POW Issue - Salisbury Prison

[pgraves]

Maryland Vounteers..1861-65 lists George W. Terry in Co E, Purnell Legion, transferred to Co E, 1st Maryland, after his 3 year hitch ended in Oct 64. However, the muster rolls and other info in his file at Fold3 shows he was wounded and captured at Weldon RR on 8-18-64. The transfer to 1st MD probably occurred in abstentia. There is a Memo from POW Records 1897 which shows his parole after capture at Catlett's Station on 8-23-62. There is a curious notation on the reverse that says he was captured at Richmond 8-29-64, sent to Salisbury on 10-9-64 followed by "his name appears on an unofficial list (copied from the original by Moses Palmer...) as having joined the rebel army at Salisbury.... Admitted to Gen. Hosp. 3, Goldboro, NC. Feb 22/65 __ remark: Exchanged. No later record." I find no record of him after the war. No pension records. The Cecil Cty MD Historical Society says he died of starvation at Andersonville altho I cannot find his name on a list. I have seen other POW records with the Moses Palmer listing and having gone over to the CSA for purposes of taking POWs to Wilmington for exchange so the "galvanized rebels" could defect. Is the Palmer list on line? Is there proof of such defections to the CSA & back to the US? Is there a list of soldiers who died at Gen. Hosp. #3 and/or interred there?

 

[Bonny Blue Flag]

pgraves, although the dates and placement of Terry arent an exact match, it appears that the name George Terry and George W. Terry were not uncommon names.

I searched www.findagrave.com, dont know if this matches your search perimeters:

--Under the name George Terry:

Note PVT M 16 ILL Cav
Birth: unknown
Death: Aug 4, 1864
Burial: Andersonville National Cemetery
Andersonville (Sumter County)
Sumter County
Georgia, USA
Plot: , Row: ED AT:

Created by John C. Anderson
Record added: Apr 15, 2010
Find A Grave Memorial # 51144872
````````````````````

--BBF

 

[pgraves]

BBF: Thanks. The one I am looking for was mustered in from Cecil County, MD.

 

[ExNavyPilot]

For curiousity's sake, I did a quick search for "George Terry" AND "Purnell Legion" and found this picture.
http://www.ccps.org/teachers/moore/HSCC/Civil War WG/pages/Civil War - 26.htm
If you go to the next picture (#27) on the site, you'll see another soldier from Co E, Purnell Legion who was evidently also transferred to Co E, 1st MD.

I agree that your George Terry probably was administratively transfered to the 1st MD in Oct 64 when the Purnell Legion mustered out as a unit, while Terry still a POW. In one of my relatives' unit roster (3rd WI Battery) , a unit mate was listed as mustered out in Oct 64, "term expired" but he was a POW at that time and was later exchanged per a Mar 65 NYT article listing him by name and unit. I guess it was easier administratively to either transfer or muster out the soldier who was a POW (current status unknown) rather than continue to carry him on the rolls.

I looked at the VA's nationwide gravesite locator but found no listing for a George W Terry (or G W Terry, or G Terry) who was from MD, died in or after 1864, and was interred in a national cemetery. If he died at Salisbury, there's a very good chance he was buried in a trench grave. The NPS website for Salisbury states that "no complete burial lists for the prison exist and no headboards were used to mark the graves" so it would be very hard to confirm the death or burial. (see this webpage http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/trave...rth_Carolina/Salisbury_National_Cemetery.html )

Keep diggin and you might find something interesting.

 

[M E Wolf]

George Terry (First_Last)
Regiment Name 3 Maryland Infantry
Side Union
Company A
Soldier's Rank_In Private
Soldier's Rank_Out Private
Alternate Name
Notes
Film Number M388 roll 12

 

[M E Wolf]

No.

Soldier Name

Side

Function

Regiment Name
1
Terry, George W.
Union
Infantry
59th Regiment, New York Infantry
2
Terry, George W.
Union
Infantry
Purnell Legion, Maryland Infantry
3
Terry, George W.
Union
Infantry
1st Regiment, Maryland Infantry

 

[M E Wolf]

4
Terry, George W.
Union
Cavalry
8th Regiment, Michigan Cavalry
5
Terry, George W.
Union
Infantry
132nd Regiment, New York Infantry
6
Terry, George W.
Confederate
1st Regiment, Arkansas Mounted Rifles
7
Terry, George W.
Confederate
Infantry
9th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry
8
Terry, George W.
Confederate
Infantry
39th Regiment, Georgia Infantry
9
Terry, George W.
Confederate
Cavalry
8th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry
10
Terry, George W.
Confederate
64th Regiment, Virginia Militia
11
Terry, George W.
Confederate
Infantry
21st Regiment, Georgia Infantry
12
Terry, George W.
Confederate
3rd Battalion, Georgia State Guards
13
Terry, George W.
Confederate
Cavalry
2nd Regiment, Texas Cavalry (2nd Mounted Rifles)
14
Terry, George W.
Confederate
Cavalry
31st Regiment, Texas Cavalry (Hawpe's)
15
Terry, George W.
Union
Artillery
8th Regiment, New York Heavy Artillery
16
Terry, George W.
Confederate
Cavalry
3rd Regiment, Confederate Cavalry (Howard's)
17
Terry, George W.
Union
Infantry
51st Regiment, Pennsylvania Infantry
18
Terry, George W.
Union
Infantry
76th Regiment, Illinois Infantry
19
Terry, George W.
Union
Infantry
29th Regiment, Missouri Infantry
20
Terry, George W.
Union
Infantry
118th Regiment, New York Infantry
21
Terry, George W.
Confederate
Artillery
2nd Regiment, North Carolina Artillery
22
Terry, George W.
Confederate
Infantry
8th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry
23
Terry, George W.
Confederate
Artillery
13th Battalion, North Carolina Light Artillery
24
Terry, George W.
Union
Infantry
40th Regiment, Massachusetts Infantry
25
Terry, George W.
Confederate
Infantry
5th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry
26
Terry, George W.
Union
Infantry
97th Regiment, Indiana Infantry
27
Terry, George W.
Confederate
Infantry
25th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry (Eutaw Regiment)

 

[M E Wolf]

http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/soldiers.cfm
George W. Terry (First_Last)
Regiment Name Purnell Legion, Maryland Infantry
Side Union
Company E
Soldier's Rank_In Private
Soldier's Rank_Out Private
Alternate Name
Notes
Film Number M388 roll 12

 

[M E Wolf]

George W. Terry (First_Last)
Regiment Name 1 Maryland Infantry
Side Union
Company E
Soldier's Rank_In Private
Soldier's Rank_Out Private
Alternate Name George/Terry
Notes
Film Number M388 roll 12

NOTE THE SAME FILM NUMBER

 

[M E Wolf]

O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME 5 [S# 5]
Correspondence, Orders, And Returns Relating Specially To Operations In Maryland, Northern Virginia, And West Virginia From August 1, 1861, To March 17, 1862.
UNION CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.--#2

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF PENNSYLVANIA,
Baltimore, Md., October 25, 1861.
Maj. Gen. GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN,
Commanding Army of Potomac:
GENERAL: A great deal of anxiety is felt in this State in regard to the voters in the Maryland regiments. I have had several delegations from the Union men and to-day a communication from the State Central Committee on the subject. There are some 6,000 men now embodied in regiments and corps raised in this State. About half the number are in this city, and it was expected they would remain until after the election. I saw an order in Quartermaster Belger's office last evening ordering five companies of Colonel Purnell's regiment to Salisbury, Md., although it has not been sent to me. This order has produced a good deal of solicitude among the Union men in Baltimore. They wish to show their whole strength. Some even apprehend that there may be danger of losing the State if the votes in the military service are not secured. I do not think there is just ground for this apprehension. At the same time I think it very important for our future quietude that the Union ticket should not merely be carried, but that it should have an overwhelming majority. I earnestly hope, therefore, that the Government will make all practicable arrangements to enable the voters in the Maryland corps to attend the polls in the districts in which they reside on the 6th of November next.
I am, very respectfully, general, your obedient servant,
JOHN A. DIX,
Major-General, Commanding.
-----

 

[M E Wolf]

O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME 5 [S# 5]
NOVEMBER 14-22, 1861.--Expedition through Accomac and Northampton Counties, Virginia.
No. 1. -- Instructions to Brig. Gen. Henry H. Lockwood, U. S. Army.
HEADQUARTERS,
Baltimore, November 18, 1861.
GENERAL: Lieutenant Dix arrived this morning with your dispatch, communicating the gratifying intelligence that the rebel organizations in your neighborhood had dissolved. You are right in supposing that I wish you to go to Eastville, leaving such portions of your force as you may deem proper at points in your rear. The entrance to the Poco-moke River is so bad that I am desirous of exchanging it for Pungo-teague Inlet as soon as you reach Drummondtown.

Please bear in mind the ulterior object of the expedition--to bring these counties by their own voluntary action back into the Union--and with this view see their leading men as you advance.

You must try and make your transportation do. I learn that the thirty wagons were at Salisbury on Sunday morning,. and I suppose they must be with you now. Dispose of the State prisoners of whom you write to me as you think proper.
I am, general, respectfully, yours,
JOHN A. DIX,
Major-General.
-----

 

[M E Wolf]

O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME VI, Chapter XVI [S# 6]
Correspondence, Orders, And Returns Relating To Events In West Florida, Southern Alabama, Southern Mississippi, And Louisiana From September 1, 1861, To May 12, 1862.
CONFEDERATE CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.--#3

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT NO. 1,
New Orleans, La., February 6, 1862.
Hon. J.P. BENJAMIN,
Secretary of War:
SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letters of the 27th and 30th ultimo.


1st. With regard to General Ruggles' assignment to the duty of caring for the Mississippi coast, I think it would be exceedingly unadvisable. His services in organizing a brigade of five regiments as a movable force to any point of the department are more valuable than they would be on the coast. Neither his age nor his rank are exactly in conformity with outpost duty in command of two regiments. He would feel mortified, I am sure, at such an assignment. I can manage matters better by leaving them as at present. With 10,000 men in this department, and a long extent of coast to guard, I would recommend the appointment of a brigadier-general from Mississippi for duty on that part of the line. I have but two here, while in the Department of Mobile (General Bragg's) I learn there are not less than five or six officers of that grade.

2d. I have just received the first installment of powder by the Vanderbilt, and on testing it I found it much below range. In justice to the service it should be worked over again. I will probably reject it; certainly at $2 per pound.

3d. The Federal prisoners, 493 in number, will leave to-day for Salisbury, N. C., pursuant to telegraphic order from General Cooper.

4th. I look daily for appointments of officers in the new regiments.

[excerpt]
7th. I had no knowledge of the arrangement with Mr. Sumner about the bonds, and therefore got the draft for $120,000 cashed here. No bonds came to me, nothing but two drafts; one for $7,500, on the Assistant Treasurer here, the other for $120,000, on the Treasurer at Richmond. There must have been a mistake on his part in carrying out your views.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
M. LOVELL,
Major-General, Commanding.
-----

 

[Bonny Blue Flag]

Wow, M.E.!

Great find!

--BBF

 

[pgraves]

For curiousity's sake, I did a quick search for "George Terry" AND "Purnell Legion" and found this picture.
http://www.ccps.org/teachers/moore/HSCC/Civil War WG/pages/Civil War - 26.htm
If you go to the next picture (#27) on the site, you'll see another soldier from Co E, Purnell Legion who was evidently also transferred to Co E, 1st MD.

I agree that your George Terry probably was administratively transfered to the 1st MD in Oct 64 when the Purnell Legion mustered out as a unit, while Terry still a POW. In one of my relatives' unit roster (3rd WI Battery) , a unit mate was listed as mustered out in Oct 64, "term expired" but he was a POW at that time and was later exchanged per a Mar 65 NYT article listing him by name and unit. I guess it was easier administratively to either transfer or muster out the soldier who was a POW (current status unknown) rather than continue to carry him on the rolls.

I looked at the VA's nationwide gravesite locator but found no listing for a George W Terry (or G W Terry, or G Terry) who was from MD, died in or after 1864, and was interred in a national cemetery. If he died at Salisbury, there's a very good chance he was buried in a trench grave. The NPS website for Salisbury states that "no complete burial lists for the prison exist and no headboards were used to mark the graves" so it would be very hard to confirm the death or burial. (see this webpage http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/trave...rth_Carolina/Salisbury_National_Cemetery.html )

Keep diggin and you might find something interesting.

Hey, thanks for the picture. I saw the others from the Purnell Legion but none of my ggrandfather Robert J Terry and his brother Lewis K Terry.

Did you fly in RVN? In my two years as an infantryman there I got plenty of support from the air, USAF & USN.

Thanks again for the picture and for your service to country.

 

[ExNavyPilot]

Hey, thanks for the picture. I saw the others from the Purnell Legion but none of my ggrandfather Robert J Terry and his brother Lewis K Terry.

Did you fly in RVN? In my two years as an infantryman there I got plenty of support from the air, USAF & USN.

Thanks again for the picture and for your service to country.

pgraves-- I was commissioned in 1982, well after Vietnam. I flew the P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft during the Cold War. Spent lots of time hunting and tracking Soviet (and then "Russian") submarines. I salute your service in the infantry--you really earned your pay!

Glad I was able to help you in some small way with George Terry. Keep up the hunt, and good luck!

 

[pgraves]

O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME VI, Chapter XVI [S# 6]
Correspondence, Orders, And Returns Relating To Events In West Florida, Southern Alabama, Southern Mississippi, And Louisiana From September 1, 1861, To May 12, 1862.
CONFEDERATE CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.--#3

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT NO. 1,
New Orleans, La., February 6, 1862.
Hon. J.P. BENJAMIN,
Secretary of War:
SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letters of the 27th and 30th ultimo.


1st. With regard to General Ruggles' assignment to the duty of caring for the Mississippi coast, I think it would be exceedingly unadvisable. His services in organizing a brigade of five regiments as a movable force to any point of the department are more valuable than they would be on the coast. Neither his age nor his rank are exactly in conformity with outpost duty in command of two regiments. He would feel mortified, I am sure, at such an assignment. I can manage matters better by leaving them as at present. With 10,000 men in this department, and a long extent of coast to guard, I would recommend the appointment of a brigadier-general from Mississippi for duty on that part of the line. I have but two here, while in the Department of Mobile (General Bragg's) I learn there are not less than five or six officers of that grade.

2d. I have just received the first installment of powder by the Vanderbilt, and on testing it I found it much below range. In justice to the service it should be worked over again. I will probably reject it; certainly at $2 per pound.

3d. The Federal prisoners, 493 in number, will leave to-day for Salisbury, N. C., pursuant to telegraphic order from General Cooper.

4th. I look daily for appointments of officers in the new regiments.

[excerpt]
7th. I had no knowledge of the arrangement with Mr. Sumner about the bonds, and therefore got the draft for $120,000 cashed here. No bonds came to me, nothing but two drafts; one for $7,500, on the Assistant Treasurer here, the other for $120,000, on the Treasurer at Richmond. There must have been a mistake on his part in carrying out your views.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
M. LOVELL,
Major-General, Commanding.
-----

Wolf: Thanks as always for your great and fast responses. Have you ever heard of the Moses Palmer list of POWs at Salisbury wherein he claims some went over to the Confederacy? How about Union POWs going over to the Confederacy merely to be able to defect later?

 

[pgraves]

pgraves-- I was commissioned in 1982, well after Vietnam. I flew the P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft during the Cold War. Spent lots of time hunting and tracking Soviet (and then "Russian") submarines. I salute your service in the infantry--you really earned your pay!

Glad I was able to help you in some small way with George Terry. Keep up the hunt, and good luck!

My law partner, Frank Caprio, flew out of New Orleans in a P-3 Orion. He was not a pilot. One of our partners, a USAF pilot who flew A-10s, said if he didn't fly the plane he was baggage.

 

[ExNavyPilot]

My law partner, Frank Caprio, flew out of New Orleans in a P-3 Orion. He was not a pilot. One of our partners, a USAF pilot who flew A-10s, said if he didn't fly the plane he was baggage.

That sounds like the response from an Air Farce fighter/attack pilot...in a single-seat aircraft, it's all about the ego of the driver.

Back in the day, the P-3 had a 12-man combat aircrew: 3 pilots (rotating between pilot, copilot, and off-duty pilot positions over the 12+ hour flights); 2 enlisted flight engineers to monitor the aircraft systems (alternating on and off duty); 2 Naval Flight Officers (NFOs) in the Tactical Coordinator and Navigator positions; 2 enlisted acoustic sensor operators; 1 enlisted nonacoustic sensor operator (radar, infrared, magnetic anomaly detection, etc); an aviation ordnanceman to handle sonobuoys, smokes/flares, etc; and an inflight avionics tech to monitor/fix the sensitive equipment. We truly ran on a team concept. The P-3 pilots couldn't complete any antisubmarine or patrol mission without someone else to man the radar, analyze the signals from the sonobuoys, manage and evaluate the sensor inputs and coordinate the tactics, maintain the overwater navigation, load and launch the sonobuoys, etc.

Comparing an A-10 attack mission (awesome aircraft, by the way) to a P-3 ASW mission is like comparing a guy playing the "Call of Duty" video game solo vs 12 guys playing group chess against an invisible opponent. I don't mean to make the P-3 mission sound boring; doing all this thinking and coordinating and working to hang onto a submarine contact while zooming around at 300 feet over the water at night in turbulence can be pretty exciting.

Anyways, Frank would have been one heck of a lot more than baggage...and you can tell that to the Warthog pilot.