Today in History:

1433 Series II Volume II- Serial 115 - Prisoners of War

Page 1433 SUSPECTED AND DISLOYAL PERSONS.

Union men but all deny any complicity with the enemy; profss the utmost loyalty to the Confederate Government and their readiness to take the oath of allegiance if required to do so. They all reside near Summerville, and two of them, A. McClung and J. W. O'Dell, say that they passed once through the enemy's camp because it lay on the path of their avocations, and they were moreover currious to see the enemy's army under Tyler, and one of them, A. McClung, says that he exchanged some butter of rcoffee, giving eighteen pounds of butter for nine pounds of coffee. They are all Virginians, ignorant, illiterate and every simplemind. The sixth persons, Haywood, says that he is a sailor who was caught in Norfolk by the blockade, and crossed in an open boat to Warwick where his father resides with a view to join the army, and on his way home after landing he was caught and imprisoned. There is no charge against him.

Dr. M. S. Rossvally. -He appeared to have been arrested under the representations of persons who were strongly excited against him in consequence of imputed personal delinquencies and a mistake or misapprehension of facts. He appeared to have been an assistant surgeon of the Confederate army and to have been authorized by the Government to visit Washington for purposes of information. He went under the assumed name of Lewis, and with the aid of a connection then in the Federal army he visited all the fortifications on the Potomac, bringing with him in disguise the son of Mr. Thomas Green, now in our army. He professes the utmost loyalty and there is nothing before me to impeach it. On the contrary he has taken the oath of allegiance and everything tends to sustain him. I think he ought to be discharged.

Felix S. O'Dell. -He is a native of Nicholas County, Va. He says that he is twenty-six years of age. Is a farmer owning 200 acres of land. That he went to General Floyd's camp to carry clothes to his father (who had been examined and discharged) when he was arrested. He denies all connection or communication with the enemy; professes entire loyalty and took the oath of allegiance. There is no testimony against him. Think he ought to be discharged.

Augustus Tappin. -A native of York County, Va. ; thirty-eight years old; a married man; owns no land; farms upon rented land and gets oyesters. Arrested at his own home on the 13th or 14th of June in Elizabeth City County, where he resided. Professes extreme loyalty and took the oath of allegiance.

Charles G. Clarke and Harriet M., his wife. -Natives of Rhode Island and Massachusetts. They are alien enemies who had settled in Gloucester County. They had a passport to go North via Nashville, but all their property was at Gloucester Point and they returned to get it and were arrested by order of Colonel Crump, who seems to think the woman dangerous and inferred wrong from their return to Gloucester Point, but they had a passport which authorized them to return. They have one child and a house in New York, and I have no reason to treat them otherwise than other alien enemies are treated, except that as they obtained a passport in proper time and have been prevented by their arrest from using it they ought now to be permitted to obtain their goods from Gloucester Point and made to return and leave the Confederacy via Nashville. I recommend this order as to their mode of departure, because


Page 1433 SUSPECTED AND DISLOYAL PERSONS.