UNION & CONFED. CORRESPONDENCE,
ORDERS, ETC., RELATING TO PRISONERS OF WAR AND STATE FROM APRIL 1, 1864,
TO DECEMBER 31, 1864.--#25
MILITARY PRISON, Salisbury, N. C.,
August 18, 1864.
On or about the 22d day of the month General Van Dorn captured and
destroyed General Grant's stores at Holly Springs, thereby compelling
him (Grant) to fall back from his position at and below Oxford with some
haste in order to obtain a base for supplies. My brother being too low
to admit of his removal I resolved to stay with him and nurse him, which
I did, until the 26th of December, 1862, when Lieutenant Burrow, of the
Arkansas cavalry, entered the town and, hearing of me, said I must go to
Vicksburg for exchange and leave my brother to the care of other hands.
I was then sent to Jackson, where I arrived too late to be sent to
Vicksburg, as exchanges at that point had ceased. I was sent to Mobile
about the 1st of March, 1863, when I received the assurance of General
Mackall that I would be sent home at the first opportunity. On the 16th
of March I was started for Richmond, where I arrived about the 21st;
but, unfortunately for me, in company with some Confederate deserters.
The guard who had us in charge reported to the provost-marshal, who told
them to put the deserters in Castle Thunder and me in Libby. When we
arrived at the Castle some of the officers there said it would make no
difference about my going to Libby, as I would be sent from there (the
Castle) by the first boat, and, accordingly, I was put in the Castle.
After waiting several days and hearing nothing further of my case, I
asked Captain Alexander about it and was told I should go by the next
boat without fail. I then waited several weeks longer, when, learning
nothing further, I wrote to General Winder a full statement of my case.
This resulted in getting my case before the Secretary of War, who issued
an order for me to be sent North by the first boat, and I was sent to
the Libby for that purpose on the 18th day of May, 1863. After waiting
for over three months to be sent North, I, with other citizens of much
more recent capture, was sent to the <ar120_611> Castle and finally to
this place. That I should be kept nearly two years, with no shadow of a
charge against me, and still retained after the order of the Secretary
of War, seems too strange to have been intentional.
Very respectfully submitted, by:
FRANK B. DORAN
[ Indorsement. ]
SEPTEMBER 3,1864.
Respectfully returned to the Honorable Secretary of War.
This flippant Yankee is where he ought to be. Know nothing about any
order having been issued for his release. The enemy constantly arrests
and detains our people under the same circumstances. I respectfully
recommend that this party be kept where he is until he can be put to
some use.
