Administrative Information

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The collection is without restrictions.

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See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

Civil War List of Slave Prisoners in Eastern District Military Prison, Richmond, Va., 1864, Accession #11339, Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Acquisition Information

Purchase: R.M. Smyth & Company, New York City, November 12, 1997.

Biographical/Historical Information

Lucien W. Richardson enlisted at Williamsburg in May 1861 as a member of the 1st Virginia Artillery, Co. B, James City Artillery, eventually reaching the rank of captain. (In some records Richardson's first name is spelled "Lucian.") He remained with this unit when it became the 1st Battalion Virginia Light Artillery, Co. B, James City Artillery and later an independent unit, Captain Lucien W. Richardson's Battery of Virginia Artillery. Detailed to enrolling duty in January 1863, Richardson's poor health led to his reassignment to duty in Richmond by order of the Confederate Secretary of War. By December 1863 Richardson was a staff officer for General John H. Winder (1800-1865), provost marshal of Richmond.

Two June 1864 inspection reports describe Richardson as commandant of Castle Thunder (a Richmond prison part of the Easter District Military Prison system and used to house Union and political prisoners) in charge of three lieutenants and commended for his "most excellent system of records and registry . . . office books are neatly and accurately kept, and exhibit a complete and comprehensive record of each prisoner received." One inspection reported noted "Captain R. is applying to be retired." [Jeffrey C. Weaver, Brunswick Rebel, Johnston, Southside, United, James City, Lunenburg Rebel, Pamunkey Heavy Artillery, and Young's Harborguard (Lynchburg, Virginia: H. E. Howard, Inc., 1996), 121; Joseph H. Crute, Confederate Staff Officers, 1861-1865 (Powhatan, Va.: Derwent Books, 1982), 213; Lee A. Wallace, A Guide to Virginia Military Organizations, 1861-1865 , rev. 2nd ed. (Lynchburg, Virginia: H. E. Howard, Inc., 1986), 2, 3-4, 31, 308; U. S. War Department, The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of The Union and Confederate Armies (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1880-1901), series 2, vol.7, 204, 206, inspection reports.]

Scope and Content Information

This November 1864 manuscript document, "List of Slaves remaining at Eastern District. Military Prison Richmond Va. Nov. 30/ 64," is a list of twenty-nine recaptured slaves from Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky, Missouri, and Mississippi. Column headings include: "Names / Color / When committed / Age / Where arrested / Owners / Residence." L. W. Richardson has signed it as APM [Assistant Provost Marshal]; the verso file docket bears the notation: "List of Slaves remaining in E. D. M. Nov: 30th/64 given by Capt. Richardson Commdt [Commandant] of prison.//Two copies made out with proper heading & conclusion for Prov: [Provost] Ml [Marshal] Dec. 20/64 for publication." Being held in various Confederate prisons in Richmond and advertised in city and state newspapers was customary for large numbers of recaptured runaway slaves so that their owners might reclaim them [Ervin L. Jordan Jr., Black Confederates and Afro-Yankees in Civil War Virginia (Charlottesville and London: University Press of Virginia, 1995), 79-81].

Most of the slaves have full names (some bear the same surname as their owner), range in age from twelve to seventy, and are described as black or mulatto; the majority were from Virginia and were transferred to the prison in November 1864. For unknown reasons check marks were placed before the names of Elijah (captured September 29, 1864), Ann Jones, and William Choate; the name of the last slave, Jasper (captured November 30, 1864), and that of his owner Peyton Johnston are crossed out.

List of Slaves remaining at Eastern District Military Prison Richmond Va. Nov. 30, [1864]

Names; Color; When committed; Age; Where arrested; Owners/Residence
John Morton; Black; April 5, 1864; 45; Orange Co., Va.; W. L. Thompson,; Orange Court House, Va.
Charlotte; Black; August 7, 1863; 60; n/a; Richard Riddick, [Nansemond] Co., Va.
John Jones; Mulatto; March 8, 1864; 26; Eastern Shore, Va.; Jane E. Watson, Norfolk Co., Va.
Ned; Black; March 9, 1864; 18; Tennessee; Albert Quisenberry, Spotsylvania Co., Va.
Abraham Swann; Black; August 7, 1863; 70; n/a; Martin Gwan, Clark Co., Va.
James Brown; Black; June 20, 1864; 23; Sent from Army of Northern Virginia; John Scott, Fauquier Co., Va.
Henry Douglas; Black; July 7, 1864; 18; [Captured] by Col. Mosby; Charles E. James, Douglas [Loudoun] Co., Va.
George Thomas; Black; July 7, 1864; 15; n/a; Major Peters, Ellicot Mills, Maryland
Lewis Sharp; Black; July 22, 1864; 22; Tennessee; A. Sharpe, Union Co., Tennessee
John Cary; Black; July 25, 1864; 48; [Just now captured?]; Reddan Suggs, [Edgecome] Co., North Carolina
Atlas; Black; September 4, 1864; 19; n/a; John Medley, Anson Co., North Carolina
Junius; Black; September 19, 1864; 15; City Point [Virginia]; Thaddeus Dillard, Sussex Co., Va.
*Elijah; Black; September 29, 1864; 21; n/a; Luther Bryant, Co. H, 5th South Carolina Cavalry
Jim William; Mulatto; October 18, 1864; 12; Greenbrier Co., Va.; Gen. Powell, Hardy Co., Va.
Lewis Diglick; Black; October 23, 1864; 50; Valley of Virginia; Ned Greymer, Washington City, D.C.
Nimrod Dare; Black; March 8, 1864; 47; n/a; James O. Dare, Eastern Shore, Va.
Samuel Green; Black; November 3, 1864; 24; Transferred from Libby [Prison]; Major Bland, King and Queen Co., Va.
*Ann Jones; Black; November 3, 1864; 14; Chaffins Farm; Mrs. Lucien Minor, Richmond City
Betty James; Mulatto; November 3, 1864; 15; Chaffins Farm; Eugene Baker, Carolina Co., Va.
Andrew Lewis; Black; November 9, 1864; 30; Petersburg; William Gordon, [Marion] Co., Missouri
John Heath; Black; November 9, 1864; 35; Transferred from Libby [Prison]; Rollins Heath, Eastern Shore, Va.
Samuel Wilson; Black; November 9, 1864; 28; Transferred from Libby [Prison]; George H. Wilson, Norfolk, Va.
James Griffy; Mulatto; November 9, 1864; 18; Transferred from Libby [Prison]; J.P. Wilson, Mason Co., Kentucky
Frank Ouden; Black; November 9, 1864; 19; Transferred from Libby [Prison]; Alfard Ouden, Pike Co., Missouri
*William Choate; Mulatto; October 14, 1864; 19; Sent by Major Boyle; John Cocke, Portsmouth, Va.
Elijah; Black; November 26, 1864; 26; n/a; Madison Macon
Booker; Black; November 29, 1864; 25; n/a; Captain Breckenridge, Fincastle, Va.
Lemuel Johnson; Black; November 28, 1864; 50; Transferred from Libby [Prison]; Ira Smith, Grand Gulf, Mississippi
Jasper; Black; November 30, 1864; 20; Richmond, Va.; Peyton Johnston, Richmond, Va.
Respectfully submitted
L. W. Richardson
Capt. & APM [Assistant Provost Marshal?]
Com [Commandant]