Paroled Prisoner

[AndyHall]

Camp Parole was also used to house Union troops that had been captured by the Confederates and subsequently released under parole until they had been exchanged for captured Confederates. Rather than send the soldiers home the Federal Army kept them in camps until they were exchanged so they could be quickly returned to their units when the exchange occurred. Some of the most notable examples were the troops Stonewall Jackson's command captured at Harper's Ferry during the Maryland Campaign. It seems like Evan Slater was captured by the Confederates, released on parole and then deserted from the Union Army.

Outstanding. That would explain it.

 

[Frederick14Va]

@ErnieMac nailed it.... Early in the war those paroled but awaiting exchange were frequently allowed to go home and wait... however it was soon figured out that fewer and fewer were returning when they were suppose to.... Hence to resolve the problem.... the creation of "Camp Parole" where they were garrisoned and kept put... till exchange was completed... Then immediately sent off back to their unit again...

If one left Camp Parole without authorization, they can be declared deserters... Some had had enough and slipped away to just go home...

Having the alias names is a bit concerning...

 

[Bruce Vail]

 

[BabyBird]

It seems like Evan Slater was captured by the Confederates, released on parole and then deserted from the Union Army.

His mother's maiden name was Gould and from what I can tell, the family may have changed it to Gold. I'm not sure why or when this change was made. Evan was enlisted in 1861 for 3 years. Andy's document shows he was discharged in 1865 and enlisted under two different names. So did he desert the camp and re-enlist under Evan Gold using his mother's (altered)maiden name?

I am checking to see if he had any cousins named Evan Gold. Unfortunately, he did have a cousin named Alfred Gold who was killed 2 Oct 1864. 1 Div 5 A C H Nr Petersburg, Virginia. He was admitted to the hospital with GSW abdomen. I believe he fought at Battle of Vaughan Road.

 

[cedarstripper]

In my research into my family tree, one of my distant cousins served in the Civil War. It says in the remarks "Deserted 1863 while a paroled prisoner at Annapolis, MD." I've searched everywhere trying to figure out what this means. I understand he was a P.O.W. He was a confederate soldier enrolled on 19 Aug 1861 and Fold3.com has really no info on him. Could someone explain exactly what his did...?

One of my relatives was captured on the first day at Gettysburg. In his last letter home he explained the Stanton had issued orders that any prisoner accepting a pardon would be treated as deserters, and so he was marched to Belle Isle where he died of starvation.