived at prison camps, they were usually assigned to a division (barracks), then given a number that corresponded to his name on a roll. The prisoner was asked to provide his own physical description and personal information. Place of capture and rank were also noted in most cases. This information gathered is usually found in the compiled service records that have been assembled from various army records. Cards were filled out from muster rolls, and these comprised an individual soldier's records. This is what you see when you exam military service records on National Archives microfilm of military records, not the original documents. The Union Army Compiled Service Records were assembled in the 1880's, while the Confederate records were assembled in the early 1900's.

To begin your task of unraveling an ancestor's prisoner of war record, begin with the Compiled Service Record which will (hopefully) give you a place and date of capture. For Confederate records, this information was taken from the War Department Archives, Record Group 109, Records of the Commissary General of Prisoners. For Union soldiers, these same records are found in Record Group 249. Within the specific record group are microcopy numbers which correspond to the breakdown into records pertaining to individual prisons. Unless you know the division your ancestor was assigned to, you must look through each division roll. In some cases, this information will be included on the service record itself, but most records did not include these details. Division rolls are seldom in alphabetical order, but names beginning with the same letter are grouped and listed in descending order of rank; therefore, a private would be found near the end of the alphabetical group for his name.

From this register you can confirm your ancestor's rank, date, and place of capture. Geographic locations can be a source of conflict because Union and Confederate record keepers often referred to places by different names. If you find a discrepancy, simply record both. Later, you can consult a map to find the locations, which will most likely be in the same proximity. If you then research your soldier's regiment, you will likely find that he was in the location as described in the record itself.

Your next step is to consult the rolls of microfilm which contain letters received, hospital records, and ledgers of prisoner's accounts. These are also located in microcopy number 598. Next, look under the particular prison for the roll number. The reason for admission or cause and Civil War-date of death are also listed here. While it is possible this information could be recorded with the Compiled Service Record, most researchers seldom have success in this regard.
Another microfilm roll to be checked is The Records of Letters Received or Registers of Receipt and Disposition of Money and Articles of Prisoners. The exact title varies from one prison to another, but the contents are the same. Each man's incoming mail was opened and often confiscated by prison officials. In most cases, the name of sender and intended recipient of each letter was recorded. From this list, the full name of the prisoner may often be discovered, including a middle initial. In this generation, men were often known by their middle name on an intimate basis, so family members might address his mail in this manner. This is especially important since most military records only use initials and last name while on these registers the name is written out in full. This is also a way to identify wives who were otherwise unknown. There is even a Register of Passes Issued To Visitors for the Old Capital Prison in Washington, DC, so you can check to see who may have called on a soldier during his confinement.

When soldiers were captured, all money and valuables were confiscated. These personal effects were supposedly recorded in a register and held until the date of his release. These registers list items like jewelry, personal mementoes, and amount of money in possession of soldier at time of capture. Most men never recovered their watches, jewelry, or money, as proved by the registers that list effects and money left behind by released prisoners. You will seldom find any explanation on the final disposition of these unclaimed items. These registers are often found in the rolls labeled "Miscellaneous". You should take the time to look at this material. One might get lucky and find your ancestor's name or other small detail.

For limited periods, prisoners were allowed to receive packages of food and personal articles or clothing, although it should be noted that in this era, prisoners of war had no rights of any sort dictated by law. To send packages, the family had to fill out a permit listing the contents. This permit was attached to the outside of the package. When the package was received at the prison inspection area, the contents were checked against the list on the permit. Anything that wasn't listed was confiscated. Even if the contents matched, there was no guarantee the prisoner would receive the items or even be informed a package was received. This abuse was rampant at both Union and Confederate prisons. Regardless of whether the prisoner ever received the package, the arrival was recorded along with the names and information on the permit. The information on the Registers of Articles Sent comes from these packages. Often a complete name can be found, either of the sender or receiver, and their relationship. A brief description of the contents may also be given, so you may be able to find out when your soldier ancestor received a shipment of clothes or other items from home.

Another source for information is the Registers of Prisoners Exchanged, Paroled, and Released. The term "exchanged" only applies to records prior to 1863; on July 3, 1863, U.S. Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton canceled the exchange program. Prior to this edict, when a soldier was captured, he could be exchanged for an enemy prisoner according to the terms of a cartel. "Paroled" refers to a status during which a soldier was in limbo between capture and exchange. This time was spent either at home or in a parole camp until the soldier was officially Civil War--Prisoners Of War--declared exchanged. During this period in limbo, the man could not take up arms or return to his unit. "Released" refers to the final months spent in prison and means the date a soldier could
leave prison, either on exchange or on parole.

The exchange system was reinstated in the spring of 1865. Prisoners who were captured or surrendered in the field, such as those from General Lee's army at Appomattox, were paroled. The Confederate prisoners of war who had been in prison for months or years could only be released if they took an oath of allegiance to the United States. Many did so to simply get out, but never considered themselves bound by it. This information is sometimes found in the Compiled Service Records, which list the date of release and a physical description. Information may also be found in the Registers of Paroled Prisoners; these rolls correspond to individual prisons or geographic locations.

If your ancestor was an officer, they were held in prison longer and subjected to many legal reprisals depending on circumstances. For example, on June 16, 1865, all officers under the rank of major left Ft. Delaware under a general release. However, the field officers were held until the latter part of July. In some areas, the final release did not take place until later. In isolated cases, the final release may have taken place several years later if a trial was held because of crimes committed during the war. By researching the actual registers of the individual prisons, you can shed some light on the events that your ancestors had to live through, which may go along way to explain behavior after the war and how it influenced family relationships.

The National Archives currently has the most complete collection of military records relating to the Civil War. Individual state archives in the north and south will also have some military records relating to military rosters and regimental records. Some will cover material that is unique to the state itself, while other items are duplications. The LDS Family History Library collection also has materials on this subject within their collections. Please see the bibliography of sources for additional avenues of research.

Civil War-Prisoners Of War Bibliography

Bentley, Elizabeth Petty. Genealogist's Address Book. 3rd Edition. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Company, c1995. Genealogy Ref. 929.102 Ben.

Croom, Emily Anne. Genealogist's Companion & Sourcebook. Cincinnati, OH: Betterway Books, c1994. Genealogy Ref. 929.1 Cro. **We also have a circulating copy.

Denney, Robert E. Civil War Prisons And Escapes: A Day-By-Day Chronicle. New York, NY: Sterling Publishing Company, c1993. 973.77 Den.

Greenwood, Val D. Researcher's Guide To American Genealogy. 2nd Edition. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Company. Genealogy Ref. 929.1 Gre. ** We also have a
Civil War--Prisoners Of War--Page 4

circulating copy of both the 1st and 2nd editions of this title by same author.

Hesseltine, William Best. Civil War Prisons. Kent, OH: Kent State University Press, 1962.
973.77 Hes.

Hattaway, Herman. Shades Of Blue And Grey: An Introductory Military History Of The Civil War. Columbia, MO: University of Missouri Press, c1977. 973.73 Hat.

Miller, Francis Trevelyan. Photographic History Of The Civil War. New York, NY: Reviews of Reviews, Company, 1911. 10v. Set. Genealogy Ref. 973.7 Mil **We also have a circulating set.

National Archives Trust Fund Board. Military Service Records: A Select Catalog Of National Archives Microfilm Publications. Washington, DC: National Archives Trust Fund Board, National Archives And service Administration, c1985,1996. Genealogy Ref. 016.355 Nat.

Neagles, James C. U.S. Military Records: A Guide To Federal And State Sources, Colonial America To The Present. Salt Lake City, UT: Ancestry Publishing, c1994. Genealogy Ref. 929.373 Nea.

Speer, Lonnie R. Portals To Hell: Military Prisons Of The Civil War. 1st Edition. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, c1977. 973.771 Spe.

US Army Military History Research Collection. The Era Of The Civil War: 1820-1876. Carlisle Barracks, PA: US Army Military History Research Collection, 1974. Genealogy Ref. 973.7016 Coo.

Compiled by Bryan L. Mulcahy, Reference Librarian, Fort Myers-Lee County Library, 10/9/98.