Hi, I was wondering if someone could tell me the proceedure or what usually happened, to a Confederate officer captured and taken to Gratiot Prison? I read that they were kept on the second floor, officers away from the rest of the prisoners. But, then what? Would they be left there til the end of the war, transferred to Alton, or traded or released for whatever reason? The reason I ask is, i found a letter wrotten by my 4th Great grandfather, Robert Paxton. He is in Gratiot Prison and he is writing to Colonel Broadhead, who was in charge of Gratiot, I believe. In the letter he seems surprised that they have not had a meeting, that he'd been there quite awhile and thought perhaps Broadhead wasn't aware that "such a man as me" was there. And he hoped they could meet and come to "some teams of release." The envolope, written on by someone else says,
Gratiot Prison
Paxton, Robt.
Wants a hearing

Thank you for any help!
Jamie Cummins