Puzzled about Confederate POW

[41st Alabama]

I have been researching my ancestors that had fought in the Civil War, of which there are 4 Great Grandfathers and nearly a dozen Great Uncles. Having so many ties with the war, you can understand my interest. I have found many fascinating facts and run into some discrepancies. While researching my Great Grand Uncle, Pvt Daniel Brown Sartain I came across documentation showing that he was captured and paroled in his hometown of Tuscaloosa in May 1865. His regiment surrendered with Lee in Appomattox on April 9. Muster rolls have shown him to have been in Petersburg leading up to then. He was captured by Major Gen Benjamin Henry Grierson's 2nd Ill Cavalry. My theory is that he deserted and made his way home before he was captured. But what if he escaped capture when all was lost and surrendered himself when he got back to Tuscaloosa? If anyone has any thoughts about this, I would like to hear it.

 

[nc native]

I had a similar thing happen to a direct ancestor of mine at the end of the war. David Honeycutt had served in the 24th NC Infantry enlisting in May 1861 and deserting the Army of Northern Virginia in March 1865 right around the time the battle of Fort Stedman was fought. He made it to his home in Wake County, North Carolina just in time to greet Sherman's Army which was receiving the surrender of Raleigh. He was taken prisoner by an Indiana regiment and released under oath within a couple days of his capture.

 

[41st Alabama]

Per the original document, Sartain was paroled 18 May 1865 by the 2nd IL Cavalry.

After crossing the river it again took the advance with parts of the Third Illinois and Sixth Missouri, and had almost constant skirmishing until the army invested Vicksburg on the 18th of May.

History of 2nd Illinois Cavalry

civilwar.illinoisgenweb.org

According to this transcription of Dyer, at no time was the 2nd IL at Petersburg, Appomattox or Tuscaloosa

Dyers History of 2nd Illinois Cavalry

civilwar.illinoisgenweb.org

Remember what I told you folks about transcription errors in FOLD3?

Story, your research is much appreciated and does give me more valuable information. However, the 2nd Ill. history you sent does say that "On the fall of the fort, April 9th, started through Alabama in pursuit of Jeff. Davis, learned at Tuscaloosa that he was captured; then marched across the country to Vicksburg" and Dyers accounts state "Expedition from Blakely to Georgetown, Ga., April17-30. Moved to Mississippi May, thence to Shreveport, La., June 14-21". They both seem to suggest that their regiment was in the area at that time. Or am I missing something?

 

[Story]

Story, your research is much appreciated and does give me more valuable information. However, the 2nd Ill. history you sent does say that "On the fall of the fort, April 9th, started through Alabama in pursuit of Jeff. Davis, learned at Tuscaloosa that he was captured; then marched across the country to Vicksburg" and Dyers accounts state "Expedition from Blakely to Georgetown, Ga., April17-30. Moved to Mississippi May, thence to Shreveport, La., June 14-21". They both seem to suggest that their regiment was in the area at that time. Or am I missing something?

41st, I'm so glad you're appreciative.
No, it was I who missed the 2nd IL's location in those walls-of-text.
Knowing the 2nd IL's location in April and May 1865 seems like a key bit of information.

Still begs the question how did the 2nd IL parole him in Tuscaloosa on 18 May 1865 when they were at Vicksburg by that date?

 

[lupaglupa]

@Story you may just have caught an important fact with your question. Sartain was "captured by the 2 regiment Ill. Cav" AND "paroled in May, 1865." Those two events need not have happened at the same time. He could well have been captured, and then paroled later.

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

Confederate units in the field in East Tennessee simply disbanded when word came of Lee's surrender. Local men simply went home. Later they were ordered to go to Chattanooga, Knoxville, or Nashville to formally surrender and take the oath. Maybe he headed home before Appomattox and was captured in Alabama.

 

[41st Alabama]

Confederate units in the field in East Tennessee simply disbanded when word came of Lee's surrender. Local men simply went home. Later they were ordered to go to Chattanooga, Knoxville, or Nashville to formally surrender and take the oath. Maybe he headed home before Appomattox and was captured in Alabama.

That is exactly where I was going with this. It does sound like a reasonable explanation.

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

He did indeed apply for a military pension later in life, stating that he had "partial loss of eyesight". Not sure if this was a direct result of the war but I have to assume that it was. It does state that he was honorably discharged and paroled. This makes me wonder how he came to be captured in Tuscaloosa. I did find a wealth of information on the Family Search website and I appreciate your help.

I would have thought there were some details about his service and surrender in his pension application. One of the first questions Tennesseee men were asked was the details of their surrender and if they were still with their unit when they formally surrendered.

 

[lupaglupa]

There is a very good book about this called "Ends of War: the Unfinished Fight of Lee's Army after Appomattox." You might find it interesting. It shows how the War didn't end all at once but rather in many small steps before and after the surrender.

Ends of War | Caroline E. Janney | University of North Carolina Press

The Army of Northern Virginia's chaotic dispersal began even before Lee and Grant met at Appomattox Court House. As the Confederates had pushed west at a rel...

uncpress.org

 

[lupaglupa]

I would have thought there were some details about his service and surrender in his pension application. One of the first questions Tennesseee men were asked was the details of their surrender and if they were still with their unit when they formally surrendered.

Not every pension application I've seen has 100% accurate information given to this question.

It was so messy at the end. What men remembered - or what their widow's knew when they filled out the forms - can be quite different from what the records show. Which is absolutely true? Who knows. And in the end, does it really matter?

 

[41st Alabama]

I would have thought there were some details about his service and surrender in his pension application. One of the first questions Tennesseee men were asked was the details of their surrender and if they were still with their unit when they formally surrendered.

His application merely states that he fought in the Confederacy and was honorably discharged. It shows his regiment but no mention of where he was paroled or otherwise.

 

[41st Alabama]

There is a very good book about this called "Ends of War: the Unfinished Fight of Lee's Army after Appomattox." You might find it interesting. It shows how the War didn't end all at once but rather in many small steps before and after the surrender.

Ends of War | Caroline E. Janney | University of North Carolina Press

The Army of Northern Virginia's chaotic dispersal began even before Lee and Grant met at Appomattox Court House. As the Confederates had pushed west at a rel...

uncpress.org

lupaglupa,
I will certainly add it to my list. Currently, I'm juggling between Calkins The Appomattox Campaign, Smith's Lees Last Stand, and Eames Black Day of the Army April 6, 1865. Of course, Calkins is best IMO. I also listen to William Davis' An Honorable Defeat on Audible whenever I get a chance, and find all that happened to the Confederacy after Lee's surrender fascinating. But I will certainly look into the book that you suggested. Thank you

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

lupaglupa,
I will certainly add it to my list. Currently, I'm juggling between Calkins The Appomattox Campaign, Smith's Lees Last Stand, and Eames Black Day of the Army April 6, 1865. Of course, Calkins is best IMO. I also listen to William Davis' An Honorable Defeat on Audible whenever I get a chance, and find all that happened to the Confederacy after Lee's surrender fascinating. But I will certainly look into the book that you suggested. Thank you

William Davis is one of the best! He and the late Bud Robertson made a great team.

 

[lupaglupa]

lupaglupa,
I will certainly add it to my list. Currently, I'm juggling between Calkins The Appomattox Campaign, Smith's Lees Last Stand, and Eames Black Day of the Army April 6, 1865. Of course, Calkins is best IMO. I also listen to William Davis' An Honorable Defeat on Audible whenever I get a chance, and find all that happened to the Confederacy after Lee's surrender fascinating. But I will certainly look into the book that you suggested. Thank you

It is hard to read all that is out there about the Civil War! I focus on books that overlap my own family history, which helps me narrow the pile a bit.

 

[Story]

@Story you may just have caught an important fact with your question. Sartain was "captured by the 2 regiment Ill. Cav" AND "paroled in May, 1865." Those two events need not have happened at the same time. He could well have been captured, and then paroled later.

Bingo​

 

[Story]

His application merely states that he fought in the Confederacy and was honorably discharged. It shows his regiment but no mention of where he was paroled or otherwise.

Did you find an obituary for him?

 

[41st Alabama]

It is hard to read all that is out there about the Civil War! I focus on books that overlap my own family history, which helps me narrow the pile a bit.

That is exactly what I'm doing, trying to piece together my ancestor's movements from enlistment to parole (or death in some circumstances). Instead of reading anything in full I've been concentrating on a certain time or movement and putting it together bit by bit. It's confusing at times but most seem to corroborate what the others say.

 

[41st Alabama]

Did you find an obituary for him?

As of yet, I haven't found an obituary, but I did find the application for his headstone which mentions his regiment, company, and rank which were put on the headstone. I will keep looking.

 

[Story]

As of yet, I haven't found an obituary, but I did find the application for his headstone which mentions his regiment, company, and rank which were put on the headstone. I will keep looking.

Run a bunch of relevant search terms in the online CONFEDERATE VETERAN issues.