"In your hands lies my life and liberty ...." A Civil War Mystery

John Hartwell

Lt. Colonel
Forum Host
Joined
Aug 27, 2011
Location
Central Massachusetts
Among the files of the War Department Solicitor General, was found the following copy of a letter from an inmate, known only as "Will," of Washington's Old Capitol Carroll Prison. It is addressed to Miss Emma O. Garrison, NYC. Just the one letter in the file, with no notes or explanations.
willtoemma.jpg

A mysterious appeal, full of emphatic, underlined warnings of urgent secrecy, "answer no questions," trust no one but "Mr. Wood, Superint't. of the Prison."

What's it all about? One line perhaps offers a hint: "You alone can satisfy them that ther has been no improper intimacy between us." But the insistence "Answer no questions to any one, till you get that interview with me," sounds a bit suspicious -- like he's afraid of what she might say before he's had the chance to coach her.
 
Last edited:
Interesting how we all see things differently. My first impression was that he was telling the truth, and didn't want her to be biased by others before he could tell her his side of things. Although his insistence on urgency makes me wonder...:unsure: It's a bit of an unsettling letter to read. Nice post.
 
A couple of basic searches found nothing:
The 1860 census has no Emma O. Garrison in New York City. But, she could have been anywhere, and moved to NYC after the census.
The 1863 City Directory lists no one named Garrison on Spring Street. A young, unmarried woman's name would not have been listed, and she could have been living with a family of a different name.
It would be a lot easier if we had Will's last name. Going to try to find Carroll Prison records.
 
Interesting how we all see things differently. My first impression was that he was telling the truth, and didn't want her to be biased by others before he could tell her his side of things.
I thought that at first. But he's not warning her not to listen to anyone, but not to answer any questions.
It is, indeed, intriguing, and, yes, a bit "unsettling"

The 5 houses of Carroll Row (also known as "Duff Green's Row") were built in 1800, and used during the Civil War as an annex to the Old Capital Prisoners to house the government's political prisoners (including deserters and bounty-jumpers, among others). The Library of Congress' Jefferson Building is on the site today.
carroll prison - Edited.jpg
The Washington Star of August 4, 1865, included this description:
"The two buildings on 1st-street, east -- that on the corner of A-street north, known as the Old Capitol and the building near A-street south, known as Carroll Prison -- have played quite an important part during the rebellion. The latter, with the exception of a few months use as the quarters for contrabands, has been used as a prison for state or political prisoners, while the prison styled the Old Capitol has from the first been used as a military prison. These prisons have mainly been under the charge of Mr. W.P. WOOD as a civil superintendent. During the war there have been altogether nearly 20,000 persons confined in these buildings; and at one time there were 15,000 rebel prisoners of war confined in the Old Capitol prison. On the day the President was assassinated, there were over 800 rebel officers in confinement."

The story of Col. W. P. Wood, who Ruled Capitol Prison.
 
Last edited:
At that time, unless he was a Confederate (unlikely) to be there, he was either for insubordination or as a political prisoner...
 
Fascinating! As he said his life lies in her hands he is probably facing death penalty? Was there the death penalty for improper intimacy? And does he want her to testify in his favour or to bribe the guards?
Amazing how very well readable that letter is, Will writes a very fine hand. But the word on the very top of the page, is it "Copy"? If so, why would he have made a copy of this letter if all is so urgent and secretive? Or did someone else make that copy? For what purpose?
Fascinating and mysterious!!
 
Fascinating! As he said his life lies in her hands he is probably facing death penalty? Was there the death penalty for improper intimacy? And does he want her to testify in his favour or to bribe the guards?
Amazing how very well readable that letter is, Will writes a very fine hand. But the word on the very top of the page, is it "Copy"? If so, why would he have made a copy of this letter if all is so urgent and secretive? Or did someone else make that copy? For what purpose?
Fascinating and mysterious!!
I hadn't noticed that. I think it does say "Copy". So the original went to Emma I guess.
 
Fascinating! As he said his life lies in her hands he is probably facing death penalty? Was there the death penalty for improper intimacy? And does he want her to testify in his favour or to bribe the guards?
Amazing how very well readable that letter is, Will writes a very fine hand. But the word on the very top of the page, is it "Copy"? If so, why would he have made a copy of this letter if all is so urgent and secretive? Or did someone else make that copy? For what purpose?
Fascinating and mysterious!!
"In your hands lies my life ..." probably shouldn't be taken literally. It likely meant "my life (reputation) could be ruined."

The letter was in the Solicitor General's files, and was copied by one of his clerks (it is a typical Clerk's orthography of the time). Likely all outgoing mail from the prisoners had to be examined before posting, and one of the examiners thought this was "worth keeping" as potential evidence. (need we wonder why?)
 
Yes, I'm sorry but was increasingly annoyed as I read this letter thinking ' Really? Honestly? This fellow is having a shot at controlling her from inside a prison? ' I'm sorry. He's covering all his bases, ensuring this poor female has no input whatsoever from anyone at all until he can get his hands on her. The clincher is she is not supposed to sleep but OH my gosh, get your coat and head for the door! " Don't sleep until you restore me to liberty ". Someone thinks an awful lot of himself. If she's so dear to him, good grief, spend one more night in discomfort.

If this fellow was really in some sort of awful, awful trouble, if things were so dreadfully secretive and he was being watched or needed to only tell her something face to face out of fear- if he were some object of persecution, the administration at this prison would not have allowed him to send that letter anyway.

If it hasn't come across in this diplomatically worded post, this fellow is a creep with a capital ' B '.
 
I can't help but wonder about Emma. Was she an innocent young girl, confused and frightened by all this? Or had she already become used to such goings-on from "Ol' Will?"
Will apparently thought her capable of handling the situation, though he warned her to "make some excuse to your folks." So, she was probably living with her parents.
 
Yes, I'm sorry but was increasingly annoyed as I read this letter thinking ' Really? Honestly? This fellow is having a shot at controlling her from inside a prison? ' I'm sorry. He's covering all his bases, ensuring this poor female has no input whatsoever from anyone at all until he can get his hands on her. The clincher is she is not supposed to sleep but OH my gosh, get your coat and head for the door! " Don't sleep until you restore me to liberty ". Someone thinks an awful lot of himself. If she's so dear to him, good grief, spend one more night in discomfort.

If this fellow was really in some sort of awful, awful trouble, if things were so dreadfully secretive and he was being watched or needed to only tell her something face to face out of fear- if he were some object of persecution, the administration at this prison would not have allowed him to send that letter anyway.

If it hasn't come across in this diplomatically worded post, this fellow is a creep with a capital ' B '.

Amazing how differently this can be viewed! If "Will" would have been a close friend or maybe even my lover, I would have left that very minute after I had gotten that letter. I would have grabbed all money I got and would have taken the next train to Washington to help the man I love - or maybe the friend who is relying on me. And I would not the least have felt controlled and manipulated, but would have concentrated on the thought that now all depends on me and I never would allow myself to fail to do what I can to help ...
So I would have been easy prey. As maybe Emma was? Was the letter secretly received and then the money taken and the "lover" gone for good, never to be seen again? Did Emma file a law suit against him for having deceived her, giving this lettter as evidence - and the underlinings were made later to stress why she gave the money? Is this the copy of the letter intended for the attorney od judge? Did the clerk misfile it and had a hard time, not knowing were he had put it...
Aw, a whole world of speculation, I just love that!
 
I have another thread about a deserter petitioning for pardon, and have lately read many similar appeals, and it is incredible the bare-face, open self-incrimination these men put on paper.

"I enlisted in New York, deserted a few days later, went to Philadelphia and enlisted again as a substitute (got $350 for it!), deserted a couple of weeks later, went to over the rebels and enlisted again, deserted, was captured by the rebs told them I was a Yankee deserter, put in Libby; volunteered to work for rebs at Tredegar, enlisted in another rebel company, deserted after a few days, turned myself in to US provost, said I was a rebel deserter, gave everybody false names; sent to Ft Delaware, was recognized there as a Federal deserter, gave another fake name, sent to Old Capital Prison. Golly, I know I did wrong, but promise to be nice from now on ... please give me a pardon!"

And, that's not just one, but over and over again in these pleas for pardon. They really seemed oblivious to the fact that every word was digging them deeper and deeper into a hole, and making Court Martial prosecutors' jobs that much easier. While rarely offering any reason or extenuating facts to account for or excuse their multiple desertions, they remained blissfully confident that their confession would earn the sympathy of the President, or whoever, and get them off scot-free. Of those I read, very few indeed would even be considered for pardon.
 
Last edited:
Amazing how differently this can be viewed! If "Will" would have been a close friend or maybe even my lover, I would have left that very minute after I had gotten that letter. I would have grabbed all money I got and would have taken the next train to Washington to help the man I love - or maybe the friend who is relying on me. And I would not the least have felt controlled and manipulated, but would have concentrated on the thought that now all depends on me and I never would allow myself to fail to do what I can to help ...
So I would have been easy prey. As maybe Emma was? Was the letter secretly received and then the money taken and the "lover" gone for good, never to be seen again? Did Emma file a law suit against him for having deceived her, giving this lettter as evidence - and the underlinings were made later to stress why she gave the money? Is this the copy of the letter intended for the attorney od judge? Did the clerk misfile it and had a hard time, not knowing were he had put it...
Aw, a whole world of speculation, I just love that!


Ha! Yes, isn't it? I'm a genuine softy too. It's just that the fellow gave himself away by even being allowed a letter sent outside the prison, much less one of this tenor. Not so very mistreated, allowed letters, why on earth would he insist the poor female rush, at her expense with how dreadful travel was in those days, to this prison just to satisfy whatever bug was in his ear? He was not ill or on his death bed, not being threatened in any way, no urgent legalities were reported- just some mysterious ' thing ' only Emma could satisfy- at her expense and vast inconvienience. She was not merely gassing up the car right? He was asking a female to travel alone in war time- hazardous, expensive, uncomfortable, no doubt scary and time consuming. Did she have a job, children, a family ,responsibilities he was requesting her to ' poof', just leave?

If he was as attached to her as his letter implies she was to him, the letter should read " I am so sorry to ask this of you, is there any way you would be able to come to Washington? The money for your travel and over night expenses will be forthcoming if you find you can get away. " One is a request, the other a summons. Of course, it may just be me. Never did well with summons. :angel:
 
I have another thread about a deserter petitioning for pardon, and have lately read many similar appeals, and it is incredible the bare-face, open self-incrimination these men put on paper.

"I enlisted in New York, deserted a few days later, went to Philadelphia and enlisted again as a substitute (got $350 for it!), deserted a couple of weeks later, went to over the rebels and enlisted again, deserted, was captured by the rebs told them I was a Yankee deserter, put in Libby; volunteered to work for rebs at Tredegar, enlisted in another rebel company, deserted after a few days, turned myself in to US provost, said I was a rebel deserter, gave everybody false names; sent to Ft Delaware, was recognized there as a Federal deserter, gave another fake name, sent to Old Capital Prison. Golly, I know I did wrong, but promise to be nice from now on ... please give me a pardon!"

And, that's not just one, but over and over again in these pleas for pardon. They really seemed oblivious to the fact that every word was digging them deeper and deeper into a whole, and making Court Martial prosecutors' jobs that much easier. While rarely offering any reason or extenuating facts to account for or excuse their multiple desertions, they remained blissfully confident that their confession would earn the sympathy of the President, or whoever, and get them off scot-free. Of those I read, very few indeed would even be considered for pardon.


You hate to laugh at the poor man- it seems to ridicule, but the absurdity is overwhelming. If we shouldn't then God sent us here over-equipped with funny bones. Lincoln had a few extra ribs, easily tickled. You wonder if Stanton allowed him near some of these. I'd make a dreadful, dreadful public official, same thing I'm getting at, perhaps so gratefully amused how do you not grant a pardon?
 
You know, only figured out halfway through yesterday afternoon why he bothered me so much- it was the first sentence, ' make some excuse to your folks '. After that he was writing to someone's daughter- beginning the letter by having her lie to her parents. There's a whole book. This schmuck already knows her parents either dislike him or will forbid her engaging in what he is demanding for another reason- underhanded already.

Since there are no other records one would hope the letter was intercepted by said folks. Who burned it.
 
Back
Top