Fort Warren prison records

Prisoners' record, August 1861- February 1862. Kept at Fort Warren, Massachusetts by the prisoners there. Entries written by individual prisoners and usually give name, rank or office, place of residence and arrest, etc. Often describe conditions and/or reasons for arrest, time of arrest, and places detained, and include some commentary. Some entries are just signatures, however.





Many entries are from prisoners arrested for political reasons without clear charges or due process of law. Such prisoners include: Geo. Wm. Brown (Mayor of Baltimore); Frank Key Howard (Editor Daily Exchange, Balt. Md.); Henry M. Warfield (Md. legislator); C[harles] S. Morehead (Gov. of Kentucky); Charles J. Faulkner (Congressman from Virginia and minister to France); J[ames] M[urray] Mason of Va., John Slidell of La., and George Eustice of La. (all three arrested from on board the British steamer "Trent" on the high seas). Entries frequently include some commentary on their arrests, absence of charges and due process, etc.





Marylanders represented (other than those listed above) include:





William H. Gatchell--Police Commissioner; Baltimore, Maryland.





Charles Howard--Commissioner of Police; Baltimore, Maryland.





Severn Teackle Wallis--Member Maryland House of Delegates





William G. Harrison--House of Delegates, Maryland, Baltimore.





I. Adamson Thomas--House of Delegates, Marylandd. Baltimore.





Charles H. Pitts--late member of House of Delegates, Maryland.





George Armistead Appleton--Baltimore, Maryland.





Laurence Sangston--Maryland legislator; Baltimore, Maryland.





Harkins Scott--Maryland legislator; Baltimore, Maryland.





Entries also include those of soldiers from Virginia, Georgia, Mississippi, and especially North Carolina (including several captured at Hatteras). One W.S.G. Andrews of North Carolinla describes his loyalty to his cause and the cause of his grandfathers, and his desire to fight again if free.