Dennis wrote: >>> The majority of prisoners at Camp Chase were released in May and June of 1865. Those who were willing to take the oath were given transportation back South. Those who did NOT found their own way home. Many stories are told about former Confederates walking back home from Northern prison camps including Camp Chase. <<<

Let me throw down a challenge!

Set aside the family stories. Walking home is not the point of my challenge.

Nobody got out of POW camps in the north without taking the Oath of Allegiance after the first three surrender agreements were signed (April 9th, April 26th, and May 4th). Releases from northern POW camps prior to 8 MAY 1865 were of individuals on special War Department orders who had applied to the President for a pardon (presidential amnesty) prior to April 1865. Those most favored by these Presidential Pardon's were men from Kentucky and Tennessee.

The Confederate Trans-Mississippi remained technically "in play" until 26 MAY 1865. Prior to the May 4th Citronelle surrender, and the issuance of General Orders No. 85 on 8 MAY 1865, there were releases from Camp Douglas, and perhaps Camp Chase, of men paroled for exchange who were transferred to Federal authorities in either Vicksburg or New Orleans and then delivered to Confederate authorities at Big Black Bridge or Red River Landing. The last of the James River "paroled for exchange" releases & deliveries authorized by the War Department occurred in March 1865. The final push against Lee in the east and his surrender on 9 APR 1865 changed the rules for POW release.

General Orders No. 85 (8 MAY 1865) directed that all Confederate POWs being held in POW camps who had asked to take the Oath prior to the fall of Richmond (2 APR 1865) were to be released upon taking the Oath and allowed transportation to a point nearest their home. These men took the Lincoln Amnesty Oath.

General Orders No. 109 (6 JUN 1865) directed that all Confederate POWs from the rank of army captain down still being held in POW camps be released upon taking the Oath of Allegiance. Majors and up in rank had to apply directly and individually to the President for a pardon. Under G. O. #109, the men first took the military Oath of Allegiance and then, if they requested, they could take the Johnson Amnesty Oath. Transportation was allowed to a point nearest their homes.

The transportation allowance was not out the goodness of the Yankee heart! It had a purpose. That purpose was to get these ex-Confederates soldiers back home, out of uniform, and on their farms so they would be less likely to offer further resistance to Federal authority. It was not in the Federal interest to have a mass of paroled Confederates wandering about the northern country side in search of food while en route home.

If there was a massive release of Confederate prisoners "on parole" from Camp Chase or Camp Douglas or any other major POW camp in May or June 1865, I would like to examine the documentation. By that, I mean the orders issued and a representative sampling of Compiled Military Service Records.

Hugh Simmons
Fort Delaware Society