Forrest
Sergeant
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2015
Everyone knows Grant's conditions of parole after Vicksburg's surrender; however, what happened to the soldiers after they signed the parole document?
(some research, followed by a question)
It took days to get the parole documents together; in fact, the work was so cumbersome that civilians were hired to help. Meanwhile, the soldiers waited for days, giving them time to contemplate their futures. The Louisianans were too close to home to not consider the option of traveling home. Many others did not have that option, but still didn't like the idea of going to a parole camp. Others did not want to fight any more and thought they might have a loophole.
Most of those who did not sign the parole document were in the Heavy Artillery battalions that defended the river. It has been suggested that they did not sign because they did not consider themselves defeated. That's a romantic thought, but it doesn't hold up - a letter written by U.S. Grant suggests that they did not sign because they simply didn't want to fight any more: signing the parole meant that you agreed not to fight against the Union until you had been officially exchanged. Once exchanged, you were again a soldier and could be sent back to fight.
Some of the Confederate soldiers wanted to simply sign the parole document and then go home. Because of the parole agreement with Pemberton, Grant couldn't agree to this. Any soldiers who did not sign were sent north to Union prisons. But Grant also suggested that these soldiers should be allowed to sign the Oath once arriving at prison, and could then be released. Where they went at that point was up to them. In fact, upon arrival some took the Oath and then fought for the North.
Those who were paroled at Vicksburg began marching out of the city soon after. If they came in contact with Union soldiers, they showed their parole documents and were not hassled. Some continued marching for days, until they arrived at the Confederate parole camps in Meridian Mississippi and Demopolis Alabama. Pemberton realized the futility of making the soldiers stay in a parole camp, so issued 30-day furloughs. This also allowed him to save face regarding those who didn't show up at the parole camps. Most of the army had headed East toward Meridian, but had to go south below Jackson due to conflict there. This was a good point for some to continue south and head home to southeast Louisiana (or cross the Mississippi further down and head west), and many did. Others continued to Meridian, received their furlough, and then immediately turned around and headed back the way they had come.
I don't know what happened to the soldiers from areas East of Demopolis (I haven't researched it). I assume they stayed in the parole camps until 'exchanged'. Pemberton did not handle the prisoner exchange the way Grant had intended (parole list was supposedly lost, among other things), and largely as a result of this Vicksburg exchange fiasco, the North halted prisoner exchanges soon after. There is quite a bit more to this, but that's another subject.
As mentioned earlier, most of the paroled soldiers headed east toward Meridian. But not all of them. In particular, some of the Louisianans attempted to take a shorter route home - west across the Mississippi river. These were soldiers who had agreed to the parole conditions, signing the parole document, but who did not head toward a parole camp with their command. Those who stayed with their regiments and marched with their command, as expected, toward Meridian, were not hassled by Union troops - there were tens of thousand of them, so it was logistically impossible to pay much attention to them. But those who 'straggled' across the Mississippi, without their command, sometimes ran into problems when they encountered Union troops.
I have found at least one instance of soldiers traveling south toward New Orleans (and home) being stopped several times by Union boats on the Mississippi, showing their parole papers and being sent on their way; however, I have also found instances of soldiers being captured crossing the Mississippi immediately after leaving Vicksburg, and being sent to prison.
Does anyone have additional information about where these paroled men who immediately violated the conditions of parole (by not heading to parole camps), ended up? e.g-what prisons were they sent to?
(some research, followed by a question)
It took days to get the parole documents together; in fact, the work was so cumbersome that civilians were hired to help. Meanwhile, the soldiers waited for days, giving them time to contemplate their futures. The Louisianans were too close to home to not consider the option of traveling home. Many others did not have that option, but still didn't like the idea of going to a parole camp. Others did not want to fight any more and thought they might have a loophole.
Most of those who did not sign the parole document were in the Heavy Artillery battalions that defended the river. It has been suggested that they did not sign because they did not consider themselves defeated. That's a romantic thought, but it doesn't hold up - a letter written by U.S. Grant suggests that they did not sign because they simply didn't want to fight any more: signing the parole meant that you agreed not to fight against the Union until you had been officially exchanged. Once exchanged, you were again a soldier and could be sent back to fight.
Some of the Confederate soldiers wanted to simply sign the parole document and then go home. Because of the parole agreement with Pemberton, Grant couldn't agree to this. Any soldiers who did not sign were sent north to Union prisons. But Grant also suggested that these soldiers should be allowed to sign the Oath once arriving at prison, and could then be released. Where they went at that point was up to them. In fact, upon arrival some took the Oath and then fought for the North.
Those who were paroled at Vicksburg began marching out of the city soon after. If they came in contact with Union soldiers, they showed their parole documents and were not hassled. Some continued marching for days, until they arrived at the Confederate parole camps in Meridian Mississippi and Demopolis Alabama. Pemberton realized the futility of making the soldiers stay in a parole camp, so issued 30-day furloughs. This also allowed him to save face regarding those who didn't show up at the parole camps. Most of the army had headed East toward Meridian, but had to go south below Jackson due to conflict there. This was a good point for some to continue south and head home to southeast Louisiana (or cross the Mississippi further down and head west), and many did. Others continued to Meridian, received their furlough, and then immediately turned around and headed back the way they had come.
I don't know what happened to the soldiers from areas East of Demopolis (I haven't researched it). I assume they stayed in the parole camps until 'exchanged'. Pemberton did not handle the prisoner exchange the way Grant had intended (parole list was supposedly lost, among other things), and largely as a result of this Vicksburg exchange fiasco, the North halted prisoner exchanges soon after. There is quite a bit more to this, but that's another subject.
As mentioned earlier, most of the paroled soldiers headed east toward Meridian. But not all of them. In particular, some of the Louisianans attempted to take a shorter route home - west across the Mississippi river. These were soldiers who had agreed to the parole conditions, signing the parole document, but who did not head toward a parole camp with their command. Those who stayed with their regiments and marched with their command, as expected, toward Meridian, were not hassled by Union troops - there were tens of thousand of them, so it was logistically impossible to pay much attention to them. But those who 'straggled' across the Mississippi, without their command, sometimes ran into problems when they encountered Union troops.
I have found at least one instance of soldiers traveling south toward New Orleans (and home) being stopped several times by Union boats on the Mississippi, showing their parole papers and being sent on their way; however, I have also found instances of soldiers being captured crossing the Mississippi immediately after leaving Vicksburg, and being sent to prison.
Does anyone have additional information about where these paroled men who immediately violated the conditions of parole (by not heading to parole camps), ended up? e.g-what prisons were they sent to?
Last edited: